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Hiring a contractor in McKinney, TX

Licensed electrical, plumbing and mechanical (heating and air-conditioning) contractors must register with the City of McKinney, at no fee, before a permit can be issued1. For an electrician, that takes two Texas licenses, the electrical contractor license and the master electrician license, not the master license alone1. Painting, flooring, cabinets and countertops need no permit, and neither does replacing a light fixture, or swapping a toilet or faucet in the same spot without changing the pipes2. A new fence does need one3, and so does every retaining wall, however short3. Below are the City's own rules for permits, fences, work hours, water and lawns.

Which McKinney home jobs need a permit, and what are the fees?

  • In McKinney, you do not need a permit for finish work like painting, flooring, cabinets or countertops. You also do not need one to replace a light fixture, or to swap a toilet or faucet in the same spot without changing the pipes.2 Apply for a permit in the City's CSS portal →
  • McKinney's permit fees for homes are $40 for a water heater, $200 for a new roof (re-roof), $75 for foundation repair and $80 for a generator.4
  • In McKinney, a detached shed or other structure under 120 sq ft does not need a building permit if it has no electrical or plumbing work. A structure over 200 sq ft with a roof deck (a solid roof), attached to the house or not, needs plans from an engineer. An open pergola or arbor with no solid roof does not need an engineer's plans, however big it is, unless it is made of steel or aluminum. Carports, garages, backyard homes and anything built of steel or aluminum need an engineer's plans at any size.5
  • On October 1, 2025, McKinney's City Council adopted the 2024 building codes, the rule books that say how building work on a home must be done. They include the International Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical and Energy Conservation Codes, and the City made some changes of its own.6
  • The City of McKinney has been warned about fake emails that send false invoices to people applying for permits. The City does not require an "Application Approval Fee" to issue a permit. Real invoices come only through the City's Citizen Self Service Portal.6

What should you check about a contractor in McKinney?

  • Licensed electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors must register with the City of McKinney before a permit can be issued. There is no registration fee. To get permits, an electrician needs both Texas licenses: the electrical contractor license and the master electrician license. A master license alone is not enough.1 City's CSS portal (contractor accounts) →
  • Electricians and air-conditioning contractors are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, whose free search shows active licenses by name, license number, city, county or ZIP code.7 Search active licenses on TDLR's free lookup →
  • The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners publishes free lists of licensed plumbers and updates them every day.8 Look up a plumber on the state board's free lists →
  • In McKinney, your pool contractor is responsible for meeting all code rules, including the fence or barrier around the pool. The contractor must also arrange for you, the homeowner, to be at the house when the City inspects the safety device between the house and the pool.9
  • In McKinney, someone who goes door to door to sell goods or services, or to hand out flyers selling them, needs a permit from the McKinney Police Department. The permit lasts six months, and the City's rules make some exceptions.10

What are McKinney's rules for fences and retaining walls?

  • A new fence at a McKinney home needs a permit, and the fee is $30. Changing an old fence's height, place or material also needs a permit.3 Apply for a fence permit in the City's CSS portal →
  • McKinney's Code Compliance page says a building permit is needed to put up any fence or to replace more than half of an existing fence.11
  • At a McKinney home, a back-yard fence can be up to 8 feet 6 inches tall. A front-yard fence can be up to 48 inches (4 feet) tall, and at least half of it must be open. If your home is in the historic district, read its fence limits below. Your HOA may have its own rules too.3
  • Every retaining wall in McKinney needs a permit, no matter how short. A wall more than two feet tall also needs plans drawn by an engineer.3
  • If your home is in McKinney's historic district, the City's Historic Preservation Office must review changes to the outside, like new windows, siding or doors. A new fence, or a change to a fence's style, size or place, needs a Certificate of Appropriateness (the City's OK for the change). A new fence also needs a City permit, and a change may need one too. Fences there have their own height limits: up to 6 feet 8 inches in the back yard and in side yards next to a neighbor, and up to 4 feet in the front yard and some side yards, with half of the fence see-through.12 Certificate of Appropriateness application (PDF) →

What does McKinney say about work hours, debris, water and lawns?

