Midlothian, Texas Building Permit Guide

The City of Midlothian’s Building Inspections Department issues building permits for work inside city limits, from the PDF applications on its website, and every inspection is requested through MyGov. Under the Master Fee Schedule effective September 22, 2026, a new one- or two-family home costs $0.80 per square foot plus a $125 residential plan review fee, and contractors register with the City for free.

What requires a permit in Midlothian?

The City requires a permit before any improvement or alteration to a property. Its permit list and application forms cover:

Midlothian building department: who handles permitting

The Building Inspections Department enforces the City’s adopted building codes for all construction inside Midlothian city limits, issues the permits and performs the inspections. Heath Daniel is the Chief Building Official. Fire protection systems are permitted separately by the Fire Marshal’s Office.

Midlothian permit applications and MyGov

The City posts 17 separate PDF permit applications, including the Residential Building, General Building (commercial and industrial), Residential Accessory Structure, Fence, Roof, In-Ground and Above-Ground Pool, Residential Storm Shelter, Irrigation, Mechanical, Plumbing, Demolition, House Moving, Excavation & Grading, Permanent Sign, Mobile Home Plumbing and Electric, and Certificate of Occupancy forms. MyGov is used to follow a permit’s status and to request inspections.

• Residential Building Permit Application: asks whether the lot is in a flood plain, which water supplier serves it (the City, Sardis-Lone Elm, Mt Peak or another), the sewer type, the electric supplier and the total square feet under roof.
• Subcontractor list: every electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing subcontractor named on a home permit must be registered with the City before the application is reviewed, and the trades work under that one permit rather than separate trade permits.
• General Building Permit Application: asks for the valuation excluding land, and a TDLR project number for non-residential work over $50,000. For every new ground-up non-residential project the City arranges a Development Review Committee meeting with the owner and contractor, which the applicant may decline.
• Contractor registration: free, done in person, by email, by fax or in MyGov, with photo ID, insurance and the trade licence.

Midlothian permit costs and fee structure

Fees come from the Master Fee Schedule approved and effective September 22, 2026 (Resolution 2026-68). Homes are charged by square footage and commercial work by valuation.

For example, a 2,500 sq ft house pays a $2,000 building permit fee plus the $125 plan review fee. Work started without a permit is charged double. New homes also pay a park development fee of $2,000 per dwelling unit, and water, wastewater and roadway impact fees under Ordinance 2022-12, which took effect October 1, 2022; the City posts estimator charts on its Impact Fees page, but the final charge is based on the approved plans.

Contractors and trade permits in Midlothian

On a new home or remodel, the electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing subcontractors are listed on the building permit and work under it. Stand-alone mechanical, plumbing and irrigation jobs have their own applications, and the fee schedule sets these trade minimums:

• Electrical: $50 minimum and $50 for a temporary service; a new or upgraded service is $50 under 150 amps, $100 for 151–500 amps and $150 above 500 amps.
• Plumbing: $50 minimum, $50 for a water heater or lawn sprinkler system, $100 for an interceptor or grease trap.
• Mechanical: $50 minimum, $50 for each exhaust hood or appliance vent.

Every contractor and subcontractor must be registered with the City before a permit is issued; registration is free.

Fire protection: sprinkler, alarm and suppression systems, commercial cooking hoods, smoke control and underground fire lines are permitted by the Fire Marshal’s Office, which enforces the 2021 International Fire Code with regional and local amendments. Plans are emailed as PDFs, and the office charges no plan review or permit fee. New systems in buildings or tenant spaces of 5,000 sq ft or more, or with an occupant load of 100 or more, and jobs adding 15 or more alarm devices or 20 or more sprinkler heads, must first be reviewed by an approved third-party firm.

Midlothian permit application: local workflow

Inspections in Midlothian

Request inspections in MyGov; requests placed online before 5:00 p.m. are inspected the next day. Phone requests left on the inspection line, 972-775-7166, need 48 hours. Give the contractor’s name and phone, the address, the inspection type and the date; the City does not take time-of-day requests, and weekend inspections are for emergencies only. Calling for an inspection before the work is ready can bring a $50 re-inspection fee.

Key steps from the City’s residential inspection procedures:

• A form board survey by a registered professional land surveyor must be on site or uploaded before the plumbing rough inspection.
• The temporary power pole goes in before framing starts.
• A stamped engineer’s foundation letter is needed before the framing inspection, in addition to the City’s own slab inspection.
• Plumbing top-out, gas piping, electrical rough-in, HVAC duct rough, wall ties and framing are inspected together, before insulation.
• All flatwork needs a pre-pour inspection, wire mesh is not allowed, and water meter boxes and cleanouts may not sit in driveways, approaches or sidewalks.
• Third-party energy code (IECC) results must be on site or uploaded before finals can be scheduled, and a TCEQ septic permit before the CO inspection where there is a septic system.
• All finals are done together for the Certificate of Occupancy. Moving in before the CO is issued can bring a fine of up to $1,000 a day.

Local details for building in Midlothian

Fire lanes and water first: the Fire Marshal’s developer rules require fire apparatus access roads at least 24 ft wide (26 ft for buildings 30 ft or taller) and hydrants within 400 ft of all building areas, with at least 1,500 gallons per minute for two hours. Both must be installed and approved before vertical construction.

Water suppliers: depending on location, homes are served by the City, Sardis-Lone Elm or Mt Peak water systems, and the application asks which one along with the meter sizes needed.

Development rules: the City publishes a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, an Escarpment Development Ordinance and Eagle Ford Shale standards with its development guidance, and the building application asks whether the lot is in a flood plain.

Texas building code

Texas has no single statewide building code: state law makes the International Residential Code the base code for homes in cities and the International Building Code the base for commercial buildings, with each city choosing the edition and its own amendments, while the National Electrical Code and the energy code apply statewide. Outside city limits most counties issue no building permits for homes. Texas building code rules

Midlothian permit search and official resources

• Midlothian Building Inspections Department
• Midlothian Building Permits
• Midlothian permit applications
• Master Fee Schedule (effective September 22, 2026)
• Midlothian adopted codes and amendments
• Residential Inspection Procedures
• Non-Residential Inspection Procedures
• Midlothian impact fees
• Fire Marshal: fire code plan reviews
• Fire code provisions for developers and builders
• MyGov portal for Midlothian

Frequently asked questions

How much is a building permit for a new house in Midlothian?

$0.80 per square foot plus a $125 residential plan review fee, so $2,125 for a 2,500 sq ft house, before the $2,000 park development fee and impact fees.

Do I need a permit for a fence, roof or shed in Midlothian?

Yes. Fence and roof permits are $50 each, and an accessory structure is $100 up to 499 sq ft, $200 up to 1,499 sq ft and $300 above that.

Do contractors have to register in Midlothian?

Yes, every contractor and subcontractor on the permit. Registration is free and can be done in person, by email, by fax or in MyGov.

How do I schedule an inspection in Midlothian?

Through MyGov. Requests made before 5:00 p.m. are inspected the next day; phone requests to 972-775-7166 need 48 hours.

Does Midlothian charge for fire sprinkler or alarm permits?

No. The Fire Marshal’s Office reviews and permits fire protection systems and currently has no fee schedule for them, but larger systems need an approved third-party review first.

What codes does Midlothian use?

The 2021 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Energy, Existing Building and Fire Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code, each with City amendments.

Where is Building Inspections located?

215 N. 8th Street, Midlothian, Texas 76065, open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Simplify Midlothian permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Texas. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Midlothian permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.