Murphy, Texas Building Permit Guide

Inside Murphy city limits, building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and occupancy permits are handled by the City’s Permits & Inspections staff through the Customer Service Center at City Hall, 206 N. Murphy Road (972-468-4100). Every contractor on the job must be registered with the City first. A new or enlarged home costs $0.64 per total square foot of structure, commercial work $10 per $1,000 of valuation, and inspections requested before 2:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day.

What requires a permit in Murphy?

The City requires a permit before work starts on any new building, remodel or enlargement, and on many smaller improvements around a house. Purely cosmetic work, such as painting, wallpaper, flooring, cabinets and trim, needs no permit, and neither does swapping out plumbing fixtures.

The City notes that its list is not complete, so ask Customer Service about anything not shown. Homeowners association deed restrictions are separate from City permits and are enforced by the HOA.

Murphy building department: who handles permitting

Permits & Inspections enforces the City’s construction and property maintenance codes. Applications, fees and inspection scheduling all run through the Customer Service Center, which acts as the single point of contact for builders; on a commercial job it corresponds with one person, the general contractor. Civil engineering plans go separately to the Community Services Department, and the Fire Department schedules its own inspections.

Murphy applications, contractor registration and online access

Commercial building permit applications, Certificate of Occupancy applications and drawings are submitted electronically to the Customer Service Center; residential jobs use the same Building Permit Application with a plan review checklist and one electronic plan set. Permit fees are due when you submit and are not refunded.

Contractor registration: the general, mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors must all be registered with Murphy before a permit is issued. Registration is renewed each year on the expiry date the City assigns, and a photo ID and any state licence are needed to register. General contractors, subcontractors, backflow testers and third-party energy contractors pay $100; master electricians, master plumbers and master mechanical contractors register without a fee. State-registered fire alarm and sprinkler installers are exempt.

Online portal: once registered, a contractor can sign up for Murphy’s Municipal Online Services portal to see issued permits, pay fees, book inspections and read results. Card payments are limited to Visa and MasterCard and carry a 2% processing fee.

Other applications on the City’s forms page:

• Certificate of Occupancy Application and Fire Plan Review / Fire Protection Permit Application (online forms)
• Floodplain Development Permit and Grading Permit
• Right of Way/Easement Permit Application and Tree Removal Permit
• House Moving Permit, Sign Permit and Tent/Canopy permit packets
• Small Cell Node and Smart/ET Controller permit packets
• Pool Alarm Certification, Special Inspection Certification and Backflow Test Report
• Proof of Plan Submittal to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
• Building and Fire Code Appeals Board application

For a generator or a home energy storage system, an applicant may use a third-party master electrician, electrical inspector or engineer for the generator, transfer switch or storage system itself. That portion needs its own permit, which the City releases within 3 business days of receiving the reviewer’s certified letter; the rest of the job stays with City review and inspection.

Murphy permit cost

Building fees are set in Appendix A, Article A9.000 of the Code of Ordinances, last amended in September 2025. The minimum for any permit is $100 unless a lower flat fee is listed, and no permit fee is refunded.

For example, a home with 3,000 total square feet of structure has a $1,920 building permit fee plus the $30 service inspection certificate, before trade permits and utility charges. Re-stamping plans costs $30 an hour and an addendum review $50 an hour per inspector.

New construction also pays water and wastewater impact fees by meter size; the schedule lists a maximum of $3,119 for a 3/4-inch meter ($1,207 water and $1,912 wastewater). On commercial jobs, impact fees, meter fees and deposits, sewer connection fees and the construction inspection fee must all be paid before plans go into review.

Murphy trade permits

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are issued by the same Permits & Inspections office. On a house, each trade permit is a flat $100; on a commercial building, $100 per trade is added to the building permit for buildings up to 100,000 sq ft and $120 per trade above that, and a stand-alone trade permit is $100. Temporary electrical and temporary plumbing for a job site are $75 each.

