Houston, Texas - City Development Fees
Houston | City | Greater Houston / Gulf Coast | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX MSA | Harris County seat, extending into Fort Bend and Montgomery Counties | FIPS 4835000
Houston is the largest city in Texas and the anchor of the state's Gulf Coast market. It is also the largest city in the United States with no conventional zoning ordinance. For developers, investors, and underwriting researchers, that single fact reshapes the fee stack: there is no rezoning or conditional-use application fee to budget for, because there is no zoning map to amend. Development is instead regulated through City Code Chapter 42 (Subdivisions, Developments and Platting), and the Chapter 42 platting and development plat application fees are the development-review fee family. Two City departments administer the developer-facing schedule. Houston Public Works administers water, wastewater, and drainage impact fees, utility system extensions, and connection charges under Code Chapter 47. The Planning and Development Department administers Chapter 42 platting and subdivision fees. Dollar amounts for both are published in the official City of Houston Fee Schedule application referenced by Code Section 47-392.
Recent Fee Changes
Three separate effective dates are currently in force across the Houston developer fee stack. The water, wastewater, and drainage impact fee collected rates carry an effective date of 2026-07-01 under the phased schedule established by Ord. No. 2021-388 and Ord. No. 2021-512. The Chapter 42 platting and development plat fees carry an effective date of 2026-01-01 under Motion No. 2015-0913. The Development and Utility System Extensions developer contract application fees carry an effective date of 2026-04-01 under Code Section 47-164(6). Note the distinction between assessed and collected impact fee rates: the maximum assessable water fee of $3,236.21 per service unit and wastewater fee of $2,316.62 per service unit carry a 2025-07-01 date, while the lower collected rates of $2,553.11 and $1,830.24 are what a project actually pays.
On this page
Fee Summary
| Fee Type | Status | Top-Line Figure | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Impact Fee | Confirmed | $2,553.11 per service unit collected; $3,236.21 per service unit maximum assessed | 2026-07-01 |
| Wastewater Impact Fee | Confirmed | $1,830.24 per service unit collected; $2,316.62 per service unit maximum assessed | 2026-07-01 |
| Drainage Impact Fee | Confirmed | $25.56 per service unit (1,000 sq ft of increase in impervious surface), uniform across all seven drainage service areas | 2026-07-01 |
| Chapter 42 Platting and Development Plat Fees | Confirmed | Class I subdivision plat $560.45 base; Class II and Class III $1,028.99 base; development plat $659.33 base | 2026-01-01 |
| Developer Contract Utility Extension Fees | Confirmed | $530.00 (40 or fewer lots) rising to $1,410.00 (more than 140 lots) | 2026-04-01 |
| Sewer Tap and Water Meter Inspection | Confirmed | Sewer tap permit $34.50; water meter inspection $100.71 (2 in or smaller) / $469.98 (larger than 2 in) | 2026-04-01 |
| Zoning Application Fees | Not applicable | Houston has no conventional zoning ordinance; Chapter 42 platting is the development-review family | - |
| Proffers | Not applicable | Texas jurisdictions do not use Virginia-style cash proffers | - |
| Special District Fees (MUD / PID / TIRZ) | Not administered by this city | No City-levied developer-facing PID, TIRZ, or management-district application fee exists in the City fee schedule; districts administer their own assessments | - |
Impact Fees - Water, Wastewater, and Drainage
Source: official City of Houston Fee Schedule application (Houston Public Works rows), captured 2026-07-08, with the codified regime confirmed against City Code Chapter 47 via Municode. Houston administers a Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395 impact fee regime across three utilities: water (Chapter 47, Article X), wastewater (Article IX), and drainage (Article XV). The codified articles establish the regime and Section 47-392 delegates the dollar amounts to the separately adopted city fee schedule. Underwriters should model the collected rate, not the maximum assessable rate: the assessed figure is the statutory ceiling supported by the impact fee study, while the collected figure is the rate Council has elected to charge.
