9 permits · verified 2026-10-09
What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Mcallen?
In short
A contractor or trade in Mcallen, TX has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 5 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections Department charges $48 per permit, all types for the permit renewal fee. 4 of the 9 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-09 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a contractor or trade in Mcallen
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Demolition Permitonly if it applies to you | City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections Department | $79.80 per permit | one year; lapses if work is not commenced within six months of issue or is suspended or abandoned for six months | 2026-10-09 |
| Commercial Plumbing Permit | City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections Department | $39.60 base fee, plus $4.80 per fixture, floor drain or trap | not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-10-09 |
| 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 Mcallen
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Electrical Permit | City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections Department | Varies — formula on the Mcallen page | not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-10-09 |
| Permit Renewal Feeonly if it applies to you | City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections Department | $48 per permit, all types | not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-10-09 |
| Commercial Plan Review Fee | City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections Department | Varies — formula on the Mcallen page | one-time, per application | 2026-10-09 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections Department | Varies — formula on the Mcallen page | one year; lapses if work is not commenced within six months of issue or is suspended or abandoned for six months | 2026-10-09 |
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 Mcallen?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 9 records listed for a contractor or trade in Mcallen, TX, 4 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.
4 of the 9 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Commercial Plumbing Permit: $39.60 base fee, plus $4.80 per fixture, floor drain or trap
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Mcallen permits page and the TX state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Mcallen?
Permits for a contractor or trade in Mcallen, TX come from 3 separate offices: City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections 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.
- City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections DepartmentIssues 6 permits on this page, including Commercial Electrical Permit, Permit Renewal Fee, Commercial Demolition Permitonlinepermits.mcallen.net/Portal/default.aspx
- 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 Mcallen that other businesses do not?
1 of the 3 permits particular to a contractor or trade here applies to no other business type we cover in Mcallen: 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.
Shared with other businesses in Mcallen
- Commercial Demolition Permit — City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections Department, $79.80 per permit, one year; lapses if work is not commenced within six months of issue or is suspended or abandoned for six months. Also required for retail stores and restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- Commercial Plumbing Permit — City of McAllen Building Permits & Inspections Department, $39.60 base fee, plus $4.80 per fixture, floor drain or trap, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, salons and barbers, auto repair shops, veterinary clinics and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the salons and barbers page.
The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Mcallen, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Mcallen 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 Mcallen?
The closest match is a restaurant, which shares 2 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Electrical Contractor License. A restaurant needs Backflow Prevention Device Permit, Food Establishment Permit, Commercial Mechanical Permit and Mixed Beverage Permit (MB), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Auto repair shops | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Veterinary clinics | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Retail stores | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 3 | 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 shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the restaurants page and salons and barbers page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Mcallen 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.