Somervell County does not issue building permits for homes outside Glen Rose; its website has no building permit or inspection page. The county’s OSSF and Floodplain office at 105 Sheppard Street in Glen Rose (254-898-3920) permits every septic system, whatever the acreage, with a $350 residential fee, and the Commissioners Court approves subdivision plats outside the City of Glen Rose and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Glen Rose, the only incorporated city, permits buildings inside its limits.
What needs a county permit in Somervell County?
County approvals
- Septic (OSSF) permit for any new system on any size of property, under the county’s 2001 order
- Subdivision plat when land outside Glen Rose and its ETJ is split into two or more parts of 10 acres or less, unless a statutory exemption applies
- RV park approval from the Commissioners Court before an RV park is built or opened
- Driveway culverts sized and approved by the Commissioners Court in new subdivisions
Not a county permit
- Building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits outside Glen Rose: none are listed on the county website
- A plat where every lot is over 10 acres, a family transfer or continued agricultural use, unless two or more residential lots of 5 acres or less are created
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in each part of Somervell County?
Glen Rose is the only incorporated city; the rest of the county is unincorporated. The official sources give these answers:
| Area or work | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Inside Glen Rose (about 3,100 residents) | City of Glen Rose Development Services Department, 300 NE Barnard St.; 254-897-2272; online through CitizenServe; Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Subdivisions in the Glen Rose ETJ | Approved by the City of Glen Rose; the county’s subdivision rules cover only land outside the city and its ETJ |
| Buildings in unincorporated Somervell County | No county building permit; county septic, plat and floodplain rules apply |
| Septic systems and floodplain questions | Somervell County OSSF / Floodplain office, 105 Sheppard Street, Glen Rose, TX 76043; 254-898-3920; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| County roads | Road & Bridge, 1827 N FM 56, Glen Rose; 254-897-2239; Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Plat filing and septic affidavits | County Clerk, 107 NE Vernon Street, Glen Rose |
Septic permits in Somervell County
The county’s OSSF rules, adopted by the Commissioners Court and filed in August 2001, go further than the state minimum: a permit is required before any septic system is installed, regardless of how many acres the property has, and an aerobic system must stay under contract with an approved maintenance company for its whole life. TCEQ lists the county as an authorized agent; its 2025 report counts 84 systems the county authorized that year.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential permit, conventional or aerobic | $350 |
| Commercial permit, aerobic | $425 |
| Re-inspection | $150 |
| Late maintenance contract (after a certified letter) | $25, rising $25 for each repeat |
| Maintenance provider non-compliance | $25 per offense |
To get a permit number: hire a site and soil evaluator; the owner completes items 1 to 8 of the application and the installer items 9 to 11 and the technical sheet. Attach one proof of the legal description (warranty deed, model deed, metes and bounds or survey), plus the plat if the lot is in a subdivision, and a scale drawing of the system, house, well and property lines. Aerobic and non-standard systems must be designed by a professional engineer or registered sanitarian and need a signed maintenance contract and a notarized affidavit recorded at the County Clerk’s office. Every system has a final inspection before the system and trenches are covered, and the permit to operate follows a passed inspection. Fees can be paid by card online.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Subdivisions, floodplain and RV parks
Plats: the subdivision rules (last amended April 11, 2022) set plat fees of $350 plus $10 per lot for 1–5 lots, $450 plus $10 per lot for 6–10 lots and $650 plus $10 per lot for 11 or more; a plat revision costs $300. Recording costs $100 for the first page and $50 for each extra page. Construction of a subdivision may not start until the Commissioners Court approves the preliminary plat. Lots need at least 2 net acres with septic and a well, or 1 acre with septic and public water; homes are set back at least 25 feet from the road right-of-way; and owners provide their own driveways and culverts, with a paved driveway at least 20 feet wide. The plat package also needs 911 Coordinator approval from the Sheriff’s Office, a tax certificate, a drainage survey and a groundwater availability certificate.
Floodplain: the county posts its FEMA flood maps, effective September 21, 2023, and plats must mark lots or parts of lots in the floodplain. The county’s floodplain administrator works from the OSSF office.
RV parks: a site plan, documents and fees go to the precinct commissioner for Commissioners Court approval before any permit. Parks in the 100-year floodplain must subscribe to Code Red alerts and may only hold units that can be moved readily; pads are at least 35 feet long, units 10 feet apart and hookups 40 feet apart.
Glen Rose: the City’s Development Services Department takes permit applications, plans and inspection photos through its CitizenServe portal and publishes building, contractor registration, demolition, sign and certificate of occupancy forms. Inspections are booked on 254-897-9373 or 254-897-2272, option 5.
Rather not deal with the Somervell 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
Somervell County official resources
- Somervell County On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF)
- OSSF fees, instructions and application (PDF)
- Order adopting the county OSSF rules (PDF)
- Rules and Regulations for Subdivisions, April 2022 (PDF)
- Clerk’s checklist for subdivisions and plats (PDF)
- Somervell County RV Park Policy (PDF)
- Emergency Management and FEMA flood maps
- Somervell County Road & Bridge
- City of Glen Rose Permits and Inspections
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Somervell County permit FAQs
Do I need a county building permit to build a house in rural Somervell County?
No county building permit is listed. You do need a county septic permit for the house’s system, on any size of property.
How much is a septic permit in Somervell County?
$350 for a residential conventional or aerobic system and $425 for a commercial aerobic system. Each re-inspection costs $150.
Who issues building permits in Glen Rose?
The City of Glen Rose Development Services Department, at 300 NE Barnard Street (254-897-2272), through its CitizenServe portal.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a plat to divide land in Somervell County?
Yes, if you split land outside Glen Rose and its ETJ into two or more parts of 10 acres or less, unless a statutory exemption applies; the exemptions do not cover two or more residential lots of 5 acres or less. In the ETJ, Glen Rose approves the plat.
How big must a rural lot be for a septic system?
Under the county subdivision rules, at least 2 net acres with a private well, or 1 acre with public water.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Somervell County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.