Richmond, Texas Building Permit Guide

The City of Richmond Building Department, at the City Hall Annex, 600 Morton St. (281-232-6871), issues building and trade permits inside city limits, and every new application has gone through the My Government Online (MGO) portal since October 14, 2024. A new home costs $0.35 per square foot plus a plan review fee of half the permit, due when you submit.

What requires a permit in Richmond?

The City’s fee schedule sets out the permits the Building Department issues:

Richmond building department: who handles permitting

The Planning Department (281-342-0559) guides development in Richmond and its extraterritorial jurisdiction but regulates land use only inside the corporate limits; land beyond them is unincorporated Fort Bend County. The City’s fee schedule also lists a $25 outside-city-limits charge on commercial building, plumbing and sign permits.

Richmond permit records and the MGO portal

Create an account at MGO Connect and choose Richmond as the jurisdiction. The portal handles applications for permits and licences, status tracking, inspection requests, payments and permit placards. Projects begun before October 14, 2024 finish under the City’s former process.

• Separate applications: the City publishes distinct applications for residential and commercial building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roof, fence, driveway, floodplain development, manufactured home placement, signs and occupancy.
• Generators: three applications are needed (building for the slab, electrical for the generator and plumbing for the gas line), every contractor must be registered, and CenterPoint must approve the automatic transfer switch first.
• Rental homes: since January 1, 2023 residential rental properties must be registered with the City, at $50 every two years.
• Pre-application conference: new developments can meet the Development Review Committee (Planning, City Engineer, Public Works, Building, Fire Marshal and Fire Department) in one-hour slots on Tuesday mornings at 9, 10 or 11 a.m.

Richmond permit fees

Fees come from the City’s fee schedule linked from the Building Department page as the FY25 schedule.

For example, a 2,500 sq ft home has a building permit fee of $875 and a plan review fee of $437.50, before the $10 general fee and the separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits.

Richmond trade permits

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work each need their own permit in MGO, and the Building Department inspects foundations, framing, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. Electrical fees are charged per item, such as $25 for a meter loop with disconnect, $50 for a generator or pool circuit and 50 cents per light, switch or receptacle; plumbing is $5 a fixture. Plans for a new home need a plumbing riser diagram signed by a responsible master plumber, electrical load calculations with a one-line diagram and 12 AWG minimum wire, and a Manual J load calculation with the HVAC layout.

The Fire Marshal permits fire alarms, sprinklers and other fire protection systems, with a $100 plan review fee and $150 re-inspections, and charges three times the permit fee if work starts without one.

How to get a building permit in Richmond

What a new-home plan set needs

• Cover sheet with sheet index, design criteria, elevations and address
• Foundation plan by a licensed structural engineer
• Framing plans with an engineered lateral wind bracing design
• Plot plan and site map with front, side and rear setbacks, the driveway location and width, and a drainage plan
• Complete architectural plans with exterior elevations and cross-sections
• Electrical, mechanical and plumbing plans as described above
• ResCheck energy report with checklist and energy compliance sticker, and the termite treatment type

The City’s residential checklist still names the 2015 International Codes as design criteria, while the Building Department page lists the 2024 editions as the adopted codes.

Inspections in Richmond

Inspections for MGO projects are requested online in the portal. Building Department inspectors cover foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and final stages. Pools follow a set order: layout (with the permit and approved plans on site), pool steel, underground electrical and bonding, deck steel, gas test, then a final that combines electrical and plumbing and checks the barrier and self-closing, self-latching gates. Generators get a gas line test, an electrical inspection with the panels open and a final once running.

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

Richmond official resources

• Richmond Building Department
• MGO Connect customer portal
• Richmond building permits and MGO help guide
• City of Richmond fee schedule (FY25)
• Residential Building Department review checklist
• Residential swimming pool guidelines
• Standby generator permit requirements
• Pre-application conference
• Richmond Planning and Zoning

Richmond permit FAQ

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

$0.35 per square foot plus a plan review fee of half that amount, due at submittal, and a $10 general fee. Trade permits are extra.

How do I apply for a permit in Richmond?

Through My Government Online (MGO Connect), which has handled all new permit and licence applications since October 14, 2024.

Which building codes does Richmond use?

The 2024 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy Conservation, Fuel Gas and Fire Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof?

Yes. A single-family re-roof permit is $50, plus a $10 administration fee.

What happens if I start work without a permit?

The City charges $75 on residential work and $250 on commercial work, and the Fire Marshal charges three times the permit fee for fire systems.

Do I need to register a rental house?

Yes. Residential rental property must be registered with the City, at $50 every two years.

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