Austin County does not issue building permits with plan review, but its Planning & Development Department in Bellville (979-865-5911) issues a development permit before anything is built or moved onto land in the unincorporated county. A house outside the flood zone costs $100; in a flood zone it is $200 plus 5 cents per enclosed square foot, and septic, culvert and 911 address approvals are separate. Bellville, Sealy and Wallis run their own building permits.
What needs a county permit in Austin County?
The county’s permit guidelines require a development permit before anything is moved onto or built on a property in the unincorporated county: a new house, a barn, a house moved onto the land or a manufactured home. The county also handles septic systems, driveway culverts on county roads, floodplain development, land division and subdivision plats.
Single-family home
- 911 rural address
- Development permit (a floodplain and siting permit, not a building code review)
- Driveway culvert permit for a county road
- On-site sewage facility (septic) permit
- Fill and lot grading permit in a flood zone, or for more than half an acre of disturbance elsewhere
Commercial and multi-family
- 911 rural address
- Commercial development permit, priced by project value
- Driveway culvert permit
- Septic permit
- Engineering plan review for drainage, traffic or mass grading where required
- Pipeline, utility and road bore permits in county right-of-way
Barns, well houses, storage buildings and detached garages also need a development permit; outside the flood zone the $100 fee applies to structures of 200 sq ft and over. The county does not enforce deed restrictions, so the owner is responsible for meeting them.
Who issues permits in Austin County and its towns
Austin County Planning & Development, at One East Main Street in Bellville, takes payment by phone at 979-865-5911; the county’s permit guidelines list extensions 5110 and 5111 and office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Septic and single-family development applications go to planning1@austincounty.com, and commercial development, land division, pipeline and right-of-way requests go to DebR@austincounty.com. The County Floodplain Administrator uses the flood hazard maps to evaluate each development permit application.
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Get a free quote →| Area | Who issues permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Austin County | No county building permit; county development, septic and culvert permits from Planning & Development |
| Bellville (county seat) | City of Bellville building inspector, City Hall, 30 S. Holland, 979-865-3136: building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits |
| Sealy | City of Sealy Planning Department, 405 Main Street; Bureau Veritas carries out most building inspections and CURT Services the fire reviews |
| Wallis | City of Wallis, 6810 Guyler, Bldg B, 979-478-6712; a third-party firm does plan review and inspections |
| Brazos Country | The City’s own development and culvert permits, filed with the City Secretary at 350 Pecan Grove Rd, Sealy (979-627-1037) |
| Industry | No city building permit; the City asks builders to contact City Hall (725 Main Street, 979-357-2190) to check its restrictions and get on a council agenda for approval |
| San Felipe | The Town posts a building permit application and an on-site sewage (septic) application on its permits page; Town Hall, 927 Sixth Street, 979-885-7035 |
| South Frydek | The published sources do not say who issues building permits; ask the city office |
Sealy publishes an interactive map of its city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction, which is useful for land near the city.
Austin County permit fees
Commissioners Court adopted the Permitting & Engineering Fee Schedule on December 22, 2025, and it controls wherever older forms show different amounts.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Flood zone | Outside flood zone |
|---|---|---|
| House (home and garage) | $200 plus $0.05 per sq ft enclosed | $100 |
| Barn, well house, storage or garage | $200 plus $0.05 per sq ft enclosed | $100 (200 sq ft and over) |
| Fill and lot grading only | $200 plus $50 inspection | $100 plus $50 inspection, only over 0.5 acre |
| Residential driveway culvert | $200 plus $50 inspection | $200 plus $50 inspection |
| Commercial project under $1 million | $1,000 plus $200 inspection plus $0.10 per sq ft | $1,000 plus $200 inspection |
| Commercial project $1 million to $5 million | $2,500 plus $500 inspection plus $0.10 per sq ft | $2,500 plus $500 inspection |
| Commercial culvert | $500 plus $100 inspection | $500 plus $100 inspection |
Larger commercial projects pay $5,000 plus $500 inspection above $5 million and $10,000 plus $1,000 inspection above $10 million. A residential re-inspection costs $100 and each 911 address sign $20. Building without a permit is fined the permit amount plus twice that amount as a penalty, or $25 a day, whichever is greater. The county does not install culverts, and the owner supplies the pipe.
