Lubbock, Texas - City Development Fees
Lubbock | City | South Plains / Llano Estacado (West Texas regional center; Texas Tech University; US-84 / I-27 / Loop 289 corridor) | Lubbock, TX MSA | Lubbock County seat
Lubbock is the regional center of the South Plains and the seat of Lubbock County, anchored by Texas Tech University and sitting on the US-84, I-27, and Loop 289 corridors. The City's development-side charges come from three current, directly-published official documents: the 2026 Planning Department Fee Schedule (zone change, plat, variance, special exception, annexation, and zoning verification fees), the Building Safety Fee Schedule (building, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical permit fees, plan review, and contractor registration, on the Fiscal Year cycle effective October 1, 2025 under Adopted Budget Ordinance No. 2024-O0111), and the Public Infrastructure Plan Review, Testing and Inspection Fees (water, sewer, paving, and drainage review for development engineering). Lubbock also administers a Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395 impact-fee program, but the City has currently set all impact fees to $0.00 for all areas, so the real developer-facing cost in Lubbock is the application, permit, and plan-review fees below.
Effective Dates and Currency
Building Safety Fee Schedule Fiscal Year effective October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026 (Adopted Budget Ordinance No. 2024-O0111); 2026 Planning Department Fee Schedule current; impact fees currently $0.00 for all areas. The City of Lubbock Building Safety Fee Schedule carries Fiscal Year effective dates of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026 and is adopted under Budget Ordinance No. 2024-O0111; the document footer notes that fees are subject to change with every annual budget adoption. The 2026 Planning Department Fee Schedule is the current companion land-use application schedule, and the Public Infrastructure Plan Review, Testing and Inspection Fees document is dated November 2023. The Chapter 395 impact-fee collection rate is currently $0.00 for all areas per the official Impact Fees page. Verify current amounts with the City before relying on them.
On this page
Fee Summary
| Fee Type | Status | Top-Line Figure | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoning, Plat, Variance, and Building Permit Fees | Confirmed | Zone change $500 + $5/additional acre; preliminary plat $150 + $35/acre (max $7,000); new single-family / duplex building permit $0.15 per sq ft; new commercial / multi-family $0.20 per sq ft; minimum permit fee $75 | 2025-10-01 |
| Impact Fees (TLGC Ch. 395) | Confirmed | Current collection rate $0.00 for all impact fees in all areas (roadway, water, wastewater); the 2025 roadway study per-service-unit figures are the maximum-assessable basis, not amounts charged | Current |
| Utility Tap / Connection Fees | Unavailable via official sources | Lubbock publishes no consolidated developer water / sewer tap dollar schedule; taps are installed by City-registered private contractors at developer expense, and the City-side capacity charge is the water / wastewater impact fee (currently $0.00) | - |
| Cash Proffers | Does not apply | Cash proffers are a Virginia statutory framework only; Texas jurisdictions do not use them | - |
| Special District Fees (PID) | Not administered by this jurisdiction | Lubbock's Public Improvement Districts levy annual special assessments on the tax roll, not a developer-facing permitting fee | - |
Zoning, Development, Subdivision, and Building Permit Fees
Source: City of Lubbock 2026 Planning Department Fee Schedule (SHA-256 f73399ce...), Building Safety Fee Schedule (Fiscal Year effective October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026; Adopted Budget Ordinance No. 2024-O0111; SHA-256 4c1805dc...), and Public Infrastructure Plan Review, Testing and Inspection Fees (November 2023; SHA-256 0cc70221...). The schedules are comprehensive; a representative subset is rendered below. All three documents were fetched directly from the City of Lubbock DocumentCenter and captured verbatim this pass via pdfplumber.
