Outside city limits, Grimes County does not issue building permits for homes. Instead, Grimes County Development Services in Anderson (936-873-6465) requires a county Development Permit for all development, collects a builder’s notices of construction and inspection for homes built to the 2021 International Residential Code, and reviews commercial sites. Septic systems are permitted by Environmental Services for $420 for a home, and Navasota, Anderson and Todd Mission handle building permits inside their own limits.
What needs county approval in unincorporated Grimes County?
The county regulates land development rather than issuing building permits. Its own pages and forms list these approvals for property outside city limits:
Required
- Development Permit, which also serves as the floodplain development permit, for every development, filed by the owner or the owner’s legal representative; fill dirt in the floodplain counts as development
- Notice of Residential Construction and Notice of Residential Inspection for new homes and substantial improvements
- On-site sewage facility (septic) permit from Environmental Services
- Plat or replat approved by Commissioners Court, or an approved exception to platting
- Commercial site review under the Infrastructure Regulations
- Driveway/culvert permit where a driveway crosses a county road ditch
- Special Road Use Permit for heavy vehicles on county roads
- Certificate of Compliance before permanent electric service is connected
No county permit
- Building a house: notices only, with no permit and no fee
- Demolition: the county issues no demolition permits
- Fences: notice only when the fence is next to a county-maintained road
- Fill dirt for a foundation outside the floodplain
- Additions costing 50% or less of the home’s current GCAD taxable value do not have to meet the 2021 IRC
The county’s FAQ works the addition rule this way: a $75,000 addition to a house with a $225,000 taxable value is 33.3%, so the IRC does not apply; a $100,000 addition to a $190,000 house is 52.6%, so both notices are required. Land value is left out of the calculation.
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Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Grimes County?
| Approval | County office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Development Permit, residential notices, plats, commercial site review | Development Services (Director of Development Services) | 270 FM 149 W., Anderson, TX 77830; 936-873-6465; GCPermits@grimescountytexas.gov |
| Floodplain development permits | Floodplain Administrator, Jonathan Steiber, P.E., County Engineer | 936-873-4436 |
| Septic (OSSF) permits | Environmental Services | 1170 CR 280, Annex Bldg., Suite ENV105, Anderson; 936-873-4495 |
| Driveway/culvert and road use permits | Road Department | 936-873-4436; GCPermits@grimescountytexas.gov |
| New addresses | 911 Addressing | 1170 CR 280, Anderson; 936-873-6446 |
The county offices keep Monday to Friday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Environmental Services and the Road Department open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays.
Cities and towns in Grimes County
- Navasota: the City’s Development Services Department (200 E. McAlpine Street, 936-825-6475) handles planning, zoning, engineering and floodplain matters, and building permits are applied for through the City’s CitizenServe portal.
- Anderson: the Town requires a permit before new construction, remodels over 250 sq ft, demolition and modular or manufactured home move-ins, under the 2015 International Codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code. Forms go to the Town Clerk at 415 Hill Street (936-873-3102), open Tuesday to Thursday.
- Todd Mission: the City publishes residential and commercial building applications, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and culvert permits, a fee schedule and a separate Texas Renaissance Festival building permit, with applications through its iWorQ portal (936-894-3001).
- Bedias, Iola and Plantersville: the published sources do not say who issues building permits; ask city hall (Bedias 936-395-1119, Iola 936-394-2110, Plantersville 936-236-2000).
Grimes County permit fees
Fees come from the county’s Permits Fee Schedule, revised January 7, 2026. They are paid online through CertifiedPayments.net (bureau code 5818679) or in person by check or money order at 1170 County Road 280, and they are not refundable.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential notices of construction and inspection | No fee |
| Floodplain determination | No cost |
| Floodplain development permit (Special Flood Hazard Area only) | $103 |
| Septic permit, residential / commercial | $420 / $624 |
| Septic modification | $307 |
| Driveway/culvert permit, Type I | $26, permit and inspection |
| Driveway/culvert permit, Type II (after a notice of violation) | $52 |
| Plat fee, up to 10 / 25 / 50 / 75 acres | $205 / $307 / $409 / $511, plus $205 per extra 25 acres |
| Plan review, up to 10 / 25 / 50 / 75 acres | $511 / $767 / $1,022 / $1,278, plus $256 per extra 25 acres |
| Replat, plat revision or cancellation | $358 plus the plat fee |
| Variance | $103 each |
| Construction site inspection (development projects) | $103 per trip |
| Special road use, single heavy vehicle | $41 for 90 days to $164 for 365 days |
| Road use project permit | $52 application, plus $103 per road inspection |
| Drainage Impact Analysis consultant review | $3,300 (under 100 acres), $5,500 (100–500), $7,500 (over 500) |
Plat recording fees are set by the County Clerk, starting at $370 per plat. A heavy vehicle that already holds a state permit pays no county fee but still needs the county road use permit.
Septic systems, electric service and road work
Septic: Environmental Services permits and inspects on-site sewage facilities. A Certified Site Evaluator first does a site and soil evaluation, a system is designed from it, and the application, design and fee go to the county. The County Representative issues an Authorization to Construct, a TCEQ-licensed installer builds the system, and after inspection the county issues a Notice of Approval. An aerobic system also needs a notarized Affidavit to the Public filed with the County Clerk ($25 for one page).
