Henderson County, Texas Building Permit Guide

Henderson County does not issue building permits for houses outside city limits. The county’s Development & Floodplain Administration Office (100 E. Tyler Street, Room 302, Athens; 903-677-7242) approves plats and replats and handles floodplain permits in unincorporated areas, septic systems go through the county Septic Inspector, and the Fire Marshal answers fire permit questions. Athens, Gun Barrel City, Mabank, Chandler and several lake towns issue their own building permits.

What needs county approval in Henderson County?

Outside the cities, the county regulates how land is divided, built on in the floodplain and served by septic systems, not how a house is built.

The county’s subdivision rules also keep new buildings at least 25 feet from the edge of a public road right-of-way, or 50 feet from a major highway or road.

Who handles permits in Henderson County?

Cities and towns in Henderson County

• Athens (13,870): the City’s Development Services Department issues permits and inspects through MGOconnect (903-677-6615).
• Gun Barrel City (7,133): the Building Department at 1716 W. Main Street (903-887-1087) issues building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits under the 2015 I-Codes and 2020 NEC.
• Mabank (1,893 in Henderson County): the City’s Permits & Inspections office at 129 E. Market Street (903-887-3241, ext. 205) handles building permits and certificates of occupancy.
• Chandler (4,081): permits, contractor registration and inspections are handled only through MGOconnect, with inspections done by the City’s contracted inspection company (City Hall 903-849-6853).
• Payne Springs (788) and Enchanted Oaks (383): each town issues its own permits, with plan review and inspections by the third-party firm SAFEbuilt. Payne Springs takes inspection requests through City Hall (903-451-9229), not SAFEbuilt.
• Star Harbor (533), Log Cabin (885) and Tool (2,427): building permit applications come from City Hall (Log Cabin 903-489-2195; Tool 903-432-3522); Tool has its own building and code enforcement department.
• Eustace (1,143): the City publishes development and utility requirements, including a plan review process; City Hall is 903-425-4702.
• Trinidad: the City’s Permit Department (903-778-2525) posts a fee table; a new home permit is $450 including electrical and plumbing, a remodel $350, and residential electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits $75 each.
• Brownsboro and Caney City: each City publishes its own building permit application; Brownsboro also has residential and commercial permit guidelines and contractor registration at City Hall, 11351 Willow St. (903-852-2401).
• Frankston (27 in Henderson County): a City ordinance requires a City building permit, applied for at City Hall (903-876-2241), for new or repaired homes and business buildings.
• Malakoff: the City’s Regulations & Permits page carries contractor registration, certificate of occupancy and residential fence rules.
• Seven Points (1,475 in Henderson County), Murchison (519), Coffee City, Berryville, Moore Station and Poynor: the published sources do not say who issues building permits; ask City Hall (Seven Points 903-432-4610, Murchison 903-469-3710, Coffee City 903-876-3414, Berryville 903-876-3763, Moore Station 903-707-1382, Poynor 903-876-2673).

Henderson County subdivision and plat fees

Fees for subdivision applications are set in Appendix S of the 2024 Subdivision Regulations and paid to the County Clerk when the application is filed; fees due after approval are paid within 10 days. They are not refundable.

Septic permit fees are set by the County Septic Inspector, and the county does not post a floodplain permit fee online.

Septic systems, floodplain permits and fire code

Septic: the county’s Septic Services office publishes the On-Site Sewage Facilities Permit Application with separate affidavits for residential and for commercial or multi-family systems, and takes sewer complaints. TCEQ divides septic authority here: the County covers unincorporated land, the City of Athens permits systems inside its own limits, Tarrant Regional Water District handles lots within 2,000 ft of the Cedar Creek Reservoir flood pool, and the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority covers the Lake Palestine water quality zone, within 525 ft of the 355-ft take line. A second-tier subdivision that will use septic systems needs a certificate from the county about the proposed systems before approval.

Floodplain: any development planned in the FEMA special flood hazard area needs a floodplain assessment and a permit to develop in a floodplain area. The application asks for a site plan, the flood zone and map panel, the base flood elevation and the planned lowest floor, and a no-rise certification for work in a floodway. If the cost of improving an existing building reaches 50% of its market value, the substantial improvement rules apply.

Fire Marshal: the county Fire Marshal handles fire permits and inspection requests and enforces nuisance rules on refuse, weeds and dangerous buildings in and near platted subdivisions. The county publishes no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit for rural land.

How to start a rural Henderson County project

Inspections and closeout in Henderson County

The county does not inspect home construction outside the cities. Septic systems are inspected by the county Septic Inspector, the Fire Marshal accepts inspection requests on its own form, and the Development Office may make a site visit when it reviews a development application. Inside the cities, inspections follow each city’s process; Chandler, Payne Springs and Enchanted Oaks use contracted inspectors.

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

Henderson County official permitting resources

• Henderson County Development & Floodplain Administration
• Development Application form (PDF)
• Henderson County Subdivision Regulations 2024 (PDF)
• Application for permit to develop in a floodplain area (PDF)
• Henderson County Septic Services
• Henderson County Fire Marshal
• Gun Barrel City Building Department
• City of Mabank Permits & Inspections
• City of Chandler Permitting Services
• City of Payne Springs building inspections
• Town of Enchanted Oaks: build or renovate
• City of Trinidad Permit Department
• City of Brownsboro building permits
• City of Caney City forms and permits
• TCEQ authorized agent search

Henderson County building permit FAQ

Do I need a building permit to build a house in rural Henderson County?

No county building permit is issued for homes outside city limits. You may still need a plat, a floodplain permit and a septic permit.

Who issues septic permits in Henderson County?

For most unincorporated land, the county Septic Inspector in the Septic Services office, 903-257-9057. Inside Athens the City is the agent, near Cedar Creek Reservoir it is Tarrant Regional Water District, and around Lake Palestine it is the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority.

When do I need a floodplain permit?

When any development, including a manufactured home or fill, is planned in the FEMA special flood hazard area outside city limits. Apply to the Development Office.

Do I need to plat land to sell lots?

Usually. Divisions into tracts all over 10 acres with no new public roads are exempt; small splits of up to 4 lots on an existing public road can use the cheaper second-tier process.

Who issues building permits in Gun Barrel City or Athens?

Each city does: Gun Barrel City’s Building Department (903-887-1087) and Athens Development Services (903-677-6615).

How far from the road must a new building be?

At least 25 feet from the edge of a public road right-of-way, or 50 feet from a major highway or road, under the county’s subdivision rules.

Simplify Henderson 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.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Henderson County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.