Kerr County does not issue general building permits, but it runs a more structured environmental and floodplain operation than most Hill Country counties. The Environmental Health Department at 550 Earl Garrett Street in Kerrville administers the OSSF Development Permit, floodplain permits, water well permits, and BOD5 and TSS testing.
The floodplain process is published as clear steps. Determine whether any portion of the structure touches Zone A, AE, or Floodway using FEMA’s Map Service Center; if not, a permit is not required. If it does, obtain a completed Elevation Certificate — FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152, 2023 edition — from a licensed professional surveyor, then submit the Floodplain Development Permit Application to floodplain@kerrcountytx.gov.
One notable provision: there is no cost for disaster-related floodplain permit applications, following a unanimous vote of the Kerr County Commissioners’ Court. On a county that has taken severe flood events, that relief is a meaningful piece of rebuild policy.
Covers unincorporated Kerr County, outside the cities of Ingram and Kerrville. Property owners within Ingram or Kerrville city limits should contact their respective floodplain administrator rather than the county. Confirm the parcel before filing.
Floodplain determination has a published decision tree. Step one is FEMA’s Map Service Center — if no portion of the structure touches Zone A, AE, or Floodway, a permit is not required. If it does, you need an Elevation Certificate from a licensed surveyor before the application. The county also suggests hiring floodplain design professionals to handle all aspects including determining whether a permit is required at all.
What requires a county permit in Kerr County?
The question in unincorporated Kerr County is which environmental records your project triggers — principally the OSSF Development Permit and, where the structure touches a mapped flood zone, the Floodplain Development Permit.
The OSSF application is substantial. It requires proof of ownership — a warranty deed, contract for deed, or Kerr Central Appraisal District property ID — and a legal description, either a current recorded plat for platted subdivisions or metes and bounds where not. A floodplain determination may be required by KCEHD before the application can be processed at all.
County record required
- OSSF Development Permit through Kerr County Environmental Health
- Proof of ownership and legal description with the OSSF application
- Floodplain determination where KCEHD requires it before processing
- Floodplain Development Permit where the structure touches Zone A, AE, or Floodway
- Elevation Certificate from a licensed professional surveyor
- Affidavit to the Public where an aerobic system will be installed
- Permit to Operate before the OSSF system is used
- Water well permit for drilling
Not a county building permit
- County building permit — not issued
- County building code compliance — none adopted
- County construction inspections across the trades
- Floodplain permit where no portion of the structure touches Zone A, AE, or Floodway
Kerr County building department: who handles permitting
Kerr County Environmental Health ensures OSSF systems are installed in accordance with TCEQ rules, enforces state law on illegal installations, investigates OSSF complaints as mandated by state law, and reviews new and existing subdivision plats for compliance with state law and the county’s local OSSF subdivision rules.
The department is at 550 Earl Garrett Street, Suite 100, Kerrville, open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., closed for lunch between noon and 1. Phone (830) 896-9020. Its published FAQ explicitly invites calls from owners who find the OSSF application intimidating.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Building permits | Not issued — no county building code for unincorporated areas |
| Environmental Health | 550 Earl Garrett Street, Suite 100, Kerrville, TX 78028 |
| Phone | (830) 896-9020 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.; closed for lunch |
| Floodplain email | floodplain@kerrcountytx.gov |
| Elevation Certificate | FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152, 2023 edition, from a licensed surveyor |
| Disaster-related floodplain permits | No cost, per unanimous Commissioners’ Court vote |
| Inside city limits | Ingram — (830) 367-5115; Kerrville — (830) 258-1410 |
Kerr County publishes an OSSF application package including a Selecting and Permitting brochure explaining the TCEQ process, plus an Affidavit to the Public form submitted with the application when an aerobic system will be installed. The department states plainly that its staff is trained to help owners through the application — use that.
Kerr County permits: record types and what each covers
The permit-type question works differently in a Texas county. Kerr County has no adopted building code for unincorporated areas and issues no building permits, so there is no record-type matrix of the kind Kerrville maintains. What exists is a structured environmental programme — the OSSF Development Permit, floodplain permitting, water wells, and the Permit to Operate that gates system use.
