Andrews County government does not run a building department or issue building permits for houses or other buildings in the unincorporated county. What the county does regulate is septic systems, through the Andrews County Health Department ($250 for a residential permit), subdivision plats, building in flood hazard areas, and driveways and culverts. The City of Andrews, the only incorporated town, issues its own building permits inside its city limits.
What needs a county permit in Andrews County?
County approvals
- On-site sewage facility (septic) permit and inspections from the Health Department
- Plat approval from the Commissioners Court before land is subdivided outside a city
- Engineering review approved by the Commissioners Court before building in an identified flood hazard area
- Driveways and culverts under the county’s driveway and culvert policy, and right-of-way easements
- Food establishment permits, with plan approval before remodelling a food business
Not a county permit
- Building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits for homes and buildings outside the city: the county website lists none
- Anything inside the City of Andrews, which permits its own construction
The county’s subdivision rules also say no septic or development permit will be issued for a lot in an unrecorded subdivision created after the rules took effect, so a buildable lot starts with a recorded plat or a lawful plat exception.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in each part of Andrews County?
The U.S. Census lists one incorporated place in the county, the City of Andrews (about 13,700 of the county’s 18,900 residents).
| Area | Who issues permits |
|---|---|
| City of Andrews | City Building Department, 101 NW Ave A, 432-523-4820: building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits and inspections |
| Unincorporated county, buildings | No county building permit or building inspection |
| Septic, whole county including the City of Andrews | Andrews County Health Department, 208 NW 2nd Street, Andrews (OSSF inspector 432-524-1434); TCEQ lists the County as its septic agent for the entire county |
| Subdivisions, plats, driveways, county right-of-way | County Judge’s Office and Commissioners Court, 201 North Main, Room 104, 432-524-1401 |
| Fire and life safety, unincorporated areas | Andrews County Fire Marshal’s Office |
Inside the City of Andrews’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, plats are handled by the city instead of the county only where the two have signed an agreement under Section 242.001 of the Local Government Code; otherwise the county’s subdivision rules apply.
County fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential septic permit | $250 |
| Commercial septic permit (rental property counts as commercial) | $500 |
| Re-inspection | $150 |
| Research and copies | $25 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Fees are paid at the Health Department office when the application is filed; the inspector does not collect money in the field. An application stays valid for 12 months, and a system not finished in that time needs a new permit fee. Plat applicants can be charged the application and inspection fees in Appendix B of the subdivision regulations, plus a $75-per-sheet scanning fee unless a digital file is supplied, and a flood hazard area engineering review carries additional filing fees.
How to get a septic permit in Andrews County
Collect the Addressing Authority receipt from the Andrews County Sheriff’s Department, 201 N. Main Street (432-523-5545).
From the Health Department at 208 NW 2nd Street or the county’s OSSF page, which also lists site evaluators and installers.
A TCEQ-licensed site evaluator, professional engineer or registered sanitarian completes the soil pages and records the tank’s GPS location; draw the lot showing buildings, driveways, tank, drain field, water lines and wells, including neighbouring wells within 100 ft.
Bring the completed application and evaluation to the Health Department and pay the fee.
The county’s Designated Representative normally phones an Authorization to Construct within 3 working days, or explains a denial.
Give at least 24 hours’ notice on 432-524-1434 and leave the system uncovered; final approval is mailed to the owner.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Septic inspections and fire inspections
For the septic final, fill the tank to its operating level with water and leave the tank top, panels, draw pipe and beds uncovered; a lid more than 12 inches below ground needs a visible, secured access riser. The 911 address must be posted on site in numbers at least 5 inches tall on a contrasting background, readable from across the road. If the system fails, the Designated Representative explains what is wrong and schedules a re-inspection, and more than one re-inspection costs extra. Repairs and changes to an existing system need another re-inspection fee.
A homeowner may install a septic system only on their own homestead; any other property, and every commercial system, needs a licensed installer, and commercial systems also need a design by a professional engineer or registered sanitarian.
The County Fire Marshal inspects structures in the unincorporated area for fire and life safety hazards using the 2015 edition of NFPA 101, and may review plans for businesses, houses, apartments and commercial property. Owners who need an inspection fill in the Fire and Life Safety Inspection request form on the county website.
Rather not deal with the Andrews County building department?
Get a free quote →Subdivision and floodplain rules
Dividing land outside a city into lots needs Commissioners Court plat approval, and the County Clerk will not record a plat the court has not approved. The county’s Model Subdivision Rules apply to two or more residential lots of 5 acres or less served by centralized water or wastewater, and the general platting requirements apply to larger lots. A plat is not required in the cases set by state law, for example when every lot is over 10 acres and nothing is dedicated to public use, or the land stays in agricultural use.
Plats must mark flood hazard areas and the proposed finished floor of any building in them. Before a structure is built in a known flood hazard area, the owner or builder must show engineering studies, certified by a licensed engineer and approved by the Commissioners Court, proving it will not harm neighbouring property.
Texas building code
Texas has no single statewide building code: state law makes the International Residential Code the base code for homes in cities and the International Building Code the base for commercial buildings, with each city choosing the edition and its own amendments, while the National Electrical Code and the energy code apply statewide. Outside city limits most counties issue no building permits for homes. Texas building code rules
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Andrews County official resources
- Andrews County OSSF (septic) inspections
- Procedure for a septic permit and inspection (PDF)
- Subdivision and right-of-way easement page
- Subdivision and Development Regulations (PDF)
- Subdivision application (PDF)
- Driveway and culvert policy (PDF)
- County Fire Marshal inspections
- Health Department environmental services
- City of Andrews Building Department
Andrews County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit to build a house in unincorporated Andrews County?
The county does not issue building permits, but you need a county septic permit if the house will use a septic system, and a recorded plat or plat exception for the lot.
How much is a septic permit in Andrews County?
$250 for a home and $500 for commercial or rental property, with $150 for a re-inspection.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in the City of Andrews?
The City Building Department at 101 NW Ave A (432-523-4820), not the county.
Can I install my own septic system?
Only on your own homestead. Rental and commercial property need a licensed installer, and commercial systems need an engineered design.
How long does septic approval take?
The Designated Representative normally phones an Authorization to Construct within 3 working days of a complete application.
Simplify Andrews County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Texas. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
Ready to break ground in Andrews County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Andrews County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Andrews County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.