Matagorda County requires a building permit for any structure or improvement outside city limits, issued by its Environmental Health Department under the county’s flood rules. A residential permit costs $100 and the office has 5 days to review it; a septic permit and a 911 address come first. Bay City and Palacios handle permits inside their limits.
What needs a county permit in Matagorda County?
Outside city limits, the county requires a building permit for structures of any size and for improvements, in or out of a flood zone:
Building permit
- New homes, add-ons and remodels
- Roofing, siding and other exterior remodeling
- Manufactured and relocated homes, portable buildings
- Barns, workshops, detached garages, sheds and storage buildings
- Carports and RV covers; RVs in a flood zone
- Commercial buildings, including substations, wind turbines, solar farms and battery storage
Other county permits
- Septic system, new or updated, on any size of lot
- Electrical service connections
- Fill dirt in flood zones
- Fire Marshal construction permit for commercial work
- 911 address, before any project starts
- Food service establishments
The county does not issue certificates of occupancy in unincorporated areas. Private water wells are registered with the Matagorda County Groundwater Conservation District (979-323-9170), and driveways or culverts on county roads need a work order from the precinct commissioner.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Matagorda County?
| Area or work | Who issues permits |
|---|---|
| City of Bay City | The City’s Planning & Development Services, 1217 Avenue J (979-323-1173); Bureau Veritas reviews plans and inspects |
| City of Palacios | The City’s Building & Inspections department at City Hall, 311 Henderson (361-972-3605); SAFEbuilt does its plan review and inspections |
| Unincorporated county: building, flood, septic and fill permits | Environmental Health Department, 2200 7th Street, First Floor, Bay City, 979-244-2717 |
| Commercial fire code review | Matagorda County Fire Marshal, 2200 7th Street, 3rd Floor, Bay City, 979-241-0180 |
| 911 addresses | 911 Addressing, 1801 7th Street, Bay City, 979-244-6801 |
| Commercial sites of 1 acre or more inside Drainage District #1 | Drainage District #1 approval before the county building or septic permit |
| Windstorm certification | Not handled by the county; the county sheet points to the Windstorm Inspection office, 209 E. Mulberry, Angleton (979-848-0953) |
Environmental Health is open Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. The county’s required-permits sheet gives 979-323-0707 for 911 Addressing, while the 911 page lists 979-244-6801; addresses can be assigned by phone or email without an office visit.
Septic systems, electrical service and commercial fire review
Septic: under a 2006 Commissioners’ Court order, every septic system needs a county permit regardless of lot size, must be built by a registered installer (owners may not install their own unless they are registered), and must be tested by an approved maintenance company. A home with both a well and a septic system needs at least 1 acre. A dwelling cannot get a building permit until the installer has the septic permit; homes on a municipal utility district instead bring a letter from the MUD confirming the sewer connection. Matagorda County is TCEQ’s authorized agent and approved 153 systems in 2025.
Electrical service: the county lists electrical service connections among its required permits, and in A and VE zones the elevation certificate is also required for the electrical permit.
Commercial buildings: the Fire Marshal must approve the plans and sign the Fire Marshal Authorization Form before Environmental Health issues a commercial building permit. All Fire Marshal submittals, permits and inspections go through matagordacountypermits.com. The County adopted the 2021 International Fire Code on May 4, 2026. Plans over 2,000 sq ft must be sealed by an engineer; projects over 5,000 sq ft start with an in-person pre-development meeting; civil plans (fire lanes, hydrants, fire lines) are approved before construction plans, and alarm, sprinkler and hood systems follow as separate submittals.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Matagorda County permit fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building permit (home, addition, barn, remodel) | $100 |
| RV or storage building up to 100 sq ft in a flood zone | $70 |
| Commercial building permit, under 2,000 sq ft | $200 |
| Commercial building permit, over 2,000 sq ft | $300 |
| Septic permit, non-commercial | $200 |
| Septic permit, commercial | $250 |
| Septic re-inspection | $100 |
| Fire Marshal construction permit (commercial) | $100 per 1,000 sq ft, rounded up; maximum $25,000 |
| Fire Marshal re-inspection | $250 |
| Fire Marshal site/civil plan submittal | $100 |
| Certificate of Compliance for change of use | $150 |
Fire Marshal fees are due before any review and are non-refundable. Expedited plan review costs twice the permit fee, and work started without a fire permit costs three times the fee. Inspections run 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays; after-hours or weekend inspections are $350. The first pre-construction meeting is free.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a county building permit
Call or email 911 Addressing with the legal description; tracts over 1 acre also need GPS coordinates of the entrance.
