Shelby County has no building permit office, and its 2023 hazard mitigation plan records that the county has no flood damage prevention ordinance. The county’s permit role is the County Road Use and Boring Permit, approved by the precinct commissioners through commissioners@co.shelby.tx.us (936-598-6136). Septic permits are handled by TCEQ’s Region 10 office in Beaumont, and of the five incorporated cities only Center publishes a building permit program.
What needs a permit in rural Shelby County?
Permits and records
- County Road Use and Boring Permit for oil field, logging, poultry or utility trucks using county roads, or boring under them
- Septic (on-site sewage) permit from TCEQ for a home or business outside a city sewer
- 9-1-1 address for a new home or building, issued free of charge
No county program
- Building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits outside the cities
- A county floodplain development permit: the county has no flood damage prevention ordinance and no countywide FEMA flood mapping
Who issues permits in each part of Shelby County?
Shelby County has five incorporated cities. The official sources give these answers:
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Area | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Center (about 5,200 residents) | City of Center Inspection Services, permit office at 301 Nacogdoches Street; City Hall 617 Tenaha Street, 936-598-2941 |
| Timpson | The City’s website lists a $100 mobile home permit but no building permit page; ask City Hall, 456 Jacob St., 936-254-2421 (Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) |
| Joaquin | The City’s website posts no building permit information; ask City Hall, 130 Steve Hughes Drive, 936-269-3021 (Monday to Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday mornings). The county hazard plan names Joaquin’s Mayor as its floodplain administrator. |
| Tenaha and Huxley | The published sources do not say; ask town hall. The county hazard plan names Tenaha’s City Secretary as its floodplain administrator. |
| Unincorporated county | No county building permit; county road permits, TCEQ septic permits and county 9-1-1 addressing apply |
| Office | Contact |
|---|---|
| Commissioners office (road permits) | Courthouse, 200 San Augustine St., Center, TX 75935; 936-598-6136; commissioners@co.shelby.tx.us |
| County barns | Precinct 1: 936-598-2667; Precinct 2: 936-598-2134; Precinct 4: 936-254-3048 |
| County Judge | 936-598-3863 |
| 9-1-1 addressing | 936-598-5183; shelbycounty911@co.shelby.tx.us. Until January 2027, addresses are being issued by DETCOG (409-381-5261). |
| Septic permits | TCEQ Region 10, 3870 Eastex Fwy, Beaumont, TX 77703; 409-898-3838 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Septic systems and county roads
Septic: TCEQ’s 2025 list of local authorized agents for on-site sewage facilities has no Shelby County entry, and TCEQ places the county in its Region 10 (Beaumont) area, so a new or replacement septic system outside a city sewer is permitted through that regional office. The exception is the Toledo Bend shoreline: TCEQ’s record for the Sabine River Authority covers land within 2,000 ft of the reservoir’s project boundary in Shelby County, where the Authority’s Toledo Bend Division (409-565-2273) issues septic permits.
Road use and boring: the first digit of every county road number is its commissioner precinct. Before trucks use a county road, review its condition with that commissioner; otherwise any damage is charged to the permit holder. Email the completed permit to the commissioners office for approval, keep loads within state legal weights, and carry a copy of the permit in every truck covered by it.
How to start a rural project in Shelby County
Inside Center, apply to Center’s Inspection Services; in the other four cities, start at City Hall.
Request it online or by phone; there is no charge.
Apply to TCEQ Region 10 in Beaumont for the on-site sewage permit before building, or to the Sabine River Authority if the site is within 2,000 ft of Toledo Bend.
For logging, oil field, poultry or utility trucks or a road bore, talk to the precinct commissioner and email the road use and boring permit.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Building permits in Center
Center, the county seat, reviews plans and inspects construction. A permit application needs two complete sets of drawings and two copies of a site plan showing property lines, easements, drainage, buildings and setbacks, parking and driveways; the legal description can be obtained from the Shelby County Appraisal District (936-598-6171). HVAC, electrical, plumbing and fire sprinkler contractors must show their TDLR licence before any inspection. Review of a new structure can take up to 3 days.
A Center permit expires if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days, and it can be extended once on a written request. Inspection requests made after 3 p.m. are done the next day, and the certificate of occupancy is picked up at the Inspection Services office after the final. A manufactured home in Center needs a permanent foundation, attached front and back porches of at least 4 by 4 feet, a 4:12 roof pitch and its tongue, axles and lights removed before permanent power is approved. The City Manager is Center’s floodplain administrator.
Rather not deal with the Shelby County building department?
Get a free quote →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
Shelby County official resources
- Shelby County Commissioners Court
- County Road Use and Boring Permit (PDF)
- Shelby County 9-1-1 Addressing
- Shelby County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 (PDF)
- TCEQ regional office directory (Region 10, Beaumont)
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- City of Center Building Permits
- City of Timpson
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Shelby County permit FAQs
Do I need a county building permit to build a house in rural Shelby County?
No. The county has no building permit or inspection office. A home outside a city sewer needs a septic permit from TCEQ, and the county issues 9-1-1 addresses free of charge.
Who issues septic permits in Shelby County?
TCEQ’s Region 10 office in Beaumont (409-898-3838), since the county is not a TCEQ authorized agent for septic systems. Within 2,000 ft of Toledo Bend, the Sabine River Authority issues them instead.
How do I get a county road permit?
Fill in the County Road Use and Boring Permit and email it to commissioners@co.shelby.tx.us for approval, after checking road conditions with the precinct commissioner. The first digit of the road number tells you the precinct.
Who issues building permits in Center?
The City of Center’s Inspection Services, with its permit office at 301 Nacogdoches Street. City Hall is at 936-598-2941.
Is there a county floodplain permit?
No. The county’s 2023 hazard mitigation plan says Shelby County has no flood damage prevention ordinance and no countywide FEMA flood hazard mapping; Center, Joaquin and Tenaha have their own ordinances.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How do I get a 9-1-1 address?
Request one free through the county’s online form or at 936-598-5183. Until January 2027, DETCOG is issuing Shelby County addresses (409-381-5261).
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Shelby County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.