Water and Wastewater Impact Fees Per Service Unit
| Fee Item | Amount | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Water Impact Fee - fee per service unit, collected (eff 2026-07-01) | $2,553.11 | Ch. 47, Art. X, Div. 1, Sec. 47-384(b),(d); Ord. No. 2021-388; Ord. No. 2021-512 |
| Water Impact Fee - maximum fee per service unit, assessed (eff 2025-07-01) | $3,236.21 | Ch. 47, Art. X, Div. 1, Sec. 47-384(b),(d) |
| Wastewater Impact Fee - fee per service unit, collected (eff 2026-07-01) | $1,830.24 | Ch. 47, Art. IX, Div. 3, Sec. 47-316(b); Ord. No. 2021-388; Ord. No. 2021-512 |
| Wastewater Impact Fee - maximum fee per service unit, assessed (eff 2025-07-01) | $2,316.62 | Ch. 47, Art. IX, Div. 3, Sec. 47-316(b) |
| Impact fee appeal processing fee | $268.56 | Ch. 47, Art. IX, Div. 4, Sec. 47-339 |
Drainage Impact Fee
The drainage impact fee is levied per service unit, where one service unit equals 1,000 square feet of increase in impervious surface. The rate is uniform at $25.56 per service unit across all seven drainage service areas: Brays Bayou, Buffalo / White Oak, Clear Creek, Greens Bayou, Hunting Bayou, San Jacinto, and Sims / Vince. Because the rate does not vary by watershed, drainage exposure on a Houston site scales with net new impervious cover rather than with location.
| Fee Item | Amount | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Drainage Impact Fee per service unit (1,000 sq ft of increase in impervious surface), all seven service areas (eff 2026-07-01) | $25.56 | Ch. 47, Art. XV |
| Drainage administrative fee | $33.56 | Sec. 47-902; Ord. No. 2013-281 |
Wastewater Capacity Reservation and Transfer
| Fee Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wastewater facilities reservation application fee - first acre | $67.13 |
| Wastewater facilities reservation application fee - each additional acre | $33.56 (maximum $671.40) |
| Wastewater capacity transfer fees | $335.69 / $67.13 / $13.42 |
| Impact fee appeal | $268.56 |
Authority for the reservation and transfer schedule is City Code Chapter 47, Article IX, Division 4, Sec. 47-339.
Chapter 42 Platting and Development Fees - The Development-Review Family
Source: official City of Houston Fee Schedule application (Planning and Development Department and Subdivisions rows), captured 2026-07-08; authority Motion No. 2015-0913, current amounts effective 2026-01-01. Houston has no conventional zoning ordinance, and this page does not present one. There is no rezoning application fee, no conditional use permit fee, and no planned unit development fee in the Houston schedule, because there is no zoning ordinance to administer. Land use is instead controlled through Chapter 42 (Subdivisions, Developments and Platting) and Chapter 33 (Planning and Development), and the Chapter 42 application fees below are the functional equivalent of the zoning fee family in a conventionally zoned Texas city. Deed restrictions, which the City is authorized to enforce, carry a separate title and deed restriction review fee.
