In rural Titus County the County’s own permit is for on-site sewage facilities: a $360 septic permit issued by the County’s Designated Representative, based in the Sheriff’s Office at 304 S. Van Buren in Mount Pleasant. The County also approves subdivision plats through the Commissioners’ Court. It publishes no building permit for houses or shops outside cities; inside Mount Pleasant the City’s Building & Development Department issues building and trade permits.
What needs a county permit in Titus County?
Most homes and businesses outside city limits rely on septic systems, and the County’s 2017 septic Order (No. 2017-01) covers every part of the county not already regulated by another order or ordinance, and TCEQ lists the County as the septic agent for the entire county. Titus County dropped the state’s 10-acre exemption, so even large tracts need a septic permit.
County approvals
- Septic permit for any new system, major repair, or a home or building whose square footage, use or occupancy changes substantially
- Any work on the lateral lines of a conventional system
- Floodplain review of subdivision plats by the Designated Representative
- Plat approval by the Commissioners’ Court for land divided outside city limits
No new septic permit
- Repairs to solid lines, tank lids, chlorinators, sprinkler heads, pumps or electrical parts
- County building, electrical or plumbing permits for rural homes, which the County does not publish
Each single-family home, whether site-built or manufactured, must have its own septic system, and new subdivisions using septic need lots with at least one acre of usable land (ponds, flood areas and easements do not count).
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Get a free quote →Who issues permits in each part of Titus County?
The septic program is run by the County’s Designated Representative and environmental investigator in the Titus County Sheriff’s Office, 304 S. Van Buren, Mount Pleasant (903-572-6641); the County’s plat contacts sheet also lists an environmental inspector line, 903-856-8228. Plats go through the County Clerk’s Office (903-577-6796, realproperty@co.titus.tx.us). The courthouse is at 100 W. 1st Street (903-577-6736).
| Area | Who handles building permits |
|---|---|
| Mount Pleasant (county seat) | City of Mount Pleasant Building & Development Department (903-575-4149), City Hall at 501 North Madison. It issues building permits and certificates of occupancy and inspects air conditioning, heating, electrical, plumbing, signs, sprinkler systems and pools; every contractor working in the city must register. |
| Talco | City Hall, 400 West Broad Street (903-379-3731). The City publishes water and sewer tap fees ($500 each) but no building permit process; ask City Hall. |
| Winfield and Miller’s Cove | The published sources do not say; ask the town. |
| Unincorporated county | No county building permit published; the County septic permit and plat rules apply. |
Septic and plat fees in Titus County
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Septic (OSSF) permit, set by the Commissioners’ Court in 2017 | $360 |
| State fee collected with each septic permit under the 2017 Order | $10 |
| Filing an approved plat with the County Clerk | $121 |
| Road construction bond or letter of credit for a subdivision | $189 per linear foot of road (a lower amount can be approved on cost estimates) |
| Maintenance bond after road completion | Half the construction bond, for one year |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The septic fee is paid to the County Treasurer at the courthouse, 100 W. First Street, before the application is reviewed: the septic office will not consider an application without a copy of the Treasurer’s receipt. Working on a septic system without a permit can lead to criminal charges against the owner, the installer or both, and each day a violation continues after the repair deadline can bring a fine of up to $500.
What a Titus County septic application needs
- The County’s OSSF permit forms, available in person at 304 S. Van Buren
- The Treasurer’s receipt for the permit fee
- Design plans by a Registered Professional Sanitarian or Licensed Professional Engineer; a licensed installer may design a standard system
- Soil and site evaluation
- For aerobic, surface-application or other systems that need ongoing maintenance: a certified copy of the affidavit to the public filed with the County Clerk
Soil and groundwater decide the system type. The County says that in about 90% of cases in Titus County a system other than a conventional one will be required. Some lots cannot be permitted at all because of their size or soil class.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a septic permit in Titus County
Inside Mount Pleasant, Talco, Winfield or Miller’s Cove, ask the city about its building rules; a septic permit still comes from the County.
A sanitarian or engineer (or your installer, for a standard system) designs the system after the soil and site evaluation.
Pay $360 at the courthouse and keep the receipt.
Record the affidavit to the public with the County Clerk for any aerobic or maintenance-dependent system.
Take the application, plans and receipt to the Sheriff’s Office for the Designated Representative’s review.
The Designated Representative calls the applicant, usually the installer, to approve construction or explain what is missing.
You may install your own system. If you hire anyone other than an electrician for the wiring, that person must hold an OSSF installer licence.
Subdivision rules in Titus County
A plat is needed when a tract outside any city is divided into two or more parts. Before going to the Commissioners’ Court, the septic and floodplain items on the plat must be approved by the Designated Representative, and road names must be cleared for 9-1-1 addressing by the Ark-Tex Council of Governments (888-373-9028). Developments using septic systems submit engineered planning materials, which the County approves or denies in writing within 45 days.
The full package is due at least 45 days before the Court meeting: the septic program form, letters from the fire department and water supply district, the 9-1-1 letter, four original 18 x 24 inch plats plus an 8.5 x 14 inch copy, original tax certificates, deed restrictions and the bond. The precinct commissioner sees the preliminary plat at least 14 days ahead.
Rather not deal with the Titus County building department?
Get a free quote →Subdivision roads need a 60 ft right-of-way, a 30 ft graded road bed, 8 inches of base, a 24 ft finished surface, culverts at least 12 inches across and 30 ft long, and a cul-de-sac radius of 50 ft. A registered engineer designs the road and certifies it after construction. The County maintains a subdivision road only if the order approving the plat says so.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Titus County official resources
- Titus County, Texas official website
- Titus County Environmental Inspection Service
- Sewage System Permitting (PDF)
- Septic frequently asked questions (PDF)
- Septic enforcement action (PDF)
- Titus County OSSF Order and TCEQ approval, 2017 (PDF)
- Titus County Platting and Subdivisions
- Development and subdivision check-off list and regulations (PDF)
- Titus County plat application (PDF)
- Platting contacts and map (PDF)
- City of Mount Pleasant Building & Development
- City of Talco
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Titus County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit for a house in rural Titus County?
The County publishes no building permit for unincorporated land. You do need the County septic permit before a septic system is installed.
How much is a septic permit in Titus County?
$360, paid to the County Treasurer at the courthouse before the application is reviewed.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a septic permit on more than 10 acres?
Yes. Titus County’s septic Order removed the 10-acre exemption, so every new, altered or extended system needs a permit.
How big must a lot be for a septic system?
New subdivision lots on septic need at least one acre of usable land, and each home needs its own system.
Can I install my own septic system?
Yes, but anyone you hire for the work, apart from an electrician for the wiring, must be a licensed OSSF installer.
Who issues building permits in Mount Pleasant?
The City of Mount Pleasant Building & Development Department, 903-575-4149.
Who do I call about a plat?
The County Clerk’s Office, 903-577-6796, which provides the plat application and the subdivision regulations.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Titus County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.