X, A, AE and VE zones each have their own county requirement sheet, based on the FEMA maps that took effect January 15, 2021.
Your registered installer obtains the septic permit, or you bring a MUD connection letter.
Zone X: one set of floor plans, construction cost, contractor and owner details. A and VE zones: an elevation certificate, P.E.-certified construction drawings and the cost of development including labor.
Commercial projects need the Fire Marshal’s signed authorization and, on sites of 1 acre or more in Drainage District #1, the district’s approval.
The office has 5 days to review; flood-zone permits are valid for one year from issue.
Flood zone construction rules
Zone X: not treated as floodplain; the county issues an exemption certificate and suggests a lowest floor 18–24 inches above grade.
A zones: in unnumbered A zones the lowest floor of new homes and substantial improvements sits at least 2 feet above the highest adjacent grade; manufactured homes go 2 feet above base flood elevation where it is set. Fill may be used to reach elevation after a fill dirt permit, with a final elevation check before building. Enclosed areas below flood level need at least 2 vents with 1 square inch of opening per square foot, no higher than 1 foot above grade.
Rather not deal with the Matagorda County building department?
Get a free quote →VE zones: the county adds 2 feet of freeboard, so with a 14-foot base flood elevation the lowest horizontal beam sits at 16 feet, with equipment raised to match. Engineers certify pilings and any breakaway walls; enclosures below flood level stay under 300 sq ft. No manufactured homes, no fill except landscaping, and storage buildings are limited to 100 sq ft. Former V zones now mapped AE keep the V-zone rules.
Floodways: no structure is permitted unless an engineer, surveyor or architect certifies no increase in flood levels.
Carports: since August 12, 2024, aluminum carports and RV covers are under a moratorium in VE and AE zones after Hurricane Beryl; other carports should be wind-certified to 140 mph and anchored.
Repairs: buildings from before 1975 are pre-FIRM; work above 50% of the appraisal roll value of the structure requires full compliance, and near that limit the county asks for 3 contractor bids.
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
Matagorda County official permit resources
County and TCEQ pages:
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- Matagorda County Environmental Health (permits and regulations)
- Matagorda County required permits (2026)
- Environmental Health fees (May 2022)
- A zone requirements
- VE zone requirements
- X zone requirements
- Carport and RV cover moratorium (August 2024)
- Matagorda County Fire Marshal
- Fire Marshal fee schedule (May 2026)
- Fire Marshal online permit portal
- Matagorda County 911 Addressing
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
Matagorda County permit FAQ
Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Matagorda County?
Yes. The county requires a permit for structures of any size and improvements such as add-ons, remodels, roofing and siding, inside or outside a flood zone.
How much is a building permit in Matagorda County?
$100 for a residential building permit, $70 for an RV or small storage building in a flood zone, and $200 or $300 for commercial buildings under or over 2,000 sq ft.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How long does the county take to issue a permit?
Environmental Health has 5 days to review an application. Flood-zone permits are valid for one year.
Can I install my own septic system?
No, unless you are a registered installer yourself. Every system needs a county permit, and the septic permit must be issued before a home’s building permit.
Does the county issue a certificate of occupancy?
No. Matagorda County does not issue certificates of occupancy in unincorporated areas; it permits construction under its flood rules.
Who issues building permits in Bay City and Palacios?
Each city permits inside its own limits: Bay City through Planning & Development Services, and Palacios through its Building & Inspections department at City Hall (361-972-3605), which uses SAFEbuilt for plan review and inspections.
Can I build an aluminum carport near the coast?
Not in a VE or AE zone: a moratorium since August 2024 bars aluminum carports and RV covers there.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Matagorda County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.