Fee Schedule

Development Permit Fees and Charges:

Permit required - Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by City or State Codes, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first submit an application to the Municipal Development Department and obtain the required permit.

Work typically exempt from permits:

  1. The repair of an existing fence in a residential district in which approved materials are used and all other requirements are met.
  2. Roof repairs in which less than 10% of the roof area is involved.
  3. Cosmetic improvements such as painting, cabinets, counter-tops, tile, non-structural repairs, replacement of wall materials involving less than 10% of any wall, or floor covering installation such as carpet, etc.
  4. Appliance installation which does not require the device to have additional electrical, gas, or plumbing alterations.
  5. Prefabricated above ground swimming pools which are less than 24 inches deep and do not exceed 5,000 gallons.
  6. Retaining walls less than 4 feet tall.
  7. Playground equipment in residential districts.
  8. Exemptions from permit requirements shall not be deemed to grant authority to perform any work that is in any manner in violation of City or State Codes.

Impact Fees:

Impact fees are assessed on new development for its "impact" on the water, wastewater and roadway systems of the city. Impact fees by State Law cannot exceed fifty % of the total costs of the projected improvements. The Terrell City Council policy has been to reduce the amount developers are required to pay to well below the 50% cap in order to attract quality businesses and promote economic growth and job creation. Water and sewer (waste water) impact fees are based on meter size and roadway impact fees are based on the type of use and the number of vehicle miles the use would generate per day which is then calculated per thousand square feet. Fees are assessed and collected at the time the building permits are issued. Existing services (i.e. the presence of a water or sewer tap) may be credited towards the amount of impact fees that would otherwise be assessed (check with the City Engineer for specific credits). See below for updated Ordinances, Exhibits and Schedules:

Water back-flow devices and required testing:

Backflow Solutions, Inc. (BSI) administers the water backflow protection program for the City of Terrell. They handle tracking and sending out reminder letters.

  • Testing can be performed by any TCEQ certified local tester and backflow permits can be picked at the Municipal Development Department
  • Residential non-hazard devices are required to be certified every 5 years
  • Commercial devices are required to be certified every year