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1. How do I apply for a Building Permit?

1. Call the Community Development Department at (903) 457-3160 before visiting our offices to apply for the permit. We can discuss the details of your project and outline the information you will need to bring with you when you apply for a permit. Please have the physical address and legal description of the property before you call.

2. Verify Zoning: Check the official Zoning Map and Permitted Use Schedule in Section 4-1 of the Zoning Ordinance to verify that the proposed use of the property is permitted. Copies of the zoning map and zoning ordinance are available at the Community Development Office at 2315 Johnson St. If the proposed use is not permitted by the City’s Zoning Ordinance, ask the City’s Community Development Staff about options.

3. Verify Platting: If the project is an interior remodel of an existing building or an agricultural accessory building, skip down to Step 4. Otherwise, check the legal description of the property from a warrantee deed, tax notice, or other legal document. If you cannot locate the legal description, please call the Hunt County Tax Appraisal District at (903) 454-3510 and ask them to give you the legal description. If the property is part of a platted subdivision, the legal description will include a lot number, block number, and subdivision name. If the project is a new building, addition, or residential storage building larger than 400 sq. ft., and the property is not part of a platted subdivision, you will be required to complete the platting process before applying for a building permit. Ask the Community Development Staff for details.

Before any part of a property is sold within the City of Greenville or its Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ), a plat showing the proposed subdivision must be approved by the City of Greenville. The plat must be prepared by a Registered Professional Land Surveyor (RPLS). Prior to approval, the plat will be reviewed for compliance with the City’s subdivision regulations located in Chapter 13 of the Code of Ordinances. This review will also determine if the property is served by water and sewer lines of sufficient size and capacity. The review will be performed by the City’s Development Review Committee (DRC). After the plat is corrected to include all the comments of the DRC, it will be approved.

4. Review the Building Permit Plan Review Checklist: A complete Building Permit Plan Review Checklist is required with every building permit application. The Checklist outlines all the information required for your application. Copies of the Checklist are available at the Community Development Office at 2315 Johnson St. and are included in the Developer’s and Builder’s Guide.

5. Prepare Application Materials: After reviewing the Building Permit Plan Review Checklist, prepare all the information required for your building project as outlined in the Plan Review Checklist.

6. Submit Application: Submit all the required application materials to the Community Development Office:
2315 Johnson St.
Greenville, TX 75401

A complete application must include the following:

• A complete Building Permit Plan Review Checklist
• A complete Building Permit Application Form
• Copies of a detailed site plan (if required)
• Copies of the building construction plans

The Community Development office staff cannot accept an incomplete application.

2. How long does it take to review and approve a building permit?

Upon receiving a complete application, City staff will review the application for compliance with applicable City Codes. The initial review time varies depending on the complexity of the project, but generally you can expect the following review times:

• Ten to fourteen working days for all projects

After the initial review is complete, and if it is determined that no changes to the plans or additional information are required, a building permit will be issued. If changes to the plans or additional information are required, City staff will notify the project manager in writing of any required changes. A building permit will be issued when all plan review requirements have been addressed. Work on the project cannot commence until a building permit is issued.

3. How much does a building permit cost?

The following fees apply to all building permit applications:

• Minimum building permit fee for all building projects - $50
• Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and gas permits are 10% of the building permit fee or a minimum of $50 each.
• For construction projects over 5,000 square feet there is an additional 10% of the building permit fee required.
• Impact Fees may apply to certain construction projects. A Fee Estimate may be calculated using the link to the City of Greenville Online Action Center at:

MyGov Fee Estimator

4. When are permits required for accessory buildings?

A building permit is required for accessory buildings that are 100 sq. ft. or larger in size. An accessory building is a subordinate building, the use of which is incidental to that of a principle building on the same plot. In a residential district it is a subordinate building, attached or detached, and used for a purpose customarily incidental to the main structure, such as:

• Private garage for automobile storage
• Car port
• Tool house
• Lath or greenhouse as a hobby
• Home workshop
• Children's playhouse
• Storage house
• Garden shelter