The City of Arlington is among Texas cities that are revising the way building permit and inspection fees for new home construction or renovations are calculated in response to a state law that became effective May 21, 2019.
Previously, the City of Arlington’s permit and inspection fees for the construction or renovation of homes, townhomes or duplexes were based on the valuation of either the structure or the planned improvements. House Bill 852, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, prohibits municipalities from requiring valuation data in order to calculate fees. The City of Arlington is revising the fee calculation methodology to base it on the square footage of the structure while setting some other permit fees at a flat rate, depending on the type of work being done. The permit for a foundation repair for a home, for example, is now a flat fee of $150, no matter the value of the improvement project. Many fees are expected to remain comparable to the City’s previous residential permit fee structure.
During the City’s fee update, starting June 10, those who are applying online at www.ArlingtonPermits.com for certain residential building permits will not need to pay for their plan review fee at the time their plans are submitted. City staff will contact the applicant with all permit fee information and plan comments. Applicants whose permits were processed between May 21, 2019, and June 9, 2019, may be eligible for a refund equal to the difference in fees if a higher fee was assessed under the previous fee schedule. Please visit or contact the One Start Development Center at City Hall for more information.
Click here to see a list of the new permit fees related to residential new construction or renovations.
The Arlington City Council is expected to vote June 25 to formally adopt the revised fee schedule to be in compliance with the new state law. The new state law does not affect the City’s commercial permit and inspection fee structure.
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