Taylor, Texas Building Permit Guide

The City of Taylor Development Services Department (400 Porter St., 512-309-6701) reviews and issues building permits and coordinates inspections inside the city, and every application, payment and inspection request goes through MGO Connect. Under the FY 2027 fee schedule a new home costs $0.15 per square foot for plan review plus a $1.00 per square foot permit that already covers the electrical, plumbing and mechanical work.

What requires a permit in Taylor?

Taylor publishes a checklist or fee for each type of work it permits:

If you are not sure whether a job needs a permit, the City asks you to email permits@taylortx.gov before starting; work without a permit can lead to fines and a doubled permit fee.

Who handles permitting in Taylor?

Development Services, directed by Martin Griggs, covers building permits, code enforcement and planning. The building division reviews plans, issues permits, coordinates inspections and checks contractor licensing and registration; the planning side handles zoning changes, plats, site plans, variances and special use permits. Fire sprinkler, fire alarm and kitchen hood plans are reviewed by the Fire Marshal’s Office. Taylor lies in Williamson County, and the City requires land in both the city limits and its extraterritorial jurisdiction to be legally platted before it is sold or developed.

MGO Connect and contractor registration

Taylor uses My Government Online (MGO Connect) for applications, review comments, payments and inspection requests, and all communication about a permit happens there. Each permit type has a checklist on the Building Permits page; staff accept an application only when it is complete, then assess the application fee, which must be paid when notified or the application is voided.

Contractors must be registered with the City before a permit is issued, and registration is free. In MGO, choose Texas, then Taylor, and the project type “Contractor Registration”, then upload a Texas driver’s licence or ID, a certificate of insurance, a master licence (not needed for general contractors) and, for electricians, the state licence. A homeowner doing their own work on a remodel or fence submits evidence of a homestead exemption on the property instead.

Taylor permit fees (FY 2027)

Fees come from the FY 2027 Fee Schedule adopted as Exhibit A to Ordinance 2026-29. Floor area is measured externally as gross floor area. Building permits include two plan reviews and, for the fee, the first inspection and one re-inspection; most permits also carry a $15 to $35 technology fee.

For example, a 2,000 sq ft new home pays $300 for plan review (plus the $25 technology fee) when the application is filed and a $2,000 permit fee on approval. After the first re-inspection, each residential re-inspection costs $55 and each commercial one $75; an inspection cancelled on its scheduled day is still charged. Work without a permit costs double the permit fee, or triple plus a citation for repeat offences. Expedited plan review, where capacity allows, is $125 an hour for homes and $200 for commercial work. Properties in a Neighborhood Empowerment Zone may get 50% off building and trade fees. Roadway, water and wastewater impact fees are set by separate ordinances, and the City is updating them in 2026.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits

Trade work on a new home, addition or remodel is included in the building permit fee at $0.25 per square foot for each of building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical. Stand-alone trade jobs need their own permit, filed in MGO by a registered contractor with the matching checklist:

Each also carries a $15 technology fee and inspection fees, and commercial permits add the standard $95 commercial plan review. Remodels with new duct work need Manual J, S and D load calculations. The Fire Marshal’s fees include $300 per sprinkler system plan review, $200 per fire alarm plan review and $150 for a kitchen hood suppression review. Before the final inspection of a new fire protection system, the installer must give the fire code official a written statement of compliance, and annual inspection reports are filed through The Compliance Engine.

New home checklist and review times

The new residential checklist asks for these PDF uploads in MGO:

• Project information: owner, applicant and contractors, description, value, square footage (living, garage, porch and gross total) and legal description
• Site plan to scale with easements, right-of-way, setbacks, driveways, a benchmark elevation of 100 ft at the highest point, first floor elevation and drainage
• Driveway detail and, where required, a landscape plan
• Foundation plan designed by a Texas registered engineer
• Structural plans, roof and ceiling framing, and a wind brace plan; truss designs on site at inspection
• Floor plans, building plans and elevations, including window sizes matching the energy report
• REScheck or IC3 energy compliance report and Manual J/S/D load calculations
• Electrical detail with panels, GFCI and arc-fault protection, smoke and CO alarms and ventilation
• For floodplain lots, the base flood elevation and a finished floor at least 2 ft above it, with an initial elevation certificate sealed by a registered surveyor

The City’s permit flow chart allows 1 to 2 days to check that an application is complete and 10 days for technical review, followed by revisions if needed.

How to get a building permit in Taylor

Taylor inspections

All inspections are requested online in MGO Connect; requests made by 3:00 p.m. are guaranteed service the next business day. Residential inspections are $55 each and commercial $75 when charged separately, emergency inspections are $95 and $125, and right-of-way inspections on commercial jobs are $125. The building permit fee covers the first inspection and one re-inspection, but cancelling an inspection on its scheduled day triggers the inspection fee.

A commercial certificate of occupancy ($80) includes a customer service inspection, and the Fire Department publishes a commercial inspection checklist to help new businesses prepare. Residential customer service inspections are also available for $80.

Local Taylor rules to plan around

Codes: Taylor adopted the 2018 International Residential, Building, Existing Building, Fire, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation, Swimming Pool and Spa and Property Maintenance Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code on October 14, 2021 (Ordinance 2021-31). The City has posted a draft ordinance and amendments to adopt the 2024 I-Codes for public comment.

Floodplain: development in the 100-year floodplain needs a floodplain development permit filed in MGO with the signed application and a deed or proof of ownership, and new homes there need a finished floor at least 2 ft above the base flood elevation.

Neighborhood Empowerment Zone: eligible properties can get a 50% reduction in zoning, platting, site plan, building and trade permit fees, but not when the work started without a permit.

Outdoor burning: inside city limits it needs a $50 permit, an on-site inspection by the Fire Marshal’s Office and at least 5 acres.

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 Taylor permit resources

• Taylor Building Permits (checklists, codes, inspections)
• MGO Connect customer portal for Taylor
• Development Services
• FY 2027 City Fee Schedule (PDF)
• Contractor registration instructions (PDF)
• New residential permit checklist (PDF)
• Residential remodel checklist (PDF)
• Floodplain development checklist (PDF)
• Building permit process flow chart (PDF)
• 2024 I-Code adoption updates
• Subdivision platting
• Fire protection systems

Taylor permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Taylor?

The City’s Development Services Department at 400 Porter St. (512-309-6701), through MGO Connect.

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

$0.15 per sq ft for plan review plus $1.00 per sq ft for the permit, which includes trades. A 2,000 sq ft home is $300 plus $2,000, before the technology fee and impact fees.

How long does plan review take?

The City’s flow chart shows 1 to 2 days for a completeness check and 10 days for technical review.

Do I need a permit for a fence or shed?

Fences over 6 ft tall need a $75 permit. Residential accessory buildings of 200 sq ft or more need a permit.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

The remodel and fence checklists allow it when the homeowner does the work on a property with a homestead exemption; upload evidence of the exemption with the application.

When are inspections done?

Requests made in MGO Connect by 3:00 p.m. are guaranteed the next business day.

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