Plat and Development Plat Application Base Fees
| Fee Item | Amount | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Subdivision Plat - Class I base fee | $560.45 | Sec. 42-40(a); 42-54(a) |
| Subdivision Plat - Class II base fee | $1,028.99 | Sec. 42-40(a); 42-54(a) |
| Subdivision Plat - Class III | $1,028.99 | Sec. 42-40(a); 42-54(a) |
| Development Plat application base fee | $659.33 | Sec. 42-46; 42-54(a) |
| Development Plat - single family only | $186.91 | Sec. 42-46; 42-54(a) |
| Development Plat - affordable housing | $329.67 | Sec. 42-46; 42-54(a) |
| Development Plat - additional review / revision | $57.86 | Sec. 42-46; 42-54(a) |
Per-Unit and Processing Charges
| Fee Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Lot Fee | $28.83 per lot |
| Reserve Fee | $169.58 per acre |
| General plan / street dedication plat | $837.17 |
| Plat Recordation | $360.99 |
| Extension of Approval | $455.56 |
| Plat Name Change | $187.10 |
| Vacating Plat | $262.99 |
| Title and Deed Restriction Review | $707.34 |
Chapter 42 Relief, Parks, and Floodplain
| Fee Item | Amount | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Variance Request | $435.01 | Sec. 42-47 / 42-48 / 54-79(a) |
| Special Exception Request | $217.51 | Sec. 42-47 / 42-48 / 54-79(a) |
| Reconsideration of Requirement | $143.91 | Sec. 42-47 / 42-48 / 54-79(a) |
| Parks fee in lieu of land dedication | $700.00 per dwelling unit | Sec. 42-253(c) |
| Floodplain development permit (single family residence / residential re-plat) | $402.84 | Ch. 19 |
| Administrative Fee | $33.56 | Sec. 1-14 |
Utility System Extension, Tap, and Meter Fees
Source: official City of Houston Fee Schedule application (Houston Public Works rows), captured 2026-07-08. The dominant developer-side utility charge in Houston is not a per-connection tap fee but the Development and Utility System Extensions developer contract application fee under Chapter 47, Article IV, Sec. 47-164(6), which scales with lot count and carries a 2026-04-01 effective date. Sewer tap permits and water meter inspections supplement it under Chapter 47, Article I. Retail monthly water and sewer service rates under Sec. 47-61 are consumer utility billing rather than development-phase fees and are outside the scope of this page.
Developer Contract and System Extension Fees
| Fee Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Developer Contract Application Fee - 40 or fewer lots | $530.00 |
| Developer Contract Application Fee - more than 140 lots | $1,410.00 |
| 30 percent and 50 percent developer contracts | $1,280.00 |
| Developer contract term-extension application | $820.00 |
The developer contract application fee is tiered by lot count between the $530.00 floor for 40 or fewer lots and the $1,410.00 ceiling for more than 140 lots. Authority: City Code Ch. 47, Art. IV, Sec. 47-164(6), effective 2026-04-01.
Sewer Tap and Connection
| Fee Item | Amount | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Sewer Tap Permit Fee (property within 300 ft of a City sewer main) | $34.50 | Ch. 47, Art. I, Sec. 47-11; 47-12 |
| Building Code plumbing - Sewer Connection | $53.71 | Bldg. Code Sec. 118.5.4 |
| Disconnect / Plug Main Sewer Connection | $94.00 | Bldg. Code Sec. 118.5.4 |
Water Meter Inspection and Transient Meter Deposits
| Fee Item | Amount | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Water meter inspection - 2-inch or smaller | $100.71 | Ch. 47, Art. I, Sec. 47-18(c),(d) |
| Water meter inspection - larger than 2 inches | $469.98 | Ch. 47, Art. I, Sec. 47-18(c),(d) |
| Missed-appointment fee | $33.56 | Ch. 47, Art. I, Sec. 47-18(c),(d) |
| Transient water meter deposit - 1 inch | $500 | Sec. 47-22(a) |
| Transient water meter deposit - 2 inch | $1,000 | Sec. 47-22(a) |
| Transient water meter deposit - 3 inch | $1,500 | Sec. 47-22(a) |
Coverage Notes - What This Page Does Not Cover
ZoneFee discloses the boundaries of a record rather than estimating past them. The items below were closed by research outcome rather than by a confirmed fee amount, or remain open for a future source review.
Page Status
This Houston page is published as a working research record while ZoneFee completes its internal review of the City's fee surface. The three confirmed fee families above are captured verbatim from the official City of Houston Fee Schedule. Chapter 33 (Planning and Development) development-review fees, if any exist beyond the Chapter 42 platting family shown here, have not yet been enumerated and are queued for a future source review. Treat this page as a research reference and confirm current amounts with the City before relying on them.