What Kerr County actually issues
| Record | What triggers it | Who administers it | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OSSF permit to construct | Installing, altering, repairing, or extending an on-site sewage facility where no public sewer is available | Kerr County Environmental Health Department (KCEHD) | Required statewide; soil evaluation by a licensed site evaluator is part of the application |
| OSSF license to operate | Issued after the permit to construct requirements are met and the system passes inspection | Kerr County Environmental Health Department (KCEHD) | Also triggered on transfer of ownership of an existing system |
| Floodplain development permit | Placing fill, setting a structure, or developing in or near a mapped special flood hazard area | County floodplain administrator | Substantial improvement and substantial damage rules attach to existing structures |
| Subdivision plat | Dividing land in the unincorporated county | Commissioners Court and county engineering | Road, drainage, and access standards apply |
| 911 address assignment | New structures and new access points needing an address | County addressing / emergency management | Usually a prerequisite for utility service |
| Right-of-way and driveway culvert | New or modified access onto a county road | County road and bridge / precinct | Culvert sizing set by drainage conditions |
| Water well registration | Drilling a water well | Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District | Groundwater districts operate independently of the county |
| Water well permit | Drilling a water well in the unincorporated county | Kerr County Environmental Health | Listed alongside floodplain and BOD5/TSS testing as a department function |
| Permit to Operate (OSSF) | Issued after all construction, inspection, and paperwork are complete | KCEHD | Using the system without it violates Kerr County OSSF rules and carries penalties |
| Ch. 233 commercial / multifamily | New commercial, public-accessible, or multifamily buildings, and substantial improvements, where the county has adopted the authority | Commissioners Court | Scope is set by county order; confirm adoption before assuming it applies |
County reaches this
- On-site sewage facilities, everywhere in the state
- Floodplain development and substantial improvement
- Subdivision of land and county road access
- Addressing, and fire code where separately adopted
County generally does not
- Issue residential building permits in unincorporated areas
- Conduct residential construction inspections
- Issue a residential certificate of occupancy
- Enforce a residential building code absent a county order adopting one
Solar permits in Kerr County
In unincorporated Kerr County there is generally no county building permit for a residential rooftop or ground-mount photovoltaic system, because the county does not regulate residential construction. That is a jurisdictional fact rather than a green light: the electrical work still has to be performed by a TDLR-licensed electrician to code, and the utility still governs interconnection.
Utility interconnection is the real gate. The interconnecting utility — the wires company in deregulated territory, or the electric cooperative serving the parcel in much of rural East Texas — runs its own application, engineering review, and Permission to Operate process, and it is not waived by the absence of a county permit.
Under Tex. Prop. Code §202.010 a property owners' association cannot prohibit a solar energy device outright, and any dedicatory provision that does is void — but the statute preserves the association's right to require prior architectural approval and to impose placement and appearance conditions. Approval cannot be unreasonably withheld.
Inside Kerrville city limits the picture changes completely: the city permits solar like any other municipality. The jurisdiction question is the first question.
Roofing permits in Kerr County
A residential roof covering replacement in unincorporated Kerr County generally does not require a county permit, for the same reason: Texas counties have no general authority over residential construction outside city limits.
Two things still apply. If the structure sits in a mapped special flood hazard area, the county floodplain ordinance can reach the work through substantial improvement rules — and cumulative improvement value is what triggers them, so a reroof after other recent work can cross the threshold on its own. And commercial or multifamily buildings can fall under the county's Ch. 233 authority where it has been adopted.
Texas has no statewide product approval system and no central listing to check a roofing product against. Hail is the governing risk across East Texas, and impact-resistant Class 3 and Class 4 shingles carry insurance premium credits from most carriers. Under Tex. Prop. Code §202.011 a property owners' association cannot prohibit wind or hail resistant shingles, or shingles that improve energy efficiency.
Kerr County sits in the Hill Country at roughly 105 to 115 mph ultimate design wind speed under the codes regional cities adopt, far from the designated catastrophe area and outside any TDI windstorm requirement. Hail governs. Flash flooding rather than wind is the defining hazard here, which is why the county’s floodplain programme is as developed as it is.
Texas has no statewide building code and no statewide general contractor license. In the unincorporated county the practical compliance surface is the trades — TDLR for electrical and mechanical, the TSBPE for plumbing — plus the county's environmental and floodplain records, rather than a building department.
