TIME FOR ISSUANCE OF COUNTY BUILDING PERMIT.

(a) This section applies only to a permit required by a county with a population of 3.3 million or more to construct or improve a building or other structure in the county, but does not apply to a permit for an on-site sewage disposal system.

(b) Not later than the 45th day after the date an application for a permit is submitted, the county must:

(1) grant or deny the permit;

(2) provide written notice to the applicant stating the reasons why the county has been unable to act on the permit application; or

(3) reach a written agreement with the applicant providing for a deadline for granting or denying the permit.

(c) For a permit application for which notice is provided under Subsection (b)(2), the county must grant or deny the permit not later than the 30th day after the date the notice is received.

(d) If a county fails to act on a permit application in the time required by Subsection (c) or by an agreement under Subsection (b)(3), the county:

(1) may not collect any permit fees associated with the application; and

(2) shall refund to the applicant any permit fees associated with the application that have been collected.