Digital permit application gateway
Start with the issuing authority’s own submission lane. A complete application package, accurate valuation, and accessible inspection path are the fastest route through statutory plan review.
Recommended first click
Use the official digital gateway to submit plans, monitor review comments, pay required charges, and request inspections when the permit is issued. If the link is unavailable, use the agency website or phone number on the administrative profile to confirm the current lane.
Typical review lane
Residential construction and OSSF plan review: 30 business days. Published processing times vary by permit type; for example, sign permits list 3-5 business days. Harris County states that it does not offer expedited review, except possible case-by-case coordination for emergencies.
Treat this as a planning signal, not a guaranteed approval date. Completeness, corrections, resubmittals, and agency workload control the actual clock.
Verify the parcel is inside this agency’s service area and note whether a city, state, fire marshal, septic authority, or utility district also has approval authority.
Prepare legible plans, site information, project valuation, ownership authorization, contractor information, and any energy, floodplain, zoning, or utility documentation the issuing office requires.
Keep the permit number, approved plan set, correction comments, fee receipts, and inspection results together. Those records establish the compliance trail for the next trade.
Application documents
Before submission, call Permits main: 713-274-3900; Residential: 713-274-3920; Development Inspections: 713-274-3924; septic inspection questions: 713-274-3800 if the project involves a change of occupancy, structural alteration, accessory structure, demolition, or work near a regulated environmental feature.
Source trail
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Harris County Office of the County Engineer, Development Services & Permits Division is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact Permits main: 713-274-3900; Residential: 713-274-3920; Development Inspections: 713-274-3924; septic inspection questions: 713-274-3800.
Residential construction and OSSF plan review: 30 business days. Published processing times vary by permit type; for example, sign permits list 3-5 business days. Harris County states that it does not offer expedited review, except possible case-by-case coordination for emergencies.
Request development inspections through the Harris County ePermits Inspection Request portal by entering the permit number, or contact Development Inspections at 713-274-3924. Residential builders or qualified third-party inspectors must record foundation, framing/mechanical, and final inspection results in the county Residential Building Code Inspection System. For septic inspections, the licensed installer must give at least 24 hours' notice through the online form or by phone at 713-274-3800; a valid septic permit and county-stamped approved plans are required.
In unincorporated Harris County, single-family and duplex construction permitted on or after September 1, 2009 is subject to Harris County Residential Building Code Standards and the residential inspection-notification system; county materials identify the 2006 International Residential Code or the code applicable in the county seat under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 233. Commercial/public buildings and multifamily dwellings of four or more units are governed by the Harris County Fire Code Regulations effective October 1, 2025. Floodplain development, civil/site work, stormwater, driveway, OSSF, and other county regulations also apply according to project scope. No county demolition permit is required for demolition work in unincorporated Harris County, although later construction or development requires a permit. A residential fence outside a Special Flood Hazard Area does not require a county permit. These are narrow exemptions: the county's residential application otherwise covers new homes, additions/remodels, garages, carports, pools, accessory structures, driveways, fill, and on-site sewage systems; municipal rules apply inside incorporated cities.
What makes an application complete
Before you click submit, make sure the drawings agree with the site plan, project description, valuation, ownership authorization, and contractor information. If the work changes structure, occupancy, drainage, fire protection, energy performance, or utility demand, describe that scope plainly. Ambiguous narratives create correction cycles and delay the field schedule.
Save the confirmation number, payment receipt, uploaded plan set, and every correction comment. Those records are the backbone of a defensible compliance file when multiple trades or agencies share responsibility.
Submission quality check
Site: address, parcel, access, setbacks, and existing conditions are consistent.
Scope: structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, and energy work is identified.
Closeout: inspection contacts and the final approval path are understood before work begins.