Plans for fire alarms, fire lines and sprinklers are reviewed by the Fire Department on its own application, and sprinkler plans for a commercial building may be a deferred submittal. The residential checklist requires fire sprinkler plans, and at least a 1-inch domestic water meter, for any house over 6,000 sq ft.

Plans and documents Murphy asks for

The civil plan review should be approved before the commercial building application is filed. A shell building must have its Certificate of Occupancy before a tenant finish-out is accepted, and a shell and finish-out by the same contractor are still two separate permits.

How to get a Murphy permit: 6 steps

The City points to the state deadline for commercial permits: a decision within 45 days of submittal, or within 30 days of the City’s revision comments.

Inspections in Murphy

Request building inspections through the online inspection request form, the contractor portal, or the 24-hour inspection line at 972-468-4050. Requests in by 2:00 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day, but specific times and morning or afternoon preferences cannot be honoured. Give the builder’s name, a contact and phone number, the address, permit number, subdivision and the inspection needed, and say if it is a re-inspection.

Inspections that cover several trades are booked together: the frame inspection with electric, mechanical and plumbing rough-in; the electric and gas meters; the ceiling inspections; and all four finals. The site must be ready when you call, work must not be in progress, the permit and stamped plans must be on site, and an adult must be there if the inspector needs to get into a locked area, or the inspection fails. Results are left on site.

The first failed building inspection is free; the second and each one after it cost $100, and a failed public works inspection is $100 each time. An inspection requested after the cut-off for the same day costs $60, and a same-day re-inspection $100 plus the re-inspection fee, paid before the request is processed. To cancel, call 972-468-4100 before 9:00 a.m. and talk to staff; voicemail cancellations still go out and can be charged.

A commercial Certificate of Occupancy is issued once every building and fire inspection has passed. Fire inspections are booked with the Fire Department at 972-468-4300.

Local Murphy details

Development approvals: zoning changes, construction and final plats, replats, site plans, landscape and elevation plans go to the Planning & Zoning Commission for a recommendation and then to City Council. The Commission generally meets on the Thursday after the first Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. Minor and amending plats can be approved by staff.

Site permits: a grading permit costs $100, a floodplain development permit $300 plus the consultant’s review cost, and a right-of-way construction permit $75.

Codes: the 2021 International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Energy Conservation, Fire, Fuel Gas, Mechanical and Plumbing Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code have applied to applications filed since March 1, 2024, with local amendments; restaurants and food businesses also fall under the City’s Health Code ordinance.

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

Official Murphy permit resources

• Murphy Permits & Inspections
• When a Permit Is Required
• Murphy permit applications
• Certifications, registrations and plan review checklist
• Building & Inspections online portal
• Request an inspection
• Murphy adopted building codes
• Commercial Construction Reference Guide
• Murphy fee schedule, Appendix A Article A9.000

Frequently asked questions

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

$0.64 per total square foot of structure with a $100 minimum, plus a $30 service inspection certificate fee. A 3,000 sq ft home works out to $1,950 before trade permits and impact fees.

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

Yes. A fence is $100, a roof replacement $150, and an accessory building under 500 sq ft $75. Fence repairs need a permit too.

Do contractors need to register with Murphy?

Yes. General, mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors must be registered before any permit is issued. Most pay $100 a year; master electricians, plumbers and mechanical contractors pay no fee.

What is the inspection-request cutoff?

2:00 p.m. Requests made by then are scheduled for the next business day; later same-day requests cost $60 extra if an inspector is free.

Does Murphy require a commercial preconstruction meeting?

Yes. It is held after plans are approved and must be completed before the building permit is issued.

What codes does Murphy use?

The 2021 International Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code, effective March 1, 2024.

How do I cancel an inspection?

Call 972-468-4100 before 9:00 a.m. and speak to a person. Messages left on voicemail do not cancel the visit.

Simplify Murphy 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 Murphy permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.