In unincorporated Lee County, any new building over 100 square feet needs a county development permit from Lee County Development Services in Giddings (979-212-8070); it costs $50 for a new home and is mainly a floodplain check rather than a building code review. Every septic system needs a county permit as well ($450 for a single-family home), and the property must have a 9-1-1 address before any permit is issued. Giddings and Lexington issue their own building permits.
What needs a permit in unincorporated Lee County?
The county has required a development application for all residential, commercial, oil and gas pipeline and water development outside city limits since June 23, 2014. Its published guidelines draw the line at 100 square feet.
Development application needed
- New homes and other new structures over 100 sq ft
- Remodels that change a building’s square footage
- Moving a home onto a property or placing manufactured housing
- Pipelines and oil and gas development
- Any septic system, new or modified
- Driveways connecting to a county road
No development application
- Roofing, painting and general repair
- Livestock pens and fences
- Remodels that do not change square footage
- Permanent or skid-mounted buildings of 100 sq ft or less
Any division of land needs county subdivision approval, and the county will not issue other permits to anyone who has not complied with the development application rules.
Who issues permits in Lee County?
Development Services is the county’s one-stop office for 9-1-1 addressing, planning, code enforcement, development and septic permits, right-of-way and mass gathering permits and subdivisions. Haley Lohrke is the Development Services Director. Septic applications are handled by Lee County Sanitation, which forwards them to the county’s design representative for review once a development permit exists.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Development Services | 979-212-8070; permitting@co.lee.tx.us; mailing address 200 South Main, Suite 203, Giddings, TX 78942 |
| Lee County Sanitation (septic) | 898 East Richmond, Suite 203, Giddings (the county annex behind the Tax Office) |
| 9-1-1 Addressing | Request form emailed to permitting@co.lee.tx.us |
| Area | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Lee County | Lee County Development Services (development, floodplain, septic and driveway permits; no county building code review) |
| Giddings | City of Giddings Code Compliance, City Hall at 118 East Richmond; 979-540-2710. The City has adopted the 2018 International Codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code and publishes its own permit fee schedule and inspection requirements |
| Lexington | City of Lexington Building Inspections and Permits Division, 604 Wheatley Street; 979-773-2221 ext. 5. The City reviews plans, issues building permits, inspects and issues certificates of occupancy under the 2018 codes |
The county has interlocal agreements with both cities on subdivisions, so a land division near Giddings or Lexington may also need the city’s review.
Septic permits
All septic systems in the county’s jurisdiction must be permitted, and a single-family home needs at least 1 acre for one. Apply to Lee County Sanitation in the property owner’s name with the planning materials, the site and soil evaluation and accurate directions to the site. Systems other than a single-family home’s, and any proprietary or non-standard system, must be designed by a registered sanitarian or professional engineer.
The site evaluation needs at least two soil borings or backhoe pits at opposite ends of the drain field area. The plans must show every building, well (including neighbors’ wells), easement, pond or watercourse and all separation distances. Once the plans are approved, an authorization to construct is issued and work can begin. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are not issued by the county; inside Giddings and Lexington they go through the city.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Lee County permit fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Development application, new home | $50 |
| Development application, residential accessory structure | $25 |
| Development application, residential add-on | $10 |
| Development application, business | $100 |
| Development application, industrial | $250 |
| Septic, single-family home | $450 |
| Septic, any other system | $500 |
| Driveway, private | $25, plus $15 per foot if the county sets a culvert |
| Driveway, joint (two properties) | $50 plus culvert fees |
| Driveway, business | $150 plus culvert fees |
| Driveway, industrial | $500 plus culvert fees |
Building without a development application carries a $250 penalty, or $1,000 inside the floodplain. Installing a driveway without a permit costs $100 for a private driveway, $500 for a business and $1,000 for industrial use. Septic fees are paid by personal check, cashier’s check or money order; cash is not accepted. A development permit is valid for one year.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Development permit application and flood rules
The application must be filled in completely, with a copy of the property survey and the latitude and longitude of the site. Download the property’s floodplain map first: if no part of the property is in the floodplain, complete Parts I and III; if any part is, complete Part II as well.
- Outside the 100-year floodplain, the county issues a development permit exemption certificate.
- Inside it, attach one set of plans and specifications, a survey by a licensed land surveyor showing latitude and longitude, and an elevation certificate stamped by a professional engineer.
- A home’s lowest floor must be at or above the base flood elevation; non-residential buildings may be elevated or flood-proofed instead.
- Water and sewer connections need automatic back-flow devices.
- In a floodway, an engineering study must show the project causes no increase in flood heights.
When an elevation certificate is required, it must be delivered within 10 business days of the foundation being completed, and the building may not be used until the county issues a Certificate of Compliance.
How to permit a new home in rural Lee County
Email the address request form with the latitude and longitude of the driveway entrance and the building site.
Download the floodplain map for the property to see which parts of the development application you must complete.
Submit it with the survey and fee; add the flood documents if any part of the property is in the floodplain.
Once the development permit is issued, file the septic application with Lee County Sanitation and wait for the authorization to construct.
Place the driveway within 25 feet of the 9-1-1 address and buy the galvanized culvert pipe if one is needed.
Call for the septic inspection before covering the system and file any elevation certificate after the foundation is poured.
Rather not deal with the Lee County building department?
Get a free quote →County inspections
Septic systems must be inspected before they are covered, with at least 3 working days’ notice; a notice of approval follows a successful inspection. By signing the development application, the owner lets the floodplain administrator enter the property to check compliance, and in the floodplain the county issues a Certificate of Compliance before the building is used.
Driveways: the precinct Commissioner installs culverts for non-commercial driveways, between 24 and 40 feet long; commercial and real estate development driveways are built by a county-approved contractor and inspected by the county. Private driveways must be at least 50 feet from the next one, and commercial driveways 150 feet.
There are no county framing, electrical or final building inspections. In Lexington, the City reviews new home plans in five business days and commercial plans in ten.
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 →Lee County permit search and official resources
- Lee County Development Services
- Lee County Development Application Guidelines
- Lee County Development Permit Application (amended October 2025)
- Lee County Floodplain Development Provisions
- Lee County on-site sewage facility permit packet
- Lee County driveway permit requirements
- Lee County 9-1-1 Address Request form
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- City of Giddings Code Compliance
- City of Lexington Building Inspections and Permits Division
Lee County permit FAQ
Does Lee County require a building permit for a house?
Outside Giddings and Lexington, the county requires a development application for any structure over 100 sq ft. It costs $50 for a new home and checks flood rules; the county does not review building plans to a building code.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a permit for a shed or barn in Lee County?
Yes if it is larger than 100 sq ft: an accessory structure application costs $25. Buildings of 100 sq ft or less, livestock pens and fences are exempt.
How much is a septic permit in Lee County?
$450 for a single-family home and $500 for any other system. Single-family lots need at least 1 acre.
What happens if I build without the county application?
The penalty is $250, or $1,000 if the site is in the floodplain, and the county will not issue other permits until you comply.
How long does a Lee County development permit last?
One year from the date it is issued; it must be renewed if the work is not finished.
Who issues building permits in Giddings?
The City of Giddings, through its Code Compliance office at City Hall, 118 East Richmond (979-540-2710).
Simplify Lee 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.
Ready to break ground in Lee County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Lee County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Lee County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.