14 published records
Business licenses and permits in Collin County, Texas
Collin County (seat McKinney) runs its own local health department through Development Services, but the county's Food Service and Health page limits its food, pool, day-care and complaint programme to the unincorporated areas plus the city limits of Wylie, Melissa, Lowry Crossing, Weston, Josephine and Farmersville. The page states that food service in any other city must be permitted by that city, so McKinney, Plano, Frisco, Allen, Prosper and Celina are outside the county programme and a business there deals with its own city. The Fire Marshal's fees apply in unincorporated Collin County only. The county's own FAQ says it has no zoning restrictions in the unincorporated areas except for sexually-oriented businesses, salvage and junk yards and animal slaughter operations, and that contractors do not need to register with the county. All fees come from the FY 2026 Adopted Fee Schedule, in effect through 30 September 2026.
What are you opening in Collin County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Collin County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Compliance (Unincorporated Commercial Building or New Tenant) | Collin County Fire Marshal | $100 per building or new tenant (county page: per building in new construction) | one-time | 2026-09-29 |
| Annual Commercial Fire Inspection (Unincorporated Collin County) | Collin County Fire Marshal | By building size: 1-5,000 sq ft $25; 5,001-12,000 sq ft $50; 12,001-25,000 sq ft $75; 25,001-50,000 sq ft $100; 50,001-100,000 sq ft $125; 100,001-250,000 sq ft $175; over 250,000 sq ft $25 for each 10,000 sq ft. | annual | 2026-09-29 |
| Fire Marshal Building and Site Plan Review (New Construction) | Collin County Fire Marshal | $0.20 per square foot of new construction | one-time per project | 2026-09-29 |
| Commercial On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic) Inspectiononly if it applies to you | Collin County Development Services (Environmental Health) | New commercial construction wastewater inspection $450 without maintenance or $475 with maintenance ($10 of it goes to the state); repair of an existing septic system under 100 ft of line with no tank exchange $100, over 100 ft or with a tank exchange $150; re-inspection $75. | per system | 2026-09-29 |
| Culvert and Driveway Permitonly if it applies to you | Collin County Public Works | $250 per parcel | per permit | 2026-09-29 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Collin County?
Certificate of Compliance (Unincorporated Commercial Building or New Tenant)
A commercial building or new tenant in unincorporated Collin County obtains a Certificate of Compliance from the Fire Marshal for $100, and the county's page lists $100 per building in new construction. It applies in the unincorporated areas only. The building and site plan review the Fire Marshal performs for new construction is priced separately at $0.20 per square foot, recorded as its own requirement. Fee currency: the amount is from Collin County's FY 2026 Adopted Fee Schedule, in effect through 30 September 2026, and the county's FY 2027 proposed fee schedule lists the same amount; the fee schedule for the period after 30 September 2026 is not yet published as adopted in any source available on 29 September 2026.
Annual Commercial Fire Inspection (Unincorporated Collin County)
The Fire Marshal performs the annual inspection of commercial premises in the unincorporated (rural) areas of Collin County, and the county's page says the deputy inspects and the business is then sent an invoice for the annual inspection fee. It does not apply inside a city. Collin County has adopted the 2021 International Fire Code with local amendments. The schedule also lists a $25 re-inspection fee after the second failed inspection and a $50 per hour after-hours rate with a two-hour minimum. Fee currency: the amount is from Collin County's FY 2026 Adopted Fee Schedule, in effect through 30 September 2026, and the county's FY 2027 proposed fee schedule lists the same amount; the fee schedule for the period after 30 September 2026 is not yet published as adopted in any source available on 29 September 2026.
Fire Marshal Building and Site Plan Review (New Construction)
The Fire Marshal reviews building and site plans for new commercial construction in unincorporated Collin County at $0.20 per square foot. The Certificate of Compliance, the construction permits such as the hood system permit and the annual inspection are separate items. The fee applies in the unincorporated areas only; inside a city the city's own fire and building offices review plans. Fee currency: the amount is from Collin County's FY 2026 Adopted Fee Schedule, in effect through 30 September 2026, and the county's FY 2027 proposed fee schedule lists the same amount; the fee schedule for the period after 30 September 2026 is not yet published as adopted in any source available on 29 September 2026.
Commercial On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic) Inspection
A commercial site in unincorporated Collin County that is served by a septic system is inspected by Development Services under the fee schedule's on-site sewage facility rows. The schedule also lists a $50 wastewater review for an existing septic system and a $50 OSSF re-review. The county's FAQ says permitting is required for residential and non-residential building projects that disturb ground or add footprint on a parcel. Fee currency: the amount is from Collin County's FY 2026 Adopted Fee Schedule, in effect through 30 September 2026, and the county's FY 2027 proposed fee schedule lists the same amount; the fee schedule for the period after 30 September 2026 is not yet published as adopted in any source available on 29 September 2026.
Culvert and Driveway Permit
A site that needs a driveway or culvert on a county road obtains a culvert and driveway permit from Collin County Public Works at $250 per parcel. It applies on county roads, not on a city street. Contact Public Works at PubWorks@collincountytx.gov. The county's FAQ says contractors do not need to register with Collin County to do work within the county's jurisdiction; the permit applies to the work and the site. Fee currency: the amount is from Collin County's FY 2026 Adopted Fee Schedule, in effect through 30 September 2026, and the county's FY 2027 proposed fee schedule lists the same amount; the fee schedule for the period after 30 September 2026 is not yet published as adopted in any source available on 29 September 2026.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Collin County FY 2026 Adopted Fee Schedule by DepartmentCollin County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
- Collin County Fire Marshal, Commercial ApplicationsCollin County Fire Marshal · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
- Collin County FY 2027 Proposed Fee Schedule, by Fee Title (Commissioners Court agenda attachment)Collin County Commissioners Court · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
Who issues business permits in Collin County?
Permitting in Collin County is split across 4 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Collin County issuing agencies
- Collin County Fire MarshalCommercial plan review, Certificate of Compliance, construction and operational permits and annual fire inspections in unincorporated Collin County6 permits
- Collin County Development Services (Environmental Health)Food service establishment permits, child care facility food permits and temporary event food permits · Farmers market and farm direct-sale food permits · Food, day-care and pool inspections and complaints in the unincorporated areas and the city limits of Wylie, Melissa, Lowry Crossing, Weston, Josephine and Farmersville · On-site sewage facility (OSSF) inspections in unincorporated Collin County5 permits
- Collin County Public WorksCulvert/driveway permits and right-of-way use permits on county roads2 permits
- Collin County Tax Assessor-CollectorCounty local fee on state TABC alcohol licenses and permits1 permit
Other Texas jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.