Building permits in Webster come from the City’s Building Division at 101 Pennsylvania Avenue (281-338-2925), and since September 2025 every application has to be filed online through the City’s permit portal. A new house costs $0.35 per square foot, plus a plan review fee of half the permit fee, and plan review takes 7–10 business days. Webster enforces the 2021 International Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, and any building that is used or occupied needs a certificate of occupancy.
What requires a permit in Webster?
Residential
- New houses, renovations and remodels
- Storage sheds, accessory buildings, porches and patios
- Above-ground and in-ground pools and hot tubs
- Roof replacement and foundation repair
- New or replacement fences
- Siding and window replacement
- New or replacement driveways and sidewalks
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work
Commercial and other
- New buildings and alterations, priced by construction value
- Certificates of occupancy and utility reconnection for a new business or owner
- Signs, including walking signs
- Fire alarms, sprinklers, hood suppression and underground fire lines
- Tents and tree removal
- Work in the public right-of-way, including small cell nodes
Who handles permitting in Webster?
The Building Division issues building and trade permits, reviews plans and carries out building inspections. The Fire Marshal’s Office runs fire inspections, fire permits and the fire side of every certificate of occupancy. Planning handles zoning verification and pre-development meetings, and Public Works (281-316-3700) answers questions about utility availability.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Building Division | 101 Pennsylvania Avenue, Webster, TX 77598; 281-338-2925; fax 281-316-4128 |
| City Hall hours | Monday to Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.; main line 281-332-1826 |
| Online filing | The City’s permit portal (sign in or continue as a guest) |
| Fire Marshal | 281-316-3740 |
| Pre-development meetings | PreDevelopment@cityofwebster.com |
Webster permit fees
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New house | $0.35 per sq ft of the dwelling |
| Renovation or remodel | $0.35 per sq ft of the remodeled area |
| Storage shed, accessory building, porch or patio | $80 |
| Swimming pool: above ground / in ground | $80 / $250 |
| Hot tub | $80 |
| Roof replacement or foundation repair | $50 each |
| Siding / window replacement | $50 / $40 |
| Driveway or sidewalk | $40 |
| Fence | $20 |
| Miscellaneous items | $20 |
| Plan review | Half of the building permit fee, on top of it |
A 2,000 sq ft house pays $700 for the building permit and $350 for plan review, $1,050 in all, before trade permits and the water and sewer impact fees (schedule effective November 15, 2022) that are due when the permit is issued.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Total valuation | Fee |
|---|---|
| $1,000 or less | $15 |
| $1,000 to $50,000 | $15 for the first $1,000 plus $5 for each additional $1,000 |
| $50,000 to $100,000 | $260 for the first $50,000 plus $4 for each additional $1,000 |
| $100,000 to $500,000 | $460 for the first $100,000 plus $3 for each additional $1,000 |
| $500,000 and up | $1,660 for the first $500,000 plus $2 for each additional $1,000 |
A $200,000 commercial job pays $760 for the permit and $380 for plan review. The plan review fee is paid before review starts, and the permit fee before the permit is issued.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits
Trade work is permitted separately from the building permit, with its own application filed online. The electrical application asks for the TDLR contractor number and the master electrician; it carries a $20 processing fee plus item fees, such as $6 for a residential meter loop and service, $20 for a commercial one or a temporary cut-in, and 50 cents per outlet or light fixture. The plumbing application needs the plumber’s state licence number, two sets of drawings and a $20 processing fee. Mechanical and sign work have their own applications.
The Fire Marshal’s Office charges a $30 issuing fee on fire code permits, with plan review at 50% of the permit cost: for example, a sprinkler system is $150 per riser plus $3 per head, a fire alarm $100 for the panel plus $3 per device, an underground fire line $150 and kitchen hood suppression $150 per hood. Work started without a permit pays double.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to submit
A building permit application needs three sets of construction drawings, drawn to scale, plus digital files. Plans for a new building or a structural alteration must include:
- Complete architectural drawings
- Complete engineered structural drawings
- Electrical layout and load analysis
- Plumbing layout and riser diagram
- Mechanical equipment and layout
- A complete site plan
- Landscaping plans as the City ordinance requires
Allow 7–10 business days for plan review; for commercial work the City says to allow a week or more for complex projects. The authorized representative is notified by email when review is complete.
How to apply: 6-step Webster process
Confirm the zoning with the City Planner or the GIS maps, and ask Public Works whether the site has the utilities the project needs.
For new development, email the fillable request form and supporting documents to PreDevelopment@cityofwebster.com.
Open the permit portal, sign in or continue as a guest, choose the permit and upload the drawings.
Review starts only once the plan review fee is paid; expect 7–10 business days.
Pay the building permit fee and any utility impact fees at issuance.
Book each inspection on the automated line, then pass the building and Fire Marshal certificate of occupancy inspections before opening.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections and certificates of occupancy
Request building inspections on the automated line, 281-338-2925 (press 1), or through the City’s online request, giving the permit number, inspection type, project name and address, and AM or PM. Requests made before 7 a.m. can be inspected the same day, and inspections take place during office hours. Fire inspections are booked separately with the Fire Marshal on 281-316-3740 or online.
Webster’s required inspections include foundation piers and slab, hurricane clips and straps, brick ties, framing, electrical temporary pole, underground, wall and ceiling cover, device and temporary cut-in, mechanical rough-in, plumbing ground, top-out and gas test, and a final for each trade before the building final. Framing is inspected only after the plumbing, mechanical and electrical cover inspections pass.
A new business, or a change of owner, files the Building Occupancy / Utility Reconnection Application, which the zoning official and building official sign off. Before opening, the owner calls for final inspections by both the Building Division and the Fire Marshal’s Office, and all final and certificate of occupancy inspections must pass before the certificate is issued.
Local Webster details
Flooding: the Building Division posts FEMA flood panels on an online map and has published a draft Repetitive Loss Area Analysis of areas with repeated flooding; a copy is available on 281-316-4131.
Other City permits: right-of-way use and small cell node permits, tree removal, tents, walking signs and construction and demolition roll-off containers each have their own application, and backflow assemblies need the City’s test form.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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
Webster permit search and official resources
- Webster Building Division and permit applications
- Webster online permit portal
- Webster building permit fee schedule
- Webster required inspections
- Webster inspection request form
- Webster building occupancy and utility reconnection application
- Webster Fire Marshal permit fees
- Webster pre-development meetings
- Webster Planning & Zoning
Frequently asked questions
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a building permit for a new house in Webster?
$0.35 per square foot, plus a plan review fee equal to half the permit fee. A 2,000 sq ft house pays $1,050 before trade permits and impact fees.
Can I apply on paper?
No. Since September 2025 the City accepts permit applications only through its online portal; for help call 281-338-2925.
How long does plan review take?
The City asks applicants to allow 7–10 business days.
How do I get a same-day inspection?
Call the automated line, 281-338-2925, before 7 a.m. with the permit number and inspection type.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof or fence in Webster?
Yes. A roof replacement permit is $50 and a fence permit $20.
What is needed for a certificate of occupancy?
The Building Occupancy / Utility Reconnection Application, and passed final inspections by both the Building Division and the Fire Marshal’s Office before the business opens.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Webster permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.