Franklin County’s website lists no building department or building permit for houses and other buildings outside town limits. The county’s permit work is septic systems, through the Septic Inspector and Designated Representative at 204 Texas Hwy 37 in Mount Vernon ($375 for a residential permit), and plats, which the Commissioners Court approves in two readings. Mount Vernon and Winnsboro are the incorporated places.
What needs county approval in Franklin County?
County approvals
- On-site sewage facility (septic) permit for a new system, and a modification permit for changes to an existing one
- Plat or replat approval by the Commissioners Court when land outside a city is subdivided
- Building setbacks from public roads set in the Subdivision Regulations
Not a county permit
- Building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits for rural homes: the county publishes none
- Building work inside Mount Vernon or Winnsboro, which the towns handle
Under the Subdivision Regulations, land divided without following them cannot get a septic permit, so on a new lot the plat comes first.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in each part of Franklin County?
| Area | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Mount Vernon (county seat, about 2,600 residents) | City of Mount Vernon: City Hall reviews plans and issues permits for any structural change under the 2018 building and 2020 electrical codes; contractors register with the City; permit status and inspection requests at 903-537-2252, 109 North Kaufman Street |
| Winnsboro (Franklin County part, about 800 residents) | City of Winnsboro, City Hall at 501 S Main Street, 903-342-3654: residential, commercial and trade permit packets and inspection requests |
| Unincorporated county, buildings | No county building permit or building inspection |
| Septic systems, whole county including both towns | Septic Inspector and Designated Representative (also the County Fire Marshal), 204 Texas Hwy 37, Mount Vernon, 903-537-8346; TCEQ lists Franklin County as the authorized agent for the entire county |
| Plats and replats | County Clerk (903-537-8357) and County Judge’s office (903-537-2342 ext. 6) for the Commissioners Court agenda |
Winnsboro is mostly in Wood County; its City Hall is open Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday mornings, and publishes a map of its city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Franklin County septic fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential septic permit | $375 |
| Commercial septic permit | $550 |
| Modification of an existing system | $75 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The Commissioners Court approved these increases on September 25, 2023, raising the residential fee from $325, the commercial fee from $500 and the modification fee from $50.
What a Franklin County septic application needs
The county’s check sheet lists what the Designated Representative looks for before a permit is issued; some items are not needed for a modification:
- Completed application with the supplemental and technical information pages
- Soil and site evaluation (both pages)
- Planning and design criteria: a written description of the system
- Spray application calculations for spray systems
- Scaled drawing of the system
- For aerobic systems, the affidavit completed and filed in Franklin County, and an initial maintenance agreement
- Copy of the warranty deed
- Proof the fee is paid
How to subdivide land and get a septic permit
Before any subdivision, bring a preliminary plat showing lots and roads to the commissioner for your precinct, then submit four copies of the revised plat. In a city’s ETJ, the city must approve the plat before the Commissioners Court.
Leave at least four fully signed one-page copies with the County Clerk, with lienholder sign-off and, for a replat, the owners’ association letter.
Call the County Judge’s office by the Wednesday before court (2nd and 4th Mondays) and run the newspaper notices; the plat is read twice, and you or your representative must attend both readings.
Present the Affidavit of Publication and a tax certificate showing all taxes paid before the second reading, or the plat is tabled.
Deliver the application package and fee to the Septic Inspector at 204 Texas Hwy 37.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Lot sizes, setbacks and private roads
A plat is required whenever any tract created from a parent tract will be smaller than 10 acres, and then the whole subdivision must be platted. Each lot must be at least half an acre for a single-family home, or 1 acre if a private water well will be drilled on it. Buildings must sit at least 50 ft from the edge of the right-of-way on major highways and roads, and at least 25 ft on other public roads.
Subdivisions with private roads need a homeowners association with assessment power to maintain them, a sign at the entrance and a statement on the plat and in every deed that the county will never maintain the roads unless they meet county standards. Breaking the regulations is a Class B misdemeanor.
Rather not deal with the Franklin County building department?
Get a free quote →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
Franklin County official resources
- Franklin County Septic Inspector
- Septic permit application (PDF)
- Septic application check sheet (PDF)
- Septic permit fee notice, 2024 (PDF)
- County rules for on-site sewage facilities (PDF)
- Plat and replat procedures
- Franklin County Subdivision Regulations (PDF)
- City of Winnsboro permits and forms
- City of Mount Vernon building permits
- TCEQ authorized agent search
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Franklin County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit to build a house in rural Franklin County?
The county publishes no building permit, but a house on a septic system needs a county septic permit, and a lot under 10 acres split from a larger tract must be platted.
How much is a septic permit in Franklin County?
$375 for a home and $550 for commercial property; modifying an existing system costs $75.
How small can a lot be in Franklin County?
Half an acre per single-family home, or 1 acre if the lot will have a private water well.
When does the Commissioners Court consider plats?
On the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. Each plat needs two readings, and the County Judge’s office must hear from you by the Wednesday before.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Winnsboro?
The City of Winnsboro, which publishes residential, commercial and trade permit packets and an inspection request form.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Franklin County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.