Leon County does not issue building permits, but outside its towns every new home, manufactured home placement or substantial improvement needs a $20 floodplain determination permit from the county’s 911 Addressing/EOC office in Centerville (903-536-3158) before work starts. A new electric service in the unincorporated county needs a $30 county electric release permit, and every septic system needs a $460 permit from the county’s contracted OSSF representative.
What needs a county permit in Leon County?
Because the county takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program, its Flood Damage Prevention Order (flood maps effective November 20, 2013) applies to all development outside city limits, including water supply and sewage systems. That is the main county construction approval; there is no county building code review.
County permits
- Floodplain determination permit for new construction, manufactured home placement and substantial improvements
- Floodplain development permit and authorization to proceed letter for sites in a Special Flood Hazard Area or floodway
- Electric permit (911 verification and release) before a utility connects service in the unincorporated county
- Septic permit for every new system and every repair or upgrade, on any size of tract
- Special road use and pipeline agreements for heavy use of county roads
- Right-of-way permit for events on county roads with 25 or more entries
Not a county permit
- Building, plumbing or mechanical permits for homes in the unincorporated county
- The county electric permit inside any city’s limits
- Floodplain permits inside city limits, which each city handles
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Leon County?
Floodplain and electric permits are handled by the 9-1-1 Addressing/Emergency Management (EOC) office on the 3rd floor at 155 N. Cass Street, Centerville. Septic permits are issued by a TCEQ-licensed Designated Representative the county has contracted to run its OSSF Compliance Program. Road use agreements go to the County Judge’s office.
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| 911 Addressing / EOC (floodplain and electric permits) | 155 N. Cass, 3rd Floor, Centerville, TX 75833 (P.O. Box 808); 903-536-3158 or 903-536-4407; fax 903-536-1021; Permits@co.leon.tx.us |
| Permit hours | Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m. to noon; no permits are processed after 4:00 p.m. |
| OSSF Compliance Program (septic) | 2212 CR 282, Buffalo, TX 75831; 903-322-3101 |
| Area | Who to ask |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Leon County | No county building permit; county floodplain, electric and septic permits apply |
| Jewett | City of Jewett issues building permits: the application form is returned to City Hall, 114 N. Broadway; 903-626-4416 |
| Buffalo | City Hall, 812 N. Buffalo Avenue, issues manufactured home, tiny home and flood zone permits ($500 to build in a flood zone); 903-322-4741. The City publishes no general building permit page |
| Normangee (partly in Madison County) | The City’s ordinances page posts a manufactured home ordinance and a permit application for using a mobile home as a dwelling, but nothing on building permits; City Hall 936-396-3691 |
| Centerville, Leona, Marquez and Oakwood (partly in Freestone County) | The published sources do not say whether these cities issue building permits; ask city hall. The county lists these city offices for floodplain questions: Centerville 903-536-2515, Leona 903-344-2406, Marquez 903-529-3020, Oakwood 903-545-2131 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Electric service and septic permits
Electric permit: before an electric provider will connect a new or existing service at an address in the unincorporated county, the 911 office checks the 9-1-1 address and issues a $30 release permit. The form names the provider (Oncor, Navasota Valley Electric Coop, Houston County Electric Coop or Entergy) with the account or ESI number, and the office forwards the permit to that provider once it is paid. This is not an inspection of the wiring, and the provider’s own requirements still apply. Inside city limits no county electric permit is needed.
Septic permit: Leon County is TCEQ’s authorized agent for septic systems everywhere except the Lake Limestone regulated area, where TCEQ lists the Brazos River Authority (903-529-2141) as the permitting agent. The county program is stricter than the state minimum in two ways: repairs and upgrades must be permitted, and the 10-acre exception does not apply. A floodplain permit must be on file first, because the septic representative will not issue an authorization to construct without it. Standard systems can be planned by a licensed installer; aerobic, non-standard and commercial systems need a registered sanitarian or professional engineer.
Leon County permit fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Floodplain determination permit | $20 |
| Site in a Special Flood Hazard Area or floodway | $420, with a development permit, authorization to proceed letter and elevation certificate |
| Electric permit (911 verification and release) | $30 |
| Septic permit, any system | $460 (since August 1, 2022) |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The floodplain and electric fees can be paid online by card. Septic fees are non-refundable, payable to Leon County by personal check, cashier’s check or money order, and cash is not accepted. A floodplain permit expires one year after it is issued, and a septic authorization to construct is also valid for one year.
What to submit for a septic permit
Send the completed application and plans in the property owner’s name, in a sealed envelope, with the fee and one original and two copies of:
- Proof of ownership and acreage, such as a tax statement or deed
- Planning materials with the site and soil evaluation by a licensed site evaluator or engineer, and accurate directions to the site
- The notarized affidavit to the public and its recorded receipt, where required
- The signed maintenance contract, where required
- A letter naming the licensed installers and apprentices who will work on the system
- The owner’s email address
The county publishes separate affidavit forms for surface irrigation systems and for a system that serves two or more tracts tied together.
How to permit a rural home site in Leon County
Request it from the 911 Addressing office by email or in person; both county permit forms need it.
Email or fax the form to Permits@co.leon.tx.us and pay $20. If the site is in a flood hazard area, the office tells you what else is needed.
No work may start until the floodplain permit, and any authorization to proceed letter, is issued.
Mail or deliver the septic packet with the floodplain permit to the OSSF Compliance Program in Buffalo.
Name the electric provider and pay $30 so the county can release the address for service.
Call at least 5 working days before the system needs to be covered.
Rather not deal with the Leon County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections and approvals
The septic installation must be inspected before it is covered; give the OSSF office at least 5 working days’ notice. After a passed inspection the owner receives a Notice of Approval, usually within about 10 working days. Where a maintenance contract is required, each maintenance inspection report must be mailed to the OSSF office in the month it is done.
For floodplain sites, the elevation certificate is part of the permit file. The county does not carry out framing, plumbing, mechanical or final building inspections on homes outside city limits.
Work in wetlands or waters may also need a Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, which the county’s floodplain page points to.
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 →Leon County permit search and official resources
- Leon County Flood Plain Development
- Leon County Floodplain Determination Permit
- Leon County Floodplain Determination Permit Application
- Leon County Electric Permit
- Leon County Septic Permit
- How to obtain a Leon County OSSF permit (August 2022)
- Leon County 9-1-1 Addressing Services
- Leon County Special Road Use Permits
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- City of Jewett FAQ (building permits)
- City of Buffalo Permits and Licenses
Leon County permit FAQ
Do I need a building permit to build a house in Leon County?
Not from the county. Outside city limits you need the $20 floodplain determination permit before construction, a septic permit unless you connect to a public sewer, and the $30 electric permit before power is connected.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a septic permit in Leon County?
$460 for any system, non-refundable, paid by check or money order.
Does the 10-acre septic exemption apply in Leon County?
No. The county requires a permit for every new system and every repair or upgrade, whatever the tract size.
What if my land is in the floodplain?
You need a development permit, an authorization to proceed letter and an elevation certificate, and the fee is $420.
Do I need the county electric permit inside a city?
No. The county electric permit applies only in the unincorporated areas.
Where do I apply for floodplain and electric permits?
The 911 Addressing/EOC office, 155 N. Cass Street, 3rd floor, Centerville, or by email to Permits@co.leon.tx.us. Call 903-536-3158 with questions.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Leon County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.