Limestone County has no building permit for houses outside its towns. What the county does require is a $25 floodplain permit application to the Floodplain Administrator in Groesbeck (254-729-5517) for development in the floodplain, and a septic permit ($310 for a single-family home) for every on-site system, which cannot be approved without the floodplain review. Groesbeck and Mexia run their own building permits and inspections.
What needs a county permit in Limestone County?
The county enforces its Flood Damage Prevention Order and federal floodplain rules on construction outside city limits, licenses septic systems, assigns 911 addresses and controls culverts in county roads. It does not review house plans or inspect framing, wiring or plumbing.
County approvals
- Floodplain permit for new construction, substantial improvements, fill or changes to a natural waterway on property in the floodplain
- Approved floodplain review for every septic system
- Septic (OSSF) permit, residential or commercial
- 911 address and driveway culvert
- Subdivision plats under the county’s subdivision regulations
- Mass gathering permits
Not a county permit
- Building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits for rural homes
- Any permit inside Groesbeck or Mexia, which issue their own
Who issues permits in Limestone County?
Floodplain permits come from the Floodplain Administrator, Damian Hullum, whose office examines construction for compliance with local and federal flood rules. Septic permits are handled by the county’s OSSF Designated Representative through the county office at 200 West State Street, Suite 101, Groesbeck. Addresses and culverts go through 911 Addressing at Road & Bridge.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Floodplain Administrator | 1221 E. Yeagua St., Groesbeck, TX 76642; 254-729-5517; fax 254-729-6077; damian.hullum@co.limestone.tx.us |
| Septic (OSSF) permits | Limestone County, 200 West State Street, Suite 101, Groesbeck, TX 76642 |
| 911 Addressing and Road & Bridge (culverts) | 411 Elwood Enge, Groesbeck; 254-729-5513 |
| County Treasurer (fee payments) | County Courthouse, 200 W. State St., Groesbeck |
| Area | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Limestone County | No county building permit; county floodplain, septic, address and culvert approvals apply |
| Groesbeck | City Code Enforcement, Permits & Inspections, 317 W. Navasota St.; 254-729-3293 ext. 2. Separate building, electrical, HVAC, plumbing and sign permit forms, plus occupancy inspections |
| Mexia | City Building & Code Enforcement; Building Official Bruce Glover, 254-562-4184. The Building Official reviews plans and permits and inspects throughout construction; City Hall is at 101 N. McKinney St. |
| Kosse | City of Kosse, 100 N. Narcissus; 254-375-2212. Its fee sheet (effective June 1, 2021) charges nothing for a new residential construction permit, a $300 flat fee for new commercial construction, $500 plus 5 cents per sq ft for a manufactured home and $30 for an occupancy inspection; no one may move in until the City inspects and issues a certificate of occupancy |
| Coolidge and Thornton | Neither city’s website mentions building permits; ask City Hall: Coolidge, 101 N. 1st Street, 254-786-4814; Thornton, 708 Highway 14, 254-380-1139 |
| Tehuacana and Mart (mostly in McLennan County) | The published sources do not say who issues building permits; ask town hall (Mart City Hall: 254-876-2462) |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Septic permits and county fees
TCEQ lists Limestone County as the septic agent for the whole county except two areas: inside the City of Kosse, the City itself permits septic systems, and within the Lake Limestone regulated area the Brazos River Authority (903-529-2141) does. For county permits, every septic system needs an approved floodplain review first; the $25 floodplain application can be filed online beforehand or paid together with the septic application. A registered sanitarian, professional engineer or licensed installer performs the required soil identification, and proprietary or non-standard systems need a sanitarian’s or engineer’s design. An aerobic system needs an Affidavit to the Public recorded with the County Clerk before the septic application is filed, plus a 2-year maintenance contract. Non-standard plans may be sent to TCEQ staff in Austin for review.
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Floodplain permit application | $25 ($1 extra when paid online by card) |
| Septic, single-family residence | $310 |
| Septic, all other systems, including commercial and multi-family | $510 |
| Septic re-inspection | Half the permit fee each time, paid by the installer |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The floodplain fee is paid in cash or by check at the Treasurer’s office, or online. Septic fees are payable to Limestone County by personal check, cashier’s check or money order; no cash. Trade work on rural homes has no county permit.
What the applications ask for
Floodplain permit: the county rejects incomplete forms. Give the Limestone parcel ID (from the appraisal district’s online search), a plat or map, the subdivision lot or the survey, abstract and acreage, a vicinity map with the nearest county road, and the previous owner if you bought the land within the last 12 months. If the site is in the floodplain, add one copy of the plans and specifications. The permit is valid for one year.
Septic permit: the application and technical information sheet in the owner’s name, with every page intact, the fee, and one copy each of the planning materials, the site and soil evaluation, accurate directions to the site and, for aerobic systems, the maintenance contract.
How to permit a rural home site in Limestone County
Use the combined 911 address and driveway culvert application from Road & Bridge, giving the county road number and directions.
Print a free FIRMette from the FEMA Map Service Center for the site.
Email or fax it to the Floodplain Administrator with the $25 fee at least 4 days before work begins.
If the system is aerobic, record the Affidavit to the Public with the County Clerk.
Submit the packet and fee; once approved, you receive an Authorization to Construct valid for one year.
Schedule the septic inspection at least 5 business days ahead, then wait for the Notice of Approval.
Rather not deal with the Limestone County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections and closeout
The septic installation is inspected before it is covered; book at least 5 business days ahead. After it passes, the owner receives a Notice of Approval within about 5 business days, but only once all fees, including any re-inspection fees, are paid.
Culverts must be new corrugated metal and their installation approved by the Road Administrator, and fences along county roads must be set 30 feet from the middle of the road. The county has no building final or certificate of occupancy for rural homes; in Groesbeck and Mexia, city inspections apply.
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
Limestone County official resources
Limestone County documents and city permit pages:
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- Limestone County Floodplain Administrator
- Limestone County Floodplain Permit Application
- Limestone County Flood Damage Prevention Order
- Limestone County septic permit instructions and application
- Limestone County 911 address and driveway culvert application
- Limestone County Subdivision Regulations
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- City of Groesbeck Permits and Inspections
- City of Mexia Building and Code Enforcement
Limestone County permit FAQ
Do I need a building permit for a house in rural Limestone County?
No. The county has no building permit outside city limits, but it reviews floodplain status and permits the septic system.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a septic permit in Limestone County?
$310 for a single-family home and $510 for any other system, including commercial and multi-family. Each re-inspection costs half the permit fee.
How much is a floodplain permit?
The application fee is $25. File it at least 4 days before construction, because some sites take time to research.
How long is a floodplain permit valid?
One year from the date it is issued; renew it if the work is not finished.
Who issues building permits in Groesbeck and Mexia?
Each city: Groesbeck through Code Enforcement (254-729-3293 ext. 2) and Mexia through its Building Official (254-562-4184).
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Limestone County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.