10 permits · verified 2026-10-31
What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Kaufman County?
In short
No permit applies to every contractor or trade in Kaufman County, TX. All 10 depend on your premises, the work you do or how you are set up. Kaufman County Development Services charges $75 per culvert permit ("Total Amount due: $75.00", Development Services Payments page) for the culvert (driveway) permit — county right-of-way. 5 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-31 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a contractor or trade in Kaufman County
| 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 Kaufman County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Code Building Permit (unincorporated Kaufman County)only if it applies to you | Kaufman County Fire Marshal's Office | Varies — formula on the Kaufman County page | per project | 2026-10-31 |
| Fire Construction Permits (hood suppression, sprinkler, alarm, tenant finish-out)only if it applies to you | Kaufman County Fire Marshal's Office | Varies — formula on the Kaufman County page | per permit (each installation or modification) | 2026-10-31 |
| On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Permitonly if it applies to you | Kaufman County Development Services | Varies — formula on the Kaufman County page | per system; aerobic system maintenance contracts must be submitted 30 days before the previous contract expires | 2026-10-31 |
| Floodplain Development Permit (unincorporated Kaufman County)only if it applies to you | Kaufman County Development Services | Varies — formula on the Kaufman County page | per project | 2026-10-31 |
| Stormwater Management Permit and Stormwater Maintenance Permit (commercial)only if it applies to you | Kaufman County Development Services | Varies — formula on the Kaufman County page | per project for the Stormwater Management Permit; the Stormwater Maintenance Permit is renewed | 2026-10-31 |
| Culvert (Driveway) Permit — County Right-of-Wayonly if it applies to you | Kaufman County Development Services | $75 per culvert permit ("Total Amount due: $75.00", Development Services Payments page) | expires 12 months from the date of issuance | 2026-10-31 |
| 911 Address Applicationonly if it applies to you | Kaufman County Development Services | $40 per address application ("Total Amount Due: $40.00", Development Services Payments page) | one-time, per new address | 2026-10-31 |
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 Kaufman County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a contractor or trade in Kaufman County, TX, 0 apply to every business of this type and 10 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
5 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all.
The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Kaufman County permits page and the TX state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Kaufman County?
Permits for a contractor or trade in Kaufman County, TX come from 4 separate offices: Kaufman County Fire Marshal's Office, Kaufman County Development Services, 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.
- Kaufman County Fire Marshal's OfficeIssues 2 permits on this page: Fire Code Building Permit (unincorporated Kaufman County), Fire Construction Permits (hood suppression, sprinkler, alarm, tenant finish-out)101 N. Houston Street, Kaufman, TX 75142 · 469-376-4122www.kaufmancounty.net/374/Building-Permits
- Kaufman County Development ServicesIssues 5 permits on this page, including On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Permit, Floodplain Development Permit (unincorporated Kaufman County), Stormwater Management Permit and Stormwater Maintenance Permit (commercial)101 N. Houston Street, Kaufman, TX 75142 · (469) 376-4127www.kaufmancounty.net/355/On-Site-Sewage-Facilities
- 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 Kaufman County 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 Kaufman County: 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 7 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Kaufman County, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Kaufman County 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 Kaufman County?
The closest match is an auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Electrical Contractor License. An auto repair shop needs Fire Operational Permits — Repair Garages, Spraying or Dipping, Hot Work, 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 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Restaurants | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 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 Kaufman County 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.