Howard County does not issue building permits for homes outside its cities. The county’s OSSF Office and Road Administrator, both at 3604 Old Colorado City Road in Big Spring (432-264-2208), issue septic permits ($210 for a new home system), driveway and right-of-way permits on county roads, and review plats under the subdivision rules in force since December 11, 2023. Big Spring and Coahoma issue their own building permits.
What needs a county permit in Howard County?
County permits
- Septic (OSSF) permit for a new installation or a modification, reviewed by the county’s Designated Representative
- Right of way use permit for a residential, commercial or temporary driveway, an underground line or an overhead line on a county road
- Floodplain development permit under the 2013 Flood Damage Prevention Order
- Plat approval for dividing land, and approval of an infrastructure plan for a manufactured home rental community
- 9-1-1 address for a new house or other development
Not a county permit
- Building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits outside the cities: the county website lists none
- A plat for a division where every lot is more than 10 acres and nothing is laid out for public use
Who issues building permits in each part of Howard County?
Howard County has three incorporated cities. Official sources give these answers:
| Area | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Big Spring (about 22,300 residents) | City of Big Spring Permits / Inspections, 217 E. 3rd St., 432-264-2504, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Coahoma | City of Coahoma, at City Hall, 122 N. 1st, 432-394-4287 (Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to noon). Its application form asks for contractors registered with the City of Big Spring and work to the codes Big Spring has adopted. |
| Forsan | The published sources do not say; ask City Hall, 409 Ave D, 432-553-5023. |
| Unincorporated county | No county building permit. County septic, right-of-way, floodplain and plat rules apply. |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Office | Details |
|---|---|
| OSSF Office (septic permits) | 3604 Old Colorado City Road, Big Spring, TX 79720; 432-264-2208; applications and payment by email to permits@howardcountytx.gov; Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Road Administrator / County Engineer (road permits, plats) | Same address; 432-264-2208; Road & Bridge warehouse 432-264-2280 |
| 9-1-1 Addressing Coordinator | P.O. Box 91, Big Spring; 432-264-2266; text only 432-895-1726 |
| Floodplain Administrator | The County Judge, under the Flood Damage Prevention Order |
Howard County permit and plat fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Septic permit, new residential installation | $210 |
| Septic permit, commercial, up to 1,500 gallons of wastewater a day | $310 |
| Septic permit, larger commercial system | $410 |
| Septic re-inspection (paid by the installer) | Half of the permit fee |
| Final plat or rental community plan, 1–10 lots or spaces | $500 plus $100 per lot |
| Final plat, 11–50 lots | $1,000 plus $100 per lot |
| Final plat, more than 50 lots | $1,500 plus $100 per lot |
| Short-form or voluntary preliminary plat review | $350 |
| Variance request | $75 |
| Certificate of Approved Plat (allows a utility connection) | $75 each |
| Inspection of public roads and drainage | 1% of the improvement cost |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Septic fees are non-refundable and must all be paid before the Notice of Approval is issued; card payments go through the county’s online link. Plat fees are paid by cashier’s check or money order to the County Road and Bridge Engineer before review starts, with recording fees paid separately to the County Clerk. The 2021 right of way use agreement printed with the residential driveway form refers to a $400 non-refundable administration fee for each instance, while the septic application sheet says the commercial driveway permit an RV park or subdivision needs carries no fee.
Septic systems in Howard County
The county runs septic permitting under its own order of August 11, 2008, approved by TCEQ on September 29, 2008, and the permit is reviewed by a licensed professional engineer serving as Designated Representative. A complete application includes:
- The application and technical information sheet, in the property owner’s name, with all pages
- Two copies of the site and soil evaluation: at least two soil borings or backhoe pits at opposite ends of the drain field, dug 2 feet below the planned trench. Land without 24 inches of suitable soil under the drain field is treated as unsuitable.
- Two copies of the planning materials, with a site plan showing buildings, wells on the site and neighboring lots, easements, water bodies and the required separation distances
- Accurate directions to the site, and a professional design by a sanitarian or engineer for proprietary or non-standard systems
- For aerobic systems, a scale drawing, the lot’s legal description, an Affidavit to the Public and a maintenance agreement
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →TCEQ staff in Austin may also review non-standard designs. The Authorization to Construct is valid for one year, and work may not start before it is issued. For RV parks, subdivisions and business parks, the county also wants a plat of the park showing the septic system, interior roads and every entrance, which it shares with the precinct commissioner.
