Jim Wells County has adopted no building code and issues no building permit or certificate of occupancy outside its cities. Its Safety & Inspection Department in Alice (361-668-1018) does permit two things in the unincorporated county: septic systems, at $260 per permit and on every lot whatever its size, and development in mapped flood hazard areas. Alice issues its own building permits.
What needs a county permit in Jim Wells County?
A 2023 county notice to builders says the County Clerk’s records show no order adopting building codes or requiring certificates of occupancy for unincorporated land, so builders there need no county building permit. The same notice says the county is working toward adopting building, electrical and plumbing codes. Until then, county approvals cover septic, flood and subdivision rules:
County approvals
- On-site sewage facility (septic) permit, required on every property regardless of acreage
- Floodplain Development Permit for new construction or substantial improvement in a special flood hazard area
- Subdivision plat for two or more residential lots of 5 acres or less (larger lots follow general platting rules)
- Safety & Inspection approval before permanent utility connections in subdivisions
No county permit
- Building permits and building code inspections
- Certificates of occupancy
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits
- Work inside Alice, Orange Grove, Premont or San Diego
Who issues permits in each Jim Wells County town?
Four cities lie wholly or partly in the county; about 16,900 of its 38,804 residents live outside them.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Area | Who issues permits |
|---|---|
| Alice (pop. 17,550) | City of Alice Building Inspection, a division of Community Development: building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, sign and fence permits, filed through Vertex Plans. City Hall, 500 E. Main St.; 361-668-7275. |
| Premont (pop. 2,401) | The published sources do not say; City Hall is on 361-348-2022. |
| Orange Grove (pop. 1,178) | The published sources do not say; City Hall is on 361-384-2322. |
| San Diego, Jim Wells County part (pop. 743) | The City’s website posts no permit procedure; City Hall is at 404 S. Mier St., open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Unincorporated county | No building permit. Septic and floodplain permits from the county Safety & Inspection Department. |
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Mailing address | 601 E. Main St., Suite 275, Alice, TX 78332 |
| Phone / fax | 361-668-1018 (ext. 8 for septic and flood questions) / 361-668-1653 |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. |
| Inspection hours | Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Roles | Septic program (TCEQ designated representative), floodplain administration, vector control, emergency management |
Septic permits in Jim Wells County
The county’s septic order, adopted in 2009, is stricter than the state minimum in two ways: every on-site sewage system needs a permit no matter how large the tract, and only a licensed installer may put one in, so owners cannot install their own. It covers all unincorporated land and any city that signs an intergovernmental contract with the county. TCEQ’s records show 171 septic authorizations to construct issued by the county in 2025.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Every septic permit costs $260, paid by check or money order to “Jim Wells County OSSF”; the fee is not refundable. The application, in the property owner’s name, includes:
- A soil and site evaluation by a professional engineer or site evaluator
- Planning materials, with a design by a registered sanitarian or engineer for proprietary and non-standard systems
- The legal description of the property and directions to the site
- The installer’s and designer’s names and licence numbers, the water source and the flood zone
TCEQ staff in Corpus Christi may also review plans for non-standard systems. Decisions of the county inspectors can be appealed to the Commissioners Court using the county’s Notice of Appeal form, and the department posts a list of licensed installers.
How to build on unincorporated Jim Wells County land
Alice, Orange Grove, Premont and San Diego handle their own territory; Alice files permits through Vertex Plans.
View it at the Safety & Inspection office or on the Jim Wells County Appraisal District map; in a flood hazard area, apply for a Floodplain Development Permit with two scaled plan sets and the planned lowest-floor elevation.
Have the soil and site evaluated and the system designed, then file the application with the $260 fee.
The authorization to construct is valid for one year from issue.
Call at least 2 working days ahead, before the system is covered; inspectors work weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
After a passed inspection, the county mails the owner a copy of the completed permit and the certificate; the system is not legal until then.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Flood and subdivision rules
Floodplain: the county’s Flood Damage Prevention Court Order took effect on April 28, 2017 and names the County Safety Officer as Floodplain Administrator. New and substantially improved homes in a special flood hazard area must have the lowest floor at or above the base flood elevation, certified by an engineer, architect or land surveyor; nonresidential buildings may instead be floodproofed with an engineer’s or architect’s certificate, and manufactured homes must be raised and anchored. Breaking the order is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500 per violation.
Subdivisions: under the county’s subdivision rules (in effect November 24, 2014, revised February 8, 2016), no lot in a residential subdivision of 5-acre-or-smaller lots may be sold until the final plat is approved and recorded with the County Clerk. Each lot may hold only one single-family detached home. A lot with public water and its own septic system must be at least half an acre, and one without public water at least 1 acre, not counting any floodplain on the lot. Homes must sit at least 50 feet from arterial roads and state highways, 25 feet from collector and local roads, 20 feet on a cul-de-sac and 5 feet from side property lines. On a platted lot with a flood hazard area, the finished floor must be at least 12 inches above the 100-year flood elevation, and utilities may not make final connections until the Safety & Inspection Department has approved the building’s septic arrangements.
Rather not deal with the Jim Wells County building department?
Get a free quote →Septic violations are misdemeanors too, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
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 →Jim Wells County official resources
- Jim Wells County Safety & Inspection Department
- Jim Wells County construction permit information for builders (2023)
- Jim Wells County septic (OSSF) permit application
- Jim Wells County septic order
- Jim Wells County licensed septic installers list
- Jim Wells County Flood Damage Prevention Court Order (2017)
- Jim Wells County Subdivision Rules & Regulations
- City of Alice Building Inspection
- City of San Diego, Texas
Jim Wells County permit FAQ
Does Jim Wells County require a building permit?
No. The county has adopted no building code and requires no building permit or certificate of occupancy in unincorporated areas, though it has said it plans to adopt codes.
How much is a septic permit in Jim Wells County?
$260 for any on-site sewage system, payable by check or money order and not refundable.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a septic permit on 10 acres or more?
Yes. Unlike the state minimum, the county’s order requires a permit for every septic system regardless of acreage.
Can I install my own septic system?
No. In Jim Wells County only a licensed installer may install one.
Do I need a floodplain permit?
Yes, for new construction or substantial improvement in a special flood hazard area. Ask the Safety & Inspection Department at 361-668-1018, ext. 8.
Who issues building permits in Alice?
The City of Alice Building Inspection division (361-668-7275), through Vertex Plans.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Jim Wells County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.