Kerr County permit cost and fees
Kerr County charges no building permit fees because it issues no building permits. Costs attach to the OSSF Development Permit and its licensed design and site evaluation, floodplain permitting where applicable, water well permits, and platting.
Some OSSF fees are collected by the county and paid directly to the State of Texas through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, so the county fee and the state fee are separate lines on the same application.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | None — not issued by the county |
| OSSF Development Permit | County fee plus licensed design; some fees pass through to TCEQ |
| Aerobic system | Affidavit to the Public required; maintenance obligations apply |
| Floodplain Development Permit | Elevation Certificate required; no cost for disaster-related applications |
| Water well permit | Through Kerr County Environmental Health |
| Permit to Operate | Issued only after all construction, inspection, and paperwork complete |
Planning a Hill Country build in unincorporated Kerr County? Send us the parcel and scope and we’ll run the floodplain determination and map the OSSF requirements before you design.
Kerr County trade permits
There is no county trade permit program in unincorporated Kerr County. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work is neither permitted nor inspected by the county. On-site sewage is the exception, and it is permitted, inspected, and licensed to operate.
Electrical
No county permit or inspection. A TDLR-licensed electrician remains the standard, and TDLR retains enforcement authority in unincorporated areas.
Plumbing
No county permit for interior plumbing. The septic system is permitted through KCEHD with a licensed design and requires a Permit to Operate before use.
Mechanical / HVAC
No county permit or inspection. TDLR licensure applies to the contractor regardless of whether a permit exists.
Water wells
Permitted through Kerr County Environmental Health, alongside BOD5 and TSS testing functions.
Kerr County permit application: how to apply step by step
Property owners inside those city limits contact their own floodplain administrator — Ingram at (830) 367-5115, Kerrville at (830) 258-1410.
Use FEMA’s Map Service Center to establish whether any portion of the structure touches Zone A, AE, or Floodway. If not, a floodplain permit is not required.
FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152, 2023 edition, from a licensed professional surveyor.
Proof of ownership, legal description — recorded plat or metes and bounds — and the licensed design. Add the Affidavit to the Public for aerobic systems.
Floodplain Development Permit with Elevation Certificate to floodplain@kerrcountytx.gov; the OSSF application to Environmental Health at 550 Earl Garrett Street.
The Permit to Operate issues only when all three are done — using the system before that violates county OSSF rules.
Inspections in Kerr County
Kerr County performs no general construction inspections in unincorporated areas. Its inspection activity centres on on-site sewage facilities, which must pass inspection before a Permit to Operate can issue.
The county reviews new and existing subdivision plats for compliance with state law and its own local OSSF subdivision rules, which couples platting to septic compliance here as in several other Hill Country counties.
Aerobic systems carry continuing maintenance obligations, and the county enforces state law on illegal installations and investigates OSSF complaints as mandated by state law.
Kerr County permit search and official resources
- Kerr County — Environmental Health OSSF
- Kerr County — flood damage permitting guide
- Kerr County — OSSF development permit application
- TCEQ — on-site sewage facilities for homeowners
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in Kerr County?
No one, for general residential construction in unincorporated areas — Kerr County has no adopted residential building code and no building inspection program. The records that do apply are administered separately: on-site sewage through Kerr County Environmental Health Department (KCEHD), floodplain development through the county floodplain administrator, plats through Commissioners Court, and road access through the precincts. Inside Kerrville city limits, the city permits normally.
How do I get a permit in Kerr County?
Start by confirming the parcel is actually unincorporated, because that single question changes everything and a mailing address will not answer it. If it is, work the records the county does issue rather than looking for a building permit: septic first, since it constrains siting and carries the longest lead time, then floodplain, plat, addressing, and road access as the project triggers them.
What codes apply in Kerr County?
Texas has no statewide building code, and Kerr County has not adopted one for unincorporated areas, so no building code is enforced there. State rules still govern on-site sewage facilities, and the county’s floodplain ordinance governs development in mapped flood hazard areas. Trade work remains subject to state licensing through TDLR and the TSBPE. Inside city limits, the municipality’s adopted codes apply in full.
When do I need a floodplain permit in Kerr County?
