6 permits · verified 2026-08-22
What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Houston?
In short
A contractor or trade in Houston, TX has 1 permit that applies to every business of this type, plus 5 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Houston Public Works charges $94 one-time for the temporary certificate of occupancy. 2 of the 6 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-08-22 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a contractor or trade in Houston
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Contractor Licenseonly if it applies to you | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation | $110 non-refundable application | annual | 2026-08-20 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Houston
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Occupancy | Houston Public Works | Varies — formula on the Houston page | one-time | 2026-08-22 |
| Fire Alarm Permitonly if it applies to you | Houston Fire Department | Varies — formula on the Houston page | not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-08-22 |
| Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you | Houston Public Works | $94 one-time | maximum of 30 calendar days | 2026-08-22 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
TX registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $300 one-time filing | no expiry | 2026-08-20 |
| Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $25 one-time filing | up to ten years, renewable | 2026-08-21 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a contractor or trade in Houston?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 6 records listed for a contractor or trade in Houston, TX, 1 apply to every business of this type and 5 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
2 of the 6 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all.
The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Houston permits page and the TX state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Houston?
Permits for a contractor or trade in Houston, TX come from 4 separate offices: Houston Public Works, Houston Fire Department, Texas Secretary of State, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Houston Public WorksIssues 2 permits on this page: Certificate of Occupancy, Temporary Certificate of Occupancy(832) 395-2500www.houstonpermittingcenter.org
- Houston Fire DepartmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Fire Alarm Permit500 Jefferson Street, Suite 1700, Houston, TX 77002 · (832) 394-6700www.houstontx.gov/fire
- Texas Secretary of StateIssues 2 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation, Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)www.sos.state.tx.us
- Texas Department of Licensing and RegulationIssues 1 permit on this page: Electrical Contractor License(800) 803-9202www.tdlr.texas.gov
What does a contractor or trade need in Houston that other businesses do not?
1 of the 1 permit particular to a contractor or trade here applies to no other business type we cover in Houston: Electrical Contractor License.
Electrical Contractor License
Texas licenses no general contractor - there is no statewide builder license. Individual trades are licensed instead: electrical, plumbing and HVAC, each under its own programme. The $110 is the application fee. Published renewal figures conflict between $110 and $165 depending on license subtype, so no renewal amount is recorded until a reviewer confirms which applies.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Houston, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Houston permits page. The 2 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across TX and are covered on the TX state page.
How does a contractor or trade compare with other businesses in Houston?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Electrical Contractor License. A auto repair shop needs Industrial Waste Permit, which a contractor or trade does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a contractor or trade | Only a contractor or trade needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Fitness studios | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Food trucks | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Restaurants | 16 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| Retail stores | 8 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Salons and barbers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Houston permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Apply for a New Electrical Contractor License - TDLRTexas Department of Licensing and Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-22
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.