What permits do you need to open a retail store in Killeen?

Lawn Irrigation Permit

$75, and explicitly NOT covered by the all-in building permit — the schedule names lawn irrigation in its list of exclusions, so a commercial site landscaping a new build pays this on top.

Solar Panel Permit

$100 plus $5 a panel, and then $335 for plan review — the review costs more than the permit on any array under 47 panels. A 100-panel commercial installation comes to $935 all in.

Mobile Home Park License

$180 a year for 1-20 units, $300 for 21-50, $500 for 51-120, $800 for 121-200, $1,200 for 201-300 and $1,500 above 301. Killeen is one of the few cities in this dataset that licenses mobile home parks as a standing annual obligation with published bands.

Short-Term Rental Permit

$200 per unit for the permit and inspection, then $100 per unit a year to renew — the renewal is half the initial fee, which is unusual: Arlington charges $500 both times and Frisco $300 both times. A re-inspection is $75.

Donation Container Permit

$25 to place a donation container. Killeen adopted a dedicated donation container ordinance in September 2024 — a niche obligation, but one that catches retail landlords and charities who assume a bin in a car park needs no permit.

Flood Plain Permit

$300 for lots other than one and two-family, which are $150. Double the residential rate and double Abilene's flat $150, though Grand Prairie charges $300 to $500 on acreage bands for the same thing.

On-Premises Sign Permit

$80 for an individual wall or ground sign and $120 for a group sign. A temporary on-premises sign is $75 and a portable sign $75 annually. Replacing a sign certification tag is $15. Killeen prices by sign type rather than area or value, which makes a large shopfront sign cheap here relative to Abilene's $200 minimum.

Tent Permit

$75. Killeen permits a tent through Development Services rather than the fire department — the same choice San Antonio makes, and the opposite of Abilene and Pasadena where it sits on the fire schedule.

Credit Access Business Registration

$65 a year — between San Antonio's $50 and Waco's $100 for the same registration. Payday and title lenders register with the city on top of their state authorisation.

Billboard Permit

$375 for the permit and then $60 per sign every year to keep it registered — the recurring half is what operators forget. An off-premises temporary sign permit is $85 a year, with each additional sign tag in the same calendar year costing $1.

Shared with other businesses in Killeen

• Commercial Demolition Permit — City of Killeen Development Services, $100 per structure, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for restaurants and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the contractors and trades page.
• Re-Roof Permit — City of Killeen Development Services, $0.03 per square foot, minimum $50, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for restaurants, auto repair shops and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the contractors and trades page.
• After Hours Inspection — City of Killeen Development Services, $200 for the first two hours, then $145 per hour or fraction of an hour, per inspection. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, fitness studios and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the contractors and trades page.
• Commercial Landscape Permit — City of Killeen Development Services, $220 per permit, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for restaurants, fitness studios and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
• Commercial Swimming Pool Permit — City of Killeen Development Services, $80–$245 above or below ground, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
• Food Dealer's Permit — City of Killeen Development Services, $125 per permit, per year, one year. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.