Electric service: under a Commissioners Court order of January 21, 2026, permanent power may not be connected to a structure or development site until the county issues a Certificate of Compliance. The owner requests temporary, permanent, trailer, meter base or solar service on the county’s Electrical Service Request form; staff check the address and the floodplain before releasing it. The county publishes no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit for rural work.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →County roads: vehicles over 34,000 pounds, or over 10,000 pounds per axle, need a Special Road Use Permit (in force since February 1, 2025). A private project with 10 or more heavy truck passes a day, or lasting more than 2 weeks, needs a project permit with road inspections before, during and after the work. Water, wastewater, communication and electrical lines in county right-of-way each have their own Road Department application.
How to build in unincorporated Grimes County: 6 steps
Navasota, Anderson and Todd Mission run their own permits; the county rules apply only in unincorporated areas.
Subdividing, combining recorded lots or building across abstract lines needs a sealed plat or an approved Exception to Platting Form; land on a county road must dedicate road easement.
The owner or legal representative fills in the six-page form with a site sketch, intent-to-serve letters for public water, sewer and electricity, and the flood zone from the FEMA map and the BLE viewer.
Submit the OSSF design to Environmental Services and, in Zone A or the BLE 1% flood extent, the sealed civil plans and elevation certificate for the $103 floodplain permit, which is approved last.
Email it to GCPermits@grimescountytexas.gov or deliver it to 270 FM 149 W. before work starts.
Have the three IRC inspections done, send the Notice of Residential Inspection within 10 days of the final one, and get the Certificate of Compliance before permanent power.
Inspections for homes and development sites
Grimes County does not inspect houses. The builder hires an inspector for three stages: the foundation before concrete is placed, framing and mechanical systems before drywall, and the completed home. The county accepts a TREC-licensed professional inspector, an ICC-certified residential combination inspector, a building inspector employed by a political subdivision, a municipal plumbing inspector licensed by the state plumbing board, a registered architect or a licensed engineer, and different inspectors may do different stages.
Rather not deal with the Grimes County building department?
Get a free quote →The county does inspect what it permits: septic systems are inspected by the County Representative before approval, floodplain structures in Zone A need an inspection, and commercial developments pay $103 for each inspection trip by the county or its outside firm.
Floodplain rules and commercial review in Grimes County
Flood maps: the Flood Damage Prevention Order approved January 21, 2026 uses the FEMA Flood Insurance Study and rate maps dated April 3, 2012, plus FEMA Region 6 Base Level Engineering 1% flood depths. In Zone A or the BLE 1% flood extent, a new home’s lowest floor must sit 2 feet above the base flood elevation, 2 feet above the crown of the adjacent road or 2 feet above the highest adjacent grade, whichever is highest, with utilities at or above that level. Plans must be sealed by a Professional Engineer, and an elevation certificate must come from a Registered Professional Land Surveyor.
Commercial sites: the Infrastructure Regulations adopted June 23, 2025 cover site layout, drainage, emergency access, TCEQ water and wastewater compliance, stormwater quality and road right-of-way impacts. Some commercial projects must meet detention criteria and submit a Drainage Impact Analysis on the county’s template; applications that were administratively complete before June 23, 2025 can apply to the Director of Development Services for vesting.
Replats and setbacks: a replat is advertised in the Navasota Examiner for 30 days before Commissioners Court acts, and buildings on county roads are set back from the ultimate right-of-way shown in the Grimes County Mobility Plan. Most county roads carry 60-foot prescriptive easements.
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 →Grimes County official permit resources
- Grimes County Development Services
- Grimes County Development Permit Application
- Grimes County Permits Fee Schedule (January 2026)
- Guidelines for Residential Construction and Inspection
- Residential construction FAQ
- Grimes County Floodplain Administrator
- Order on connection of electric utilities (January 2026)
- Grimes County Environmental Services (septic)
- Grimes County Road Department
- City of Navasota Development Services
- Town of Anderson permits
- City of Todd Mission permits
- TCEQ: Getting a Septic Permit
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Grimes County permit FAQ
Do I need a building permit to build a house in Grimes County?
Not in the unincorporated county. You file a Development Permit, send the county a notice before construction and another after the final inspection, and the home must meet the 2021 IRC. There is no fee for the notices.
Who inspects a new home outside city limits?
An inspector you hire, such as a TREC-licensed inspector, an ICC residential combination inspector or a licensed engineer. Grimes County does not inspect homes.
How much is a septic permit in Grimes County?
$420 for a residential system, $624 for commercial and $307 for a modification, paid to Environmental Services.
Why will the power company not connect my new building?
Since January 21, 2026 the county must first issue a Certificate of Compliance confirming the site meets county rules, so the Development Permit and any septic or floodplain permits must be complete.
Is a floodplain permit required?
Every development in unincorporated Grimes County goes through the Development Permit, and sites in Zone A or the BLE 1% flood extent pay $103 and need sealed plans, an elevation certificate and an inspection. Floodplain determination is free.
Do I need a permit for a fence or to demolish a building?
The county issues no demolition permits and asks for fence notice only next to county-maintained roads. A driveway permit or road use permit may still apply.
Does Navasota issue its own building permits?
Yes. Building permits inside Navasota are applied for through the City’s CitizenServe portal, and its Development Services Department is at 200 E. McAlpine Street.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Grimes County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.