Outside Boerne and Fair Oaks Ranch, Kendall County has adopted no building code for single-family homes, but its Development Management office in the County Engineer’s Office requires permits for all development: a 911 address and driveway access permit first ($100 each), then a development permit issued together with an outdoor lighting permit, before any septic or well permit. Multi-family and commercial buildings also go through the County Fire Marshal, who issues their certificates of occupancy.
What needs a county permit in Kendall County?
The County Engineer’s March 2026 verification letter says permits are needed for all development in the unincorporated county, which it defines broadly: buildings and other structures, grading, filling, paving, excavation, drilling and storage of equipment or materials.
County permits
- 911 rural address
- Access (driveway) permit for a new or changed driveway onto a public county road
- Development permit for residential and commercial development, renewed each year until the project is finished
- Dark sky permit before any outdoor lights are installed
- On-site sewage facility (septic) permit
- Floodplain development permit, including for repairs after a flood
- Right-of-way permits for work in county roads
- Plats and property divisions
- Fire code permits for multi-family and non-residential buildings
Not regulated by the County
- A building permit or building code inspections for single-family homes
- Zoning or land use: the County has no zoning in unincorporated areas
- Access permits for driveways off private roads (an address request is still needed)
- Building work inside Boerne or Fair Oaks Ranch (septic systems there still need the County permit)
Deed restrictions, subdivision covenants and HOA rules still apply; restrictions are recorded on the deed at the County Clerk’s office (830-331-8233).
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in each part of Kendall County?
Development Management works from the County Engineer’s Office at 400 E. Blanco Road, Boerne, TX 78006, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed noon to 1 p.m.); call 830-331-8253 for development, lighting and septic questions. TCEQ lists Kendall County as the septic authorized agent for the entire county, so systems inside Boerne and Fair Oaks Ranch are permitted here as well. The County Fire Marshal (830-249-3721, fire.marshal@co.kendall.tx.us) administers the County Fire Code, and the Health Department (830-249-9343, ext. 214) may have requirements for multi-family and commercial sites.
| Area | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Boerne (county seat) | City of Boerne Permitting and Code Compliance, 447 N. Main Street (830-248-1529); registered contractors apply through the City’s MGO portal. |
| Fair Oaks Ranch (Kendall County part) | City of Fair Oaks Ranch Building Department, 7286 Dietz Elkhorn (210-698-0900), for the whole city across Bexar, Kendall and Comal counties. |
| A city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction | County permits apply; the County notes that cities may also have requirements in their ETJ. |
| Unincorporated county | No building permit for homes; County address, access, development, lighting, septic and floodplain permits, and Fire Marshal review for multi-family and commercial buildings. |
Kendall County permit fees
The Engineer’s Office fee schedule was approved by Commissioners Court on August 28, 2023 and took effect on September 1, 2023. Fees are paid with the application; re-inspection fees are paid before the re-inspection is booked.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential access (driveway) permit | $100 |
| Address request or verification | $100 |
| Floodplain development permit, minor / major residential | $200 / $300 |
| Residential dark sky (lighting) permit | No charge |
| Commercial development permit | $1,000 |
| Commercial dark sky permit | $500 |
| Septic permit, system under 500 gallons a day | $300 (re-inspection $150) |
| Septic permit, system of 500 gallons a day or more | $600 (re-inspection $300) |
| Major right-of-way permit | $500 + $1 per linear foot, plus inspection fee |
| Final subdivision plat, up to 50 lots | $3,000 + $150 per lot |
| Request for relief (plats and development permits) | $250 per item |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Blue reflective 911 address signs cost $20 single-sided or $25 double-sided. After flooding, the development permit needed before repairs is issued at no cost.
For multi-family and commercial buildings, the County Fire Marshal’s 2026 schedule charges $50 for plans up to $1,000 in value, $50 plus $7 per $1,000 up to $50,000, and on a sliding scale above that (for example $687 plus $5 per $1,000 between $100,001 and $350,000). Sprinkler systems are $250 plus $0.50 a head over 35, fire alarms $250 plus $0.50 a device over 10, and a change-of-occupancy inspection $150.