Only where the structure touches a mapped flood zone. Step one is to determine whether any portion of the structure touches Zone A, AE, or Floodway using FEMA’s Map Service Center. If no portion does, a permit is not required — though the county suggests considering higher standards anyway. If it does, obtain a completed Elevation Certificate, FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-152, 2023 edition, from a licensed professional surveyor, and submit the Floodplain Development Permit Application to floodplain@kerrcountytx.gov.
What is a Permit to Operate in Kerr County?
It is the authorisation to actually use an on-site sewage facility, and it issues only after all construction, all inspection, and all paperwork are complete. Using the system without it is a violation of Kerr County OSSF rules and carries penalties. The permittee also acknowledges that if the system later malfunctions — objectionable odours, unsanitary conditions, pollution, nuisance conditions — or otherwise falls out of compliance, it must be upgraded at the permittee’s expense.
What about property inside Kerrville or Ingram?
Then contact the city rather than the county. Kerr County directs property owners within the city limits of Ingram or Kerrville to their respective floodplain administrators — Ingram at CodeEnforcement@IngramTX.com or (830) 367-5115, and Kerrville at Kyle.Burow@kerrvilletx.gov or (830) 258-1410. The county’s OSSF and floodplain programmes cover unincorporated territory outside those two cities.
Do I need a permit to install solar panels in Kerr County?
Yes. Photovoltaic installations in Kerr County are permitted under a dedicated solar record type reviewed on both a structural and an electrical track. Solar thermal — passive water and pool heating — is a separate record. Under Tex. Prop. Code §202.010 a homeowners' association cannot ban a solar energy device outright, but it may still require prior architectural approval and impose reasonable placement conditions, so run the HOA submittal alongside the permit. Since September 1, 2025, Tex. Local Gov't Code §247.0025 (SB 1202) also permits third-party plan review and inspection of home backup power installations — generators and energy storage for one- and two-family dwellings at 600 volts or less — in place of jurisdiction review. Utility interconnection and Permission to Operate still run in parallel.
Does a roof replacement require a permit in Kerr County?
Yes, in most cases. A roof covering replacement requires a permit in most Texas municipalities including Kerr County, though minor repairs can fall below the local threshold. Texas has no statewide product approval system and no central product listing, so compliance runs against the locally adopted code edition and its local amendments. Hail rather than wind is the governing risk inland, and Tex. Prop. Code §202.011 bars an HOA from prohibiting wind or hail resistant shingles.
What is the difference between a residential and a commercial permit in Kerr County?
In a Texas county it is the difference between no county jurisdiction and possible county jurisdiction. Residential construction in unincorporated Kerr County is largely outside county authority. New commercial, public-accessible, and multifamily buildings, plus substantial improvements, are the categories Local Government Code ch. 233 lets a county reach — but only where Commissioners Court has adopted that authority, so confirm it rather than assuming.
Do trade permits need to be pulled separately in Kerr County?
Not in unincorporated Kerr County — there is no county trade permit program and no county trade inspection. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work should still be performed by contractors licensed through TDLR and the TSBPE, and the septic connection is permitted and inspected separately. Inside city limits, trade permits work normally.
What happens if I file under the wrong permit type in Kerr County?
Because Kerr County does not run a building permit program, the more common failure is filing nothing at all — assuming that no building permit means no requirements, and missing the septic, floodplain, plat, or addressing record the project actually triggered. Those are enforced, and unwinding them after construction is materially harder than filing them in order.
Can I apply for all Kerr County permit types online?
Partly. Kerr County publishes its OSSF application package and forms online, including the Affidavit to the Public, and accepts Floodplain Development Permit applications by email to floodplain@kerrcountytx.gov. It is a document-driven process rather than a portal, administered through Environmental Health at 550 Earl Garrett Street with office hours Monday to Friday. The department invites calls from applicants who need help with the application.
Simplify Kerr County permitting with Alliance Permitting
A published floodplain decision tree, an OSSF development permit with a real document set, a Permit to Operate that gates system use, and fee relief for disaster rebuilds — Kerr County is one of the better-documented rural counties in Texas and correspondingly specific. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for Kerr County: we run the determination and the document set in the right order.
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Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company: we prepare your paperwork, file it correctly, and coordinate with the authority having jurisdiction through issuance. We are not a contractor and do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your team and the jurisdiction.
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This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general informational purposes and reflects publicly available information believed accurate as of July 2026. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change; always confirm current details with Kerr County Environmental Health Department before filing. This is not legal advice.