6 published records
Business licenses and permits in Montgomery County, Texas
Montgomery County is one of the few counties in this dataset that permits commercial construction as well as food. In the unincorporated county a new commercial structure is banded on floor area from $500 to $1,500, the fire code review is charged separately from $500 upward, and anything in the floodplain costs about 20 per cent more across the board. Food permits are the cheapest banded schedule held here at $250, $375 and $500. The line most likely to catch a developer is that permit recertification costs half the original fee, and non-compliance carries a $200 administrative charge per violation.
What are you opening in Montgomery County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Montgomery County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Structure Permit | Montgomery County Permitting Department | $250–$1,600 per permit, by floor area and floodplain status | per permit; recertification costs half the original fee | 2026-08-27 |
| Fire Code Permit | Montgomery County Fire Marshal | $500 up to 5,000 sq ft, plus $100 for each additional 1,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft, plus $150 for each additional 1,000 sq ft above 50,001 sq ft | per permit | 2026-08-27 |
| Floodplain Development Permitonly if it applies to you | Montgomery County Permitting Department | $0–$1,600 per permit, by scope | per permit | 2026-08-27 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Montgomery County?
Commercial Structure Permit
Banded on floor area: a new structure under 5,000 square feet is $500, then $750 to 9,999, $1,000 to 14,999 and $1,500 to 20,000. Inside the floodplain the same bands cost $600, $850, $1,100 and $1,600 — about 20 per cent more, and the schedule stops at 20,000 square feet, so anything larger needs a conversation rather than a lookup. Non-structure work such as demolition, a driveway or disturbed area is $250, or $300 in the floodplain. Two provisions to watch: non-compliance is $200 per violation, and letting a permit lapse costs half the original fee to recertify. This applies in the UNINCORPORATED county; inside a city, the city permits.
Fire Code Permit
$500 covers the first 5,000 square feet, then $100 for every further 1,000 to 50,000, and $150 per 1,000 beyond that — so the rate goes UP with size rather than down, which is the opposite of every city building schedule in this dataset. A 20,000 square foot building is $2,000 in fire fees alone, on top of the $1,500 structure permit. Budget the two together: for a mid-size commercial building in unincorporated Montgomery County the fire charge is the larger of the pair.
Floodplain Development Permit
A floodplain determination itself is free, which makes it the first thing to ask for on any site near a watercourse — it settles whether the rest applies. If it does, the premium runs through everything: $300 rather than $250 for non-structure work, and $600 to $1,600 rather than $500 to $1,500 for a new commercial structure. Non-compliance is $200 per incident. Montgomery County took severe flooding in 2016 and 2017, which is the context for a schedule that prices floodplain work separately at every line.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Montgomery County Permitting Fee Schedule, effective 2 June 2025 — fire code, commercial structure, residential structure, health and septicMontgomery County · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-27
Who issues business permits in Montgomery County?
Permitting in Montgomery County is split across 3 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Montgomery County issuing agencies
- Montgomery County Environmental Health ServicesRetail food permits · Temporary and farmers market food permits · Food establishment inspections · On-site sewage facility permits3 permits
- Montgomery County Permitting DepartmentCommercial structure permits in the unincorporated county · Non-structure permits — demolition, driveways, disturbed area · Floodplain development permits · Permit recertification2 permits
- Montgomery County Fire MarshalFire code plan review and permits · Commercial fire inspections in the unincorporated county1 permit
Other Texas jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.