How to start a rural project in Howard County
If the lot is inside Big Spring, Coahoma or Forsan, the city’s rules come first; outside them, only county permits apply.
Divisions that need a plat go to the County Road and Bridge Engineer, who returns comments on a voluntary preliminary plat within 10 working days. Where no plat is needed, send the project location to the 9-1-1 Coordinator at no charge.
Email the Addressing Coordinator the GPS location, your name and phone, and the block and lot or tract number; the address comes back as a PDF by email or text.
Email the application, evaluation and design to permits@howardcountytx.gov with payment, and wait for the Authorization to Construct.
File the right of way use agreement and the Section III driveway application with Road & Bridge before cutting into a county road.
Give the OSSF Office at least 5 working days’ notice before covering the system; the Notice of Approval and permit follow in about 5 working days.
Rather not deal with the Howard County building department?
Get a free quote →Driveway standards and floodplain rules
Driveways: the Section III application covers temporary drives (90 days at most), residential drives and permanent commercial drives, and asks for a sketch with the width, radius and surface. Drives are built as Type A (hilltop only), Type B (dip section) or Type C (culvert pipe, with its size and end type). The throat may be 25 to 125 feet wide. On a paved county road, any aggregate inside the right of way must be crushed material, taking the right of way as 20 feet from the edge of the travel lane if its line is unknown; caliche is allowed on unpaved roads. Drives for heavy industrial construction, or carrying 10 or more 18-wheeler loads a day, need widened, paved shoulders. Road & Bridge signs off the finished driveway.
Floodplain: in a mapped special flood hazard area, a new home or substantial improvement must have its lowest floor, including any basement, at or above the base flood elevation, certified by an engineer, architect or land surveyor. A plat that puts residential lots in a floodplain is approved only with a restrictive covenant tying any housing there to the national flood program and the county order.
Building permits in Coahoma
Coahoma posts its own 2025 building permit fee list: $0.10 per sq ft for a single-family home, $150 for a mobile home, $25 for a fence, $50 for a roof, $145 for an in-ground pool and $500 for commercial buildings up to 2,500 sq ft. Applicants bring a survey or plat of the property, the square footage, blueprints and, for a storage building, photos, and a permit is not approved until a City employee signs it. The City also publishes a map of its extraterritorial jurisdiction.
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 →Howard County official resources
- Howard County OSSF Office
- Howard County septic permit application (PDF)
- Howard County Road Administrator and road permits
- Residential driveway permit and right of way agreement (PDF)
- Howard County Flood Damage Prevention Order (PDF)
- Subdivision and Manufactured Home Rental Community Regulations, 2023 (PDF)
- Howard County 9-1-1 Addressing
- City of Big Spring Permits / Inspections
- City of Coahoma permits
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
Howard County permit FAQs
Do I need a county building permit to build a house in rural Howard County?
No county building permit is listed. A new house with a septic system needs a county septic permit, and a new driveway onto a county road needs a Road & Bridge permit.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a septic permit in Howard County?
$210 for a new residential system, $310 for a commercial system up to 1,500 gallons a day and $410 for a larger one. Each re-inspection costs the installer half the permit fee.
How long does septic approval take after the inspection?
The county issues the Notice of Approval and permit about 5 working days after a passed inspection. Book the inspection at least 5 working days ahead.
Who issues building permits in Big Spring?
The City of Big Spring Permits / Inspections office at 217 E. 3rd St. (432-264-2504), not the county.
Do I need a plat to split my land?
Not when every lot is more than 10 acres and no part is laid out for public use, but the project location still goes to the 9-1-1 Coordinator. Otherwise a final plat costs $500 or more plus $100 per lot.
How do I get a 9-1-1 address in Howard County?
Email the Addressing Coordinator the GPS location of the property, your contact details and the block and lot or tract number, or call 432-264-2266.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Howard County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.