  • In every zoning district, McKinney allows construction work Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.6
  • McKinney's bulky item pickup (up to 12 times a year at no extra cost) does not take construction, demolition or remodeling debris, or treated wood or fence panels. Some of these items can be picked up for a fee through the City's trash contractor.13
  • In a water emergency, call the City at 972-547-7360 for help shutting off water at the meter. The City's valve between the meter and the street is for City staff only. A leak after the meter is the homeowner's to fix and pay for.14
  • If you have City trash service, your lawn watering day is your trash day, and you may water again three days later if needed. From April 1 to October 31, do not water between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Every sprinkler system must have a working rain/freeze sensor.15
  • In McKinney, grass and weeds can be no taller than 12 inches. This covers front, back and side yards and the strip between the sidewalk and the curb. Owners on each side keep an alley or easement mowed to the middle.11 Report a code violation to the City (online form) →

Are McKinney homes mostly owned or rented, and how new are they?

  • About 64% of McKinney's 74,072 occupied homes are lived in by their owners: 47,290, against 26,782 that are rented.16
  • About half of the homes in McKinney were built in 2007 or earlier.17

Three things to ask before a McKinney job begins

  1. “Are you registered with the City of McKinney?” Ask this of an electrician, a plumber or a mechanical (heating and air-conditioning) contractor: they have to be registered before a permit can be issued. An electrician should hold both the Texas electrical contractor license and the master electrician license, and you can look either one up on TDLR's free search.1,7
  2. “Does this job need a permit, and who is applying for it?” Paint, flooring, cabinets and countertops don't need one in McKinney. A new fence and every retaining wall do, and a retaining wall more than two feet tall also needs plans drawn by an engineer.2,3,3
  3. “If a permit invoice arrives, where will it come from?” Fake emails have sent false invoices to people applying for McKinney permits. The City does not require an “Application Approval Fee”, and its real invoices come only through its Citizen Self Service Portal.6

Published by CrewButton (Econ Labs, LLC, Addison, Texas). Drafted with AI (Claude) from the sources below. Facts were checked against their sources by AI, and the page was approved by CrewButton's founder on . First published . Updated . Last reviewed .

Sources

  1. Contractor Registration. City of McKinney, Building Inspections. Read 2026-10-30.
  2. Home Repairs & Permit Information. City of McKinney. Read 2026-10-30.
  3. Fence Permits. City of McKinney, Building Inspections. Read 2026-10-30.
  4. Permit Fee Schedule for New Construction, Remodels, and Repairs (PDF). City of McKinney, Building Inspections. Read 2026-10-30.
  5. Residential Addition / Alteration Guide (Patios, pergolas, sheds, and accessory structures) (PDF). City of McKinney, Building Inspections (2025-10-01). Read 2026-10-30.
  6. Building Inspections. City of McKinney, Building Inspections. Read 2026-10-30.
  7. TDLR Active License Search. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Read 2026-11-02.
  8. Free Licensee Lists. Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Read 2026-11-02.
  9. Residential Pool Packet (PDF). City of McKinney, Building Inspections. Read 2026-10-30.
  10. MPD: Solicitor's Permit. City of McKinney, Police Department (Records & Permits). Read 2026-11-02.
  11. Code Compliance. City of McKinney, Code Services. Read 2026-11-02.
  12. FAQs: Historic Preservation. City of McKinney, Historic Preservation (Planning). Read 2026-11-02.
  13. Residential Trash Services. City of McKinney, Public Works (Trash & Recycling). Read 2026-10-30.
  14. Meters, Leaks & Pipes. City of McKinney, Water Billing. Read 2026-10-30.
  15. Outdoor Water Use - WaterSmart. City of McKinney, Public Works. Read 2026-10-30.
  16. American Community Survey 2020–2024 (5-year), table B25003: Tenure, McKinney city, Texas. U.S. Census Bureau. Read 2026-10-30.
  17. American Community Survey 2020–2024 (5-year), table B25035: Median Year Structure Built, McKinney city, Texas. U.S. Census Bureau. Read 2026-10-30.

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