Septic permits and trade work
Planning & Development runs the county’s on-site sewage facility program, which TCEQ lists as covering the unincorporated county and the City of Industry; San Felipe and South Frydek are TCEQ septic agents in their own right inside their town limits. A development permit or exemption certificate must be issued before the septic permit, and the county advises filing 3 to 4 weeks before installation. The application is in the owner’s name and signed by the owner, not an agent, with a site evaluation, the design for an alternative system, a maintenance contract for an aerobic system, the recorded deed and a notarized Affidavit to the Public, whose original is filed with the County Clerk. Each septic permit expires one year after it is issued.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| System | One single-family home | Other or commercial |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional, low pressure dosing, gravelless, mound or ET system | $275 | $475 |
| Aerobic system (all types) | $375 | $575 |
| Minor repair | $160 | $160 |
| Major repair | $275 | $475 |
| Re-inspection | $135 | $135 |
Each time a design is returned as incomplete or noncompliant, a $75 resubmittal fee applies, and a tank inspection is $50. Austin County has no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit for unincorporated land; inside Bellville, Sealy and Wallis those permits come from the city.
How to get an Austin County development permit
Apply to the Austin County Emergency Communication District, 842 W. Main, Bellville (979-865-1911), and keep the letter assigning the address.
If the land is in a flood hazard area, have a certified surveyor prepare an elevation certificate before the permit can be issued.
Email it to planning1@austincounty.com with the recorded deed and the 911 address letter; commercial projects go to DebR@austincounty.com.
Stake the driveway centre, meet the precinct commissioner, and have the commissioner sign the culvert form before it goes to Planning & Development. A driveway onto a state highway or farm-to-market road needs TxDOT approval instead (979-865-3101).
Submit the OSSF application with the site evaluation and design once the development permit is issued.
Pay by phone at 979-865-5911, then post the permits and the 911 address on site for the final inspection.
Rather not deal with the Austin County building department?
Get a free quote →County inspections
Planning & Development inspects development, septic and culvert work, not the building itself. The 911 address and the permits must be posted when the county comes out for the final inspection, or the owner pays the re-inspection fee. Culvert work starts only after an appointment with the precinct commissioner, who can charge a re-inspection fee for extra trips.
A development permit and a septic permit are each valid for one year from issue. The county’s guidelines also allow one residential structure per one-acre tract and require a 12 by 12 foot clear entrance from the county road so emergency vehicles can reach the house.
Inside Bellville, the permit holder calls City Hall at 979-865-3136 to book inspections, which cost $50 each and are not scheduled on weekends or City holidays.
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
Austin County official permit resources
Austin County regulations and forms, and the town permit pages:
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- Austin County government
- Austin County Permits page
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- Austin County Permitting & Engineering Fee Schedule (December 2025)
- Guidelines for Obtaining Permits for Austin County
- Austin County Application for Development
- Austin County On-Site Sewage System Permit Application
- Austin County Culvert/Driveway Permit Form
- City of Bellville Permits and Inspections
- City of Sealy Building and Code Enforcement
- City of Wallis Permits
- City of Industry departments (building restrictions)
- City of Brazos Country permit forms
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Austin County permit FAQ
Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Austin County?
Not a building code permit, but you do need a county development permit before building a house, barn or other structure, or before moving a house or manufactured home onto the land.
How much is an Austin County development permit for a house?
$100 outside the flood zone. In a flood zone it is $200 plus 5 cents per square foot of enclosed home and garage.
What does an Austin County septic permit cost?
For one single-family home, $275 for a conventional system and $375 for an aerobic system.
Who issues building permits in Bellville and Sealy?
Each city issues its own: Bellville through its building inspector at City Hall (979-865-3136), and Sealy through its Planning Department at 405 Main Street.
What happens if I build without a county permit?
The fine is the permit amount plus a penalty of twice that amount, or $25 for each day without a permit, whichever is greater.
How long is a development permit valid?
One year from the date it is issued.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Austin County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.