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6 permits · verified 2026-08-27

What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Montgomery County?

In short

A contractor or trade in Montgomery County, TX has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 4 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Texas Secretary of State charges $300 one-time filing for the certificate of formation. 3 of the 6 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-08-27 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a contractor or trade in Montgomery County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Electrical Contractor Licenseonly if it applies to youTexas Department of Licensing and Regulation$110 non-refundable applicationannual2026-08-20

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 Montgomery County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial Structure PermitMontgomery County Permitting DepartmentVaries — formula on the Montgomery County pageper permit; recertification costs half the original fee2026-08-27
Fire Code PermitMontgomery County Fire MarshalVaries — formula on the Montgomery County pageper permit2026-08-27
Floodplain Development Permitonly if it applies to youMontgomery County Permitting DepartmentVaries — formula on the Montgomery County pageper permit2026-08-27

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

TX registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to youTexas Secretary of State$300 one-time filingno expiry2026-08-20
Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to youTexas Secretary of State$25 one-time filingup to ten years, renewable2026-08-21

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 Montgomery County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 6 records listed for a contractor or trade in Montgomery County, TX, 2 apply to every business of this type and 4 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

3 of the 6 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all.

The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Montgomery County permits page and the TX state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Montgomery County?

Permits for a contractor or trade in Montgomery County, TX come from 4 separate offices: Montgomery County Permitting Department, Montgomery County Fire Marshal, 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.

What does a contractor or trade need in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Montgomery County, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Montgomery 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 Montgomery County?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Electrical Contractor License. A auto repair shop needs Commercial On-Site Sewage Facility Permit, which a contractor or trade does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Montgomery County, TX, compared with a contractor or trade
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a contractor or tradeOnly a contractor or trade needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops1011
Childcare centres2012
Coffee shops3013
Fitness studios2012
Food trucks2012
Restaurants4014
Retail stores3013
Salons and barbers1011
Veterinary clinics2012

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 Montgomery County permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. 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.