11 permits · verified 2026-10-09
What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Mckinney?
In short
A contractor or trade in Mckinney, TX has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. McKinney Police Department Alarm Program charges $100 per year, commercial permit for the alarm permit (commercial). 4 of the 11 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 Mckinney
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Contractor Registration (Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical)only if it applies to you | City of McKinney Building Inspections | No fee | Renewable on the expiration date of the state license | 2026-10-09 |
| Solicitor's Permitonly if it applies to you | McKinney Police Department (Solicitor's Permits) | Set in Appendix A of the Code of Ordinances; the City's Solicitor's Permit page refers to payment of applicable fees without printing the amount. | 6 months | 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 Mckinney
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alarm Permit (Commercial)only if it applies to you | McKinney Police Department Alarm Program | $100 per year, commercial permit | 1 year | 2026-10-09 |
| Certificate of Occupancy (Commercial) | City of McKinney Building Inspections | Varies — formula on the Mckinney page | One-time, per occupancy | 2026-10-09 |
| Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Alteration and Finish-Out)only if it applies to you | City of McKinney Building Inspections | Varies — formula on the Mckinney page | Per project | 2026-10-09 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of McKinney Building Inspections | Varies — formula on the Mckinney page | Void if work is not completed within 90 days of the permit or certificate of occupancy, whichever is later | 2026-10-09 |
| Site Plan Applicationonly if it applies to you | City of McKinney Planning | $350 per new application | One-time, per application | 2026-10-09 |
| Zoning Verification Letter | City of McKinney Planning | $50 per request, plus document copying charges | Per request | 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 Mckinney?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 11 records listed for a contractor or trade in Mckinney, TX, 2 apply to every business of this type and 9 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 2 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $50.00. That is a floor, not a total. 4 of the 11 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Solicitor's Permit: Set in Appendix A of the Code of Ordinances; the City's Solicitor's Permit page refers to payment of applicable fees without printing the amount.
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Mckinney permits page and the TX state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Mckinney?
Permits for a contractor or trade in Mckinney, TX come from 6 separate offices: City of McKinney Building Inspections, McKinney Police Department Alarm Program, McKinney Police Department (Solicitor's Permits), City of McKinney Planning, 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 McKinney Building InspectionsIssues 4 permits on this page: Trade Contractor Registration (Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical), Certificate of Occupancy (Commercial), Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Alteration and Finish-Out), Sign Permit469-617-4800www.mckinneytexas.org/256/Codes-Ordinances
- McKinney Police Department Alarm ProgramIssues 1 permit on this page: Alarm Permit (Commercial)2200 Taylor Burk Dr., McKinney, TX 75071 · 972-547-2820www.mckinneytexas.org/474/Alarm-Permits
- McKinney Police Department (Solicitor's Permits)Issues 1 permit on this page: Solicitor's Permitwww.mckinneytexas.org/1400/Solicitors-Permit
- City of McKinney PlanningIssues 2 permits on this page: Site Plan Application, Zoning Verification Letter401 E. Virginia St., McKinney, TX 75069 · 972-547-2000www.mckinneytexas.org/245/Planning
- 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 Mckinney that other businesses do not?
2 of the 3 permits particular to a contractor or trade here apply to no other business type we cover in Mckinney: Trade Contractor Registration (Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical) and Electrical Contractor License.
Trade Contractor Registration (Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical)
The City's Contractor Registration page states that licensed contractors must register with the City before a permit can be issued, and lists 'No registration fee' for electrical contractors, master electricians and plumbing and mechanical license holders, who register on the Citizen Self Service portal and email copies of their state licenses. For a general contractor the page states that there is no fee or form and that registration is not required; the general contractor opens a portal account. An electrician needs both the state contractor and master licenses to validate permits.
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 Mckinney
- Solicitor's Permit — McKinney Police Department (Solicitor's Permits), Set in Appendix A of the Code of Ordinances; the City's Solicitor's Permit page refers to payment of applicable fees without printing the amount., 6 months. Also required for retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
The other 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Mckinney, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Mckinney 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 Mckinney?
The closest match is a retail store, which shares 1 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Trade Contractor Registration (Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical) and Electrical Contractor License. A retail store needs Permit Amendment, Farmers Market Permit, Food Establishment Permit and 2 more, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail stores | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 8 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 10 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 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 retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Mckinney permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Contractor RegistrationCity of McKinney Building Inspections · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-09
- 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.