Moore County’s official website lists no building permit, building code or construction inspection for unincorporated land, and no county office for development permits. Building permits come from the cities: Dumas’s Building Permits and Inspections office takes applications and payments online, and Cactus posts its own permit applications. Moore County has no local septic agent, so septic systems are permitted by TCEQ’s Region 1 office in Amarillo before they are built or repaired.
What approvals may apply in Moore County?
For a house, shop or barn outside the cities, the County publishes no building permit and no inspection process. One state permit still applies on rural land:
- Septic systems: TCEQ rules require a permit to build, install, alter, extend or repair an on-site sewage facility. Moore County has no local authorized agent, so TCEQ’s Region 1 office in Amarillo is the permitting authority, and it must approve or deny a complete application within 30 days.
Who administers local permitting?
Inside an incorporated city, the city decides what needs a permit. Moore County has four incorporated places:
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Place (2025 population) | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Dumas (14,862), county seat | City of Dumas Building Permits and Inspections; Building Official at 806-934-7101 ext. 214; apply and pay online; City Hall, 124 W. 6th Street, 806-935-4101 |
| Cactus (3,165) | City of Cactus: building permit and manufactured home applications on its Permits page, with online applications; Code Enforcement and Building Permit officer, 806-930-9248; City Hall, 201 S. Highway 287, 806-966-5458 |
| Sunray (1,739) | The published sources do not say; ask City Hall, 806-948-4111 |
| Fritch (8 residents in Moore County) | City of Fritch, which lies mostly in Hutchinson County; City Hall, 104 N. Robey Ave., 806-857-3143 |
| Unincorporated Moore County | No county building permit published; septic permits from TCEQ Region 1, Amarillo |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| County Judge | 715 S. Dumas Ave., Room 202, Dumas, TX 79029; 806-935-5588 or 806-935-6885; fax 806-935-5697 |
| Road & Bridge Department | 420 S. Wilson Street, Dumas (mail: P.O. Box 100, Dumas, TX 79029); 806-935-2416 |
| Emergency Management | 310 E. 1st, Suite 100, Dumas, TX 79029; 806-934-9520 |
| Septic permits (TCEQ Region 1) | 5809 S. Western St., Suite 260, Amarillo, TX 79110; 806-353-9251; weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
Trade work and septic systems
The County publishes no electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit for unincorporated areas. Inside Dumas, the City’s Building Permits and Inspections office handles permits for work inside city limits.
A septic system needs its permit before construction starts. TCEQ lists no local authorized agent anywhere in Moore County, the cities included, so applications go to TCEQ’s Region 1 office in Amarillo (806-353-9251), which has 30 days to act on a complete one.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Six steps for a Moore County project
Dumas, Cactus, Sunray and the small Moore County part of Fritch set their own rules inside their limits.
Use the City’s online application and payment link, or call the Building Official.
Have the system designed and apply to TCEQ’s Amarillo regional office (806-353-9251).
Do not build or repair the system until the permit is approved.
Contact the Road & Bridge Department at 806-935-2416.
Keep the septic approval and any city permit and final inspection with the property records.
Inspections and documentation
With no county building permit, there is no county building inspection or certificate of occupancy for rural homes. Septic systems are inspected under the TCEQ Region 1 permit. Inside Dumas, the City’s inspectors handle building and trade inspections under the City’s permit.
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
Rather not deal with the Moore County building department?
Get a free quote →Moore County official resources
- Moore County official website
- Moore County Judge
- Moore County Road & Bridge Department
- Moore County Emergency Management
- City of Dumas Building Permits and Inspections
- City of Fritch
- TCEQ: getting a permit for an OSSF
- TCEQ search for the local OSSF permitting authority
- TCEQ Region 1 (Amarillo) OSSF contact
- City of Cactus permits
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Moore County permit FAQ
Do I need a county building permit in rural Moore County?
No. The County publishes no building permit or inspection program for unincorporated land. A septic system needs a permit from TCEQ’s Region 1 office in Amarillo.
Who issues building permits in Dumas?
The City of Dumas Building Permits and Inspections office. The Building Official can be reached at 806-934-7101 ext. 214, and applications are filed and paid online.
Who do I call about a county road entrance?
The Moore County Road & Bridge Department at 806-935-2416.
How long does a septic permit decision take?
Under TCEQ rules the permitting authority must approve or deny the application and planning materials within 30 days.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
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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.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Moore County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.