What the development permit needs
The development permit application asks for the owner and any designated agent, the 911 address, subdivision, lot and acreage, and whether the site will use a septic system, well, public water or public sewer. Sites in the Light MIA Zone 2 need their lighting submission approved, and commercial projects need an approved site plan and detention, lighting plan and County fire code approvals for the site and building.
The County’s checklist can also call for a project description and schedule, engineering documents, an elevation certificate, a FEMA letter of map amendment or revision, a no-rise certificate, drainage and detention analysis, site and grading plans, and copies of state and federal permits. In Zone AE, pre- and post-construction elevation certificates by a registered surveyor are required, fill in the floodplain must be offset by an equal or greater cut, and improvements worth more than 50% of a structure’s appraised value bring the whole building under the floodplain rules.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get approval to build in unincorporated Kendall County
File the Address Request Form with the Access Application and fees; the County then books a meeting with the Access Coordinator.
An owner who cannot attend can sign an Agent Designation Form; the agent can then obtain all permits and make all decisions.
Submit it with the dark sky lighting permit; the two are issued together.
The County approves or denies a septic application within 30 days. Aerobic systems need a recorded Affidavit to the Public and a signed maintenance contract.
Send the Fire Code Building Permit Application, plans and fee to the Fire Marshal; review does not start until the fee is received.
The development permit must be renewed every year until the project is complete.
Lot sizes, lighting and floodplain rules
| Water and sewer | Minimum lot | Road frontage | Setbacks (front / rear / side) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private well and septic | 3 acres | 250 ft | 50 ft / 10 ft / 10 ft |
| Public water and septic | 1 acre | 100 ft | 25 ft / 10 ft / 10 ft |
| Public water and public wastewater | No minimum | 50 ft | 25 ft / 10 ft / 5 ft (10 ft if obstructed) |
Rather not deal with the Kendall County building department?
Get a free quote →Any building next to a County road or state highway is set back 50 ft from it, commercial sites on septic need at least 1 acre, and driveway culverts must be at least 15 inches for a private drive and 18 inches for a public-access or commercial drive. The Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District also sets lot-size and well-spacing rules for groundwater.
Outdoor lighting: every outdoor fixture must be full cutoff with a color temperature of 3,000K or less, and lights need a permit before installation. Floodplain: the Engineer’s Office enforces the Flood Damage Prevention Order of October 22, 2022, and its floodplain page links FEMA maps and the draft SARA floodplain models.
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 →Kendall County official resources
- Kendall County Development Management
- Kendall County development permit information
- Access (driveway) permit
- 911 rural addressing
- Dark sky outdoor lighting
- Onsite sewage (septic)
- Floodplain administration
- County forms, permits and regulations
- Engineer’s Office fee schedule, effective September 1, 2023 (PDF)
- Permits, building codes, occupancy and zoning letter, March 2026 (PDF)
- Development permit checklist (PDF)
- Kendall County Development Regulations with amendments (PDF)
- County Fire Marshal fee schedule 2026 (PDF)
- City of Boerne Permitting and Code Compliance
- City of Fair Oaks Ranch permit process
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
Kendall County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a building permit for a house in unincorporated Kendall County?
There is no county building permit or building code for single-family homes, but you need a 911 address, an access permit, a development permit and a lighting permit, plus a septic permit if there is no sewer.
What do I apply for first?
The 911 rural address and access permit. The County will not issue a development, septic or well permit until both are in place.
How much is a septic permit in Kendall County?
$300 for a system under 500 gallons a day and $600 for larger systems, with re-inspections at $150 and $300.
Do I need a permit for outdoor lights?
Yes. Outdoor lights need a dark sky permit before installation (free for homes, $500 for commercial), and fixtures must be full cutoff at 3,000K or less.
Do I need a permit to repair flood damage?
Yes. The County issues a no-cost development permit before repairs; bring the deed, the 911 address and a contractor’s signed damage estimate.
Who issues building permits in Boerne?
The City of Boerne Permitting and Code Compliance Department (830-248-1529), not the County.
How big must a lot be with a well and septic system?
At least 3 acres with 250 ft of road frontage under the County’s Development Regulations.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Kendall County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.