Hardin County does not run a building department, but its Floodplain Administration office in Kountze (409-246-5250) requires a county development permit before any development starts outside city limits. A home is charged $100 for the first 1,000 sq ft of living area plus $25 for each extra 100 sq ft, and a $30 electrical permit is needed before Entergy or SHECO will connect service. Lumberton, Silsbee and Sour Lake issue permits inside their own limits.
What needs a county permit in Hardin County?
The county’s permit schedule, in force since November 1, 2009 and last updated June 21, 2024, defines development broadly: any man-made change to land, including buildings, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling and storing equipment or materials. A permit must be issued before any of it begins.
Floodplain Administration permits
- Residential development (new homes and other residential work)
- Commercial and industrial development
- Electrical service, before the utility connects power
- Manufactured home placement
- Residential solar panel installation
- Roadside culverts and landscape culverts
- Subdivision development, public or private
- Industrial towers and pipelines
Not issued by the county
- Building inspections for houses
- Culverts on state highways (TxDOT, 409-246-2300) or private roads
- 911 addresses (South East Texas Planning Commission, 409-347-1911)
- Permits inside city limits
The county may waive permit fees for non-residential outbuildings and some other development, depending on how the structure or land will be used.
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Get a free quote →Who handles permits in Hardin County?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| County permit office | Floodplain Administration, Marisol Gutierrez, Floodplain Administrator |
| Location | Floodplain Office on Crocker Street, Kountze (the county lists both 225 and 255 Crocker Street); mail to 300 W. Monroe St., Kountze, TX 77625 |
| Phone and email | 409-246-5250 (subdivisions 409-246-5251); permits@hardincountytx.gov |
| Courthouse switchboard | 409-246-5200 |
| Food business plan review | Hardin County Health Inspections, 1135 Redwood St., Kountze; 409-209-5359 |
Cities in Hardin County
- Lumberton: City Hall at 836 North Main (409-755-3700) has a City Inspector, a permits office and a fire and life safety inspector, open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Silsbee: the City issues residential and commercial building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, demolition, moving and sign permits and registers contractors; permitting is at City Hall (409-385-2863, ext. 103), and permits are paid by cash or check only.
- Sour Lake: the City publishes residential, commercial and repair or alteration permit applications and says most work needs one; City Hall is at 625 TX-105 (409-287-3573).
- Kountze: the City requires its own development permit before construction inside its limits, plus placement, subdivision and electrical service applications, and posts its 2026 permit procedure and fee ordinance online; City Hall is at 850 N. Pine (409-246-3463).
- Rose Hill Acres: the published sources do not say who issues building permits; the state floodplain directory lists the mayor, as floodplain administrator, at 409-782-5375.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Electrical service, culverts and septic systems
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential development | $100 for the first 1,000 sq ft, plus $25 per additional 100 sq ft |
| Commercial or industrial development | Set out on the application |
| Electrical service permit | $30 |
| Manufactured home placement | $100 per home |
| Residential solar installation | $100, paid by the installer’s company check |
| Roadside culvert | $50 per culvert; first one installed free, each extra $400 installation plus the $50 permit |
| Landscape culvert | $50 per 10 feet |
| Subdivision development | $500 plus $50 per lot |
| Industrial tower or pipeline | Ask the permit office |
Electric service: neither Entergy nor SHECO will provide service of any kind until the county electrical permit is issued. The county publishes no other electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit for unincorporated land.
Manufactured homes: the buyer or owner, not the dealer or transporter, must get the placement permit before the home is set.
Culverts: the county installs every roadside culvert on county roads, using a culvert the owner supplies to county specifications.
Septic: TCEQ lists no local authorized agent anywhere in Hardin County, so on-site sewage permits are issued by the TCEQ Region 10 office, 3870 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont (409-898-3838).
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to file in Hardin County
County permits cover only unincorporated land. Lumberton, Silsbee and Sour Lake permit inside their limits; Kountze issues its own development permits, and in Rose Hill Acres ask the mayor.
The county records the flood zone and FIRM panel on every residential application; sites in a special flood hazard area need extra forms.
Residential, commercial or industrial, manufactured home, solar, culvert or subdivision, with the living area and builder details filled in.
Pay by check, cash, credit card or money order; no work of any kind may start before the permit is issued.
Buy the $30 electrical permit before calling the utility, and request the culvert if the drive crosses a county road ditch.
The residential permit expires if work does not begin within 6 months of issue.
Inspections and closeout in Hardin County
The county does not inspect home construction for building code compliance. By signing the residential application, the owner agrees that the county’s floodplain administrator may make reasonable inspections to check compliance with the permit. In a special flood hazard area, the Floodplain Order requires a new home or substantial improvement to have its lowest floor at least 12 inches above the base flood elevation, certified by an engineer, architect or land surveyor. The order uses FEMA’s Flood Insurance Study and rate maps dated October 6, 2010.
Rather not deal with the Hardin County building department?
Get a free quote →Restaurants and other food businesses submit their menu and building plans to the county Health Inspector before work begins, and those inside a city also need the city’s permits.
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 →Hardin County official permitting resources
- Hardin County permits and fee schedule
- Development Residential Permit Application
- Hardin County Floodplain Administration
- Hardin County Floodplain Order
- Hardin County subdivision and drainage regulations
- City of Lumberton permits and zoning
- City of Silsbee permits and forms
- City of Sour Lake: Do I need a permit?
- City of Kountze permitting information
- TCEQ regional offices
- TCEQ septic permitting authority search by county
Hardin County building permit FAQ
Do I need a permit to build a house in unincorporated Hardin County?
Yes, a county residential development permit from Floodplain Administration, issued before any work starts. It costs $100 for the first 1,000 sq ft of living area and $25 for each additional 100 sq ft.
How much is a permit for a 2,000 sq ft house?
$350: $100 for the first 1,000 sq ft plus 10 increments of 100 sq ft at $25 each. The $30 electrical permit is separate.
Why won’t Entergy or SHECO connect my power?
Both require the county’s $30 electrical permit before they provide any service in unincorporated Hardin County.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who installs driveway culverts on county roads?
The county does. You supply the culvert to county specifications, the first one is installed free, and each additional culvert on the property costs $450 including the permit.
Does the county permit cover work in Lumberton or Silsbee?
No. Those cities issue their own permits; Lumberton’s City Hall is at 836 North Main and Silsbee’s permitting desk is at 409-385-2863, ext. 103.
How high must a new home sit in the floodplain?
At least 12 inches above the base flood elevation, certified by an engineer, architect or surveyor.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hardin County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.