No Conventional Zoning in Houston
Houston is the largest city in the United States without a conventional zoning ordinance. There is no zoning map, no rezoning application, and therefore no rezoning, conditional use, or planned unit development application fee to report. Any source that presents a Houston zoning fee schedule is describing something the City does not administer. Development-review exposure in Houston is captured entirely through Chapter 42 platting and development plat fees, together with deed restrictions enforced privately and by the City.
Proffers
Cash proffers are a Virginia conditional-zoning mechanism under Virginia Code Sections 15.2-2303 and 15.2-2303.4. Texas jurisdictions do not use cash proffers, and Houston in particular has no conditional zoning to attach them to. Houston developer-side capital contributions occur through impact fees under Chapter 47 and the Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395 regime, and through Chapter 42 platting and development fees. Closed-search outcome: this fee family does not apply to this jurisdiction.
Special District Fees (MUD / PID / TIRZ)
The full City of Houston Fee Schedule, captured verbatim in 2026 with more than 2,300 fee rows, contains no City-levied developer-facing Public Improvement District, Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, or management-district application fee. A keyword search across the complete schedule for PID, special district, TIRZ, management district, and tax increment returned zero matches. Greater Houston's extensive Municipal Utility District, PID, and TIRZ landscape is real and materially affects project economics, but those districts administer their own assessments outside the City fee schedule, levied on the county tax roll rather than charged by the City to developers as a development-phase fee. Substitute paths probed: the full fee-schedule keyword search, the Chapter 47 impact-fee articles, and a prior-pass review of the metro MUD and PID landscape. Closed-search outcome: not administered by this jurisdiction.
Fee Schedule Currency
The City of Houston Fee Schedule is a dynamic application rather than a static PDF. The captured amounts carry printed effective dates (2026-07-01 for impact fees, 2026-01-01 for Chapter 42 platting, 2026-04-01 for developer contract fees) and are stable adopted rates, but the schedule can be updated between ZoneFee reviews without a version marker. Confirm any figure against the live schedule before committing it to an underwriting model.
Fee Authorities
| Authority | Fee Types | Official Website |
|---|---|---|
| City of Houston - Houston Public Works | Water impact fees, wastewater impact fees, drainage impact fees, utility system extension charges, water and sewer connection charges | cohweb.houstontx.gov/FIN_FeeSchedule |
| City of Houston - Planning and Development Department | Plat application fees, subdivision fees (Chapter 42 platting and development plats) | cohweb.houstontx.gov/FIN_FeeSchedule |
Sources
| Document | Agency | Accessed |
|---|---|---|
| City of Houston Fee Schedule - All Departments / All Fees (per City Code Sec. 47-392; SHA-256 cf79e714...) | City of Houston, TX - Official City Fee Schedule (Finance Department) | 2026-07-08 |
| Code of Ordinances, Chapter 47 Water and Sewers, Article X Water Impact Fees (current through Ord. 26-0437; SHA-256 07e3ce62...) | City of Houston, TX - Code of Ordinances (Municode, official codifier) | 2026-06-24 |
Last verified by ZoneFee: 2026-07-08. Fee schedules are subject to change. Verify current rates directly with Houston Public Works and the City of Houston Planning and Development Department before relying on this data for any financial decision.
This page reflects fee data captured verbatim from the official City of Houston Fee Schedule application (SHA-256 cf79e714...) and the codified Chapter 47 impact-fee articles via Municode (SHA-256 07e3ce62...). ZoneFee does not guarantee that fee amounts are current at the time you read this page. The City fee schedule is a dynamic application and can change between reviews. Houston has no conventional zoning ordinance, so no rezoning or conditional use application fee exists; Chapter 42 platting and development plat fees are the development-review family. Texas jurisdictions do not use Virginia-style cash proffers. No City-levied developer-facing PID, TIRZ, or management-district application fee appears anywhere in the City fee schedule; Greater Houston's MUD, PID, and TIRZ districts administer their own assessments separately, outside City administration. Verify all current rates directly with Houston Public Works and the Planning and Development Department before relying on this data for land acquisition, project budgeting, or any financial decision. This page is for research and due-diligence reference only - it is not legal or financial advice.