Land-Use and Development Application Fees
| Fee Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Zone Change | $500.00 + $5.00 per additional acre |
| Preliminary Plat | $150.00 + $35.00 per additional acre (maximum fee $7,000) |
| Final Plat | $350.00 + $55.00 per additional acre (maximum fee $5,000) |
| Vacating Plat | $200.00 |
| Amended Plat | $250.00 |
| Variance / Special Exception (Residential) | $200.00 |
| Variance / Special Exception (Commercial) | $500.00 |
| Design District Variance | $250.00 |
| Local Historic Landmark Designation | $50.00 |
| Certificate of Appropriateness | $50.00 |
| Petition Annexation Request | $1,500.00 |
| Zoning Verification Letter | $50.00 |
Building and Trade Permit Fees
| Fee Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Building Permit - New Single Family / Duplex | $0.15 per sq ft of gross floor area under roof |
| Building Permit - New Commercial / Apartment / Multi-Family | $0.20 per sq ft of gross floor area under roof |
| Commercial Shell / Tenant Finish-Out | $0.10 per sq ft of gross floor area under roof |
| Minimum Permit Fee (all permits) | $75.00 |
| Commercial Plan Review | 25% of building permit fee (first revision $0; subsequent revisions 5%) |
| Mechanical / Plumbing / Electrical - New Construction | $0.07 per sq ft of gross floor area under roof |
Public Infrastructure Plan Review and Drainage (Development Engineering)
| Fee Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Public Infrastructure Plan Review - Water | $100.00 minimum + $0.25 per linear foot |
| Public Infrastructure Plan Review - Sewer | $100.00 minimum + $0.30 per linear foot |
| Public Infrastructure Plan Review - Paving | $100.00 minimum + $0.50 per linear foot of curb |
| Public Infrastructure Testing and Inspection | $200.00 minimum + per-unit charge by improvement type |
| Drainage Analysis Report Review - Rational Method | $300.00 |
| Drainage Analysis Report Review - Unit Hydrograph | $600.00 |
| Drainage Analysis Report Re-Review | $100.00 |
Impact Fees - TLGC Chapter 395 (Current Collection Rate $0.00)
Source: City of Lubbock Impact Fees page (SHA-256 5018e148...) and the 2025 Roadway Impact Fee Study Update (SHA-256 378e896d...). Lubbock administers a Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395 impact-fee program covering roadway across eight service areas plus citywide water and citywide wastewater. The water and wastewater impact fees were adopted in 2020 with a collection rate of $0. The program is administered through the City's Capital Improvements Advisory Committee under Chapter 395.
What developers actually pay today: $0.00. Per the official Impact Fees page, "The City of Lubbock has currently set all Impact Fees to $0.00 for all areas." Developers currently pay $0 in roadway, water, and wastewater impact fees in Lubbock.
Current Impact Fee Collection Rate
| Impact Fee | Current Collection Rate (amount paid) |
|---|---|
| Roadway Impact Fee (all eight service areas) | $0.00 |
| Water Impact Fee (citywide) | $0.00 |
| Wastewater Impact Fee (citywide) | $0.00 |
Maximum-Assessable Roadway Basis (NOT Collected)
The figures below are the maximum-assessable roadway impact fee per service unit (vehicle-mile) from the 2025 Roadway Impact Fee Study Update. They are the legal maximum-assessable basis used to size the program under Chapter 395; they are NOT the adopted collection rate and are NOT charged to developers. The amount currently collected for every service area is $0.00.
| Service Area | Maximum-Assessable per Service Unit (basis only, not collected) |
|---|---|
| Service Area A | $1,714 (collected at $0.00) |
| Service Area B | $921 (collected at $0.00) |
| Service Area C | $1,745 (collected at $0.00) |
| Service Area D | $1,283 (collected at $0.00) |
| Service Area E | $1,728 (collected at $0.00) |
Note: Service Areas F, G, and H are included in the full 2025 study. The roadway study sets the maximum the City could legally assess; the adopted collection rate is what determines developer cost, and that rate is currently $0.00 for all areas.
Water and Sewer Tap / Connection Fees
The City of Lubbock does not publish a consolidated developer-facing water or sewer tap or connection fee dollar schedule. Physical water and sewer taps are installed by City-Registered Tap Contractors, that is, private contractors at developer expense, and the City-side utility capacity charge for new development is the water and wastewater impact fee, which the City has currently set to a $0.00 collection rate.
At least four official surfaces were probed this pass and none carried a standalone developer tap or meter-set dollar schedule: the Financials and Rates page (Annual Financial Reports and bond official statements only), the Registered Tap Contractors page (the Registered Water and Sewer Contractor Form plus the Public Infrastructure Review Fees, no tap or meter dollar schedule), the Water Utilities Department page (no fee schedule asset), and the Building Safety Fee Schedule (only a $75.00 plumbing Water Line Permit, which is a plumbing permit rather than a utility capacity charge). Closed-search outcome: unavailable via official sources. The development-side water and wastewater capacity charge is the impact fee, currently collected at $0.00.
Coverage Notes - What This Page Does Not Cover
Per ZoneFee's Partial-Verified Publication Standard, the items below were not closed via confirmed developer-facing fee amounts on this page. They are disclosed here rather than estimated or omitted silently.
Utility Tap / Connection Fees
As detailed above, Lubbock publishes no consolidated developer water or sewer tap fee schedule. Physical taps are installed by City-registered private tap contractors at developer expense, and the City-side capacity charge for new development is the water and wastewater impact fee (currently $0.00). Closed-search outcome: unavailable via official sources.
Cash Proffers
Cash proffers are a Virginia statutory framework only (Va. Code 15.2-2303 and 15.2-2303.4); Texas jurisdictions do not use cash proffers. Developer-side contributions in Lubbock occur through the Chapter 395 impact fees (currently collected at $0.00) and the zoning, plat, and permit application fees. Closed-search outcome: fee family does not apply.
Special District Fees (PID)
The City of Lubbock maintains numerous Public Improvement Districts (including Bell Farms, Cypress Ranch, North Overton, North Point, Northwest Passage, Quincy Park, and Upland Crossing), but a PID levies an annual special assessment on property within the district collected through the tax roll, not a developer-facing application or permitting fee in ZoneFee scope. The 2026 Planning Department Fee Schedule and the Building Safety Fee Schedule contain no PID petition or creation fee and no MUD developer fee line items. Closed-search outcome: not administered by this jurisdiction.
Fee Authorities
| Authority | Fee Types | Official Website |
|---|---|---|
| City of Lubbock Planning Department | Zone change, preliminary / final / vacating / amended plat, variance and special exception, design district variance, historic landmark designation, certificate of appropriateness, petition annexation, and zoning verification letter fees - in the 2026 Planning Department Fee Schedule | mylubbock.us |
| City of Lubbock Building Safety (Building Inspection) | Building, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical permit fees; commercial plan review; minimum permit fee; reinspection; certificate of occupancy; sign; and contractor registration - in the Building Safety Fee Schedule (Ord 2024-O0111) | mylubbock.us |
| City of Lubbock Development Engineering | Public infrastructure plan review, testing, and inspection (water / sewer / paving); drainage analysis report review - in the Public Infrastructure Plan Review, Testing and Inspection Fees | mylubbock.us |
| City of Lubbock (City Council under TLGC Ch. 395) | Roadway, water, and wastewater impact fees, administered through the Capital Improvements Advisory Committee; current collection rate $0.00 for all areas | mylubbock.us |
West Texas Peer Jurisdictions
Lubbock is an isolated South Plains regional center with no adjacent published ZoneFee peers; the nearest covered West Texas anchors are the Permian Basin cities roughly 120 miles south. Compare development-side fee structures with nearby ZoneFee-covered jurisdictions:
See the full Texas jurisdiction directory, the ZoneFee coverage map, and our methodology for how these fees are sourced and verified.
Sources
| Document | Agency | Accessed |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Planning Department Fee Schedule (1 page; SHA-256 f73399ce...) | City of Lubbock, TX - Planning Department | 2026-06-08 |
| Building Safety Fee Schedule (FY effective Oct 1 2025 - Sep 30 2026; Ord 2024-O0111; 6 pages; SHA-256 4c1805dc...) | City of Lubbock, TX - Building Safety | 2026-06-08 |
| Public Infrastructure Plan Review, Testing and Inspection Fees (Nov. 2023; 1 page; SHA-256 0cc70221...) | City of Lubbock, TX - Development Engineering | 2026-06-08 |
| 2025 Roadway Impact Fee Study Update (25 pages; max-assessable basis; SHA-256 378e896d...) | City of Lubbock, TX - Roadway Impact Fee Study | 2026-06-08 |
| Impact Fees page (current $0.00 collection rate statement; SHA-256 5018e148...) | City of Lubbock, TX - Development Engineering | 2026-06-08 |
Last verified by ZoneFee: 2026-06-08. Fee schedules are subject to change. Verify current rates directly with the City of Lubbock before relying on this data for any financial decision.
This page reflects fee data sourced from the City of Lubbock 2026 Planning Department Fee Schedule (SHA-256 f73399ce...), the Building Safety Fee Schedule (Fiscal Year effective October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026; Adopted Budget Ordinance No. 2024-O0111; SHA-256 4c1805dc...), the Public Infrastructure Plan Review, Testing and Inspection Fees (November 2023; SHA-256 0cc70221...), the official Impact Fees page (SHA-256 5018e148...), and the 2025 Roadway Impact Fee Study Update (SHA-256 378e896d...). ZoneFee does not guarantee that fee amounts are current at the time you read this page. Fee schedules change. Lubbock administers a Texas Local Government Code Chapter 395 impact-fee program, but the City has currently set all impact fees to $0.00 for all areas, so developers currently pay $0 in impact fees; the 2025 roadway study per-service-unit figures are the legal maximum-assessable basis, not amounts charged. Lubbock publishes no consolidated developer tap fee schedule (taps are installed by City-registered private contractors and the City-side capacity charge is the $0.00 impact fee), Texas jurisdictions do not use cash proffers, and the City's Public Improvement Districts levy annual tax-roll assessments rather than developer-facing permitting fees. Verify all current rates directly with the City of Lubbock 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.