Tyler County’s own permit guidelines say that outside the Woodville city limits, including Chester, Colmesneil and rural communities such as Warren, Spurger and Hillister, no building permit is needed for a house, solar panels or other permanent structures where electric and water service already exist. The exceptions are Woodville and Ivanhoe, which run their own permits, and three county approvals: floodplain permits in FEMA flood zones and new electrical permits after a disconnection, both from Emergency Management, and subdivision plats.
Which county approvals apply in Tyler County?
Needs county approval
- Development in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area on unincorporated land, which needs a floodplain permit
- A new electrical permit whenever a home’s electrical box has been disconnected for any reason, including non-payment, anywhere in the county
- Subdivision plats, approved by the Commissioners Court
- An Infrastructure Development Plan before building a manufactured home rental community
No county building permit
- Houses, solar panels and other permanent structures outside Woodville and Ivanhoe where power and water are already connected
- Construction quality, materials and contractor licensing, which the county floodplain rules expressly do not cover
Even without a building permit, ask your electric provider (SHECO or Entergy) whether the existing service can carry new equipment, and keep new buildings at least 25 ft from the right-of-way of a public road, or 50 ft from a state or federal highway, as the subdivision rules require.
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Get a free quote →Who issues permits in each part of Tyler County?
The Office of Emergency Management, 201 Veterans Way, Woodville (409-331-0874), runs the county floodplain program: its Floodplain Management Office decides whether a site lies in a Special Flood Hazard Area and issues the floodplain permit and the reconnection electrical permit. Plats go to the Commissioners Court through the County Clerk. The courthouse is at 100 West Bluff Street, Woodville.
| Area | Who handles building permits |
|---|---|
| Woodville (county seat) | Town of Woodville, 400 W. Bluff Street (409-283-2234, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Its Building Code Officer must inspect before any construction or solar installation, and it issues building, plumbing, electrical and HVAC permits. |
| Ivanhoe | City of Ivanhoe City Hall, 870 Charmaine Drive East (409-283-3299). Building, electrical, septic and other permits are applied for online and inspections booked in the City’s iWorQ portal. |
| Chester and Colmesneil | No building permit, according to the County’s guidelines; each city has its own flood hazard area ordinance and decides any other permit requirements. |
| Wildwood and Village Mills | Call 409-834-2241 to check the community’s requirements. |
| Unincorporated county | No building permit; county floodplain, reconnection and subdivision rules apply. |
The County’s guidelines say Ivanhoe requires an electrical permit signed off by the electric provider; Ivanhoe’s own fee sheet goes further and lists building permits and inspections for new homes, additions and smaller projects.
Electrical, septic and flood-zone rules
Reconnection permit: if a residence’s electrical box is disconnected for any reason, a new electrical permit from the Emergency Management Office is required, whether the home is inside or outside a city.
Flood zones: the county ordinance covers only unincorporated land that FEMA maps as a Special Flood Hazard Area. There, the permit deals with the height of construction above the Base Flood Elevation and its effect on drainage, not with building methods or materials. Woodville, Ivanhoe, Colmesneil and Chester apply their own similar ordinances inside their limits.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Septic systems: the County is not a TCEQ authorized agent for septic systems. TCEQ’s local-contact search lists only the City of Ivanhoe (inside its limits) and TCEQ’s Region 10 office, 3870 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont (409-898-3838), which issues septic permits everywhere else in the county. Its subdivision rules require plats using on-site sewage facilities to state that every system must meet TCEQ rules, and send subdivision septic planning materials to TCEQ Region 10 for written approval. Inside Ivanhoe, the City issues septic installation permits.
Fees in Tyler County and its permitting towns
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Tyler County: new major or rural (with road) subdivision | $750 at application and $750 after approval |
| Tyler County: new minor subdivision | $500 at application and $500 after approval |
| Tyler County: replat / recording an approved plat | $250 / $250 |
| Woodville: residential plan review (IRC) | $0.03 per sq ft, $75 minimum |
| Woodville: each inspection | $90; permits are priced by the number of inspections |
| Ivanhoe: new single-family home | $600, including three inspections and the certificate of occupancy |
| Ivanhoe: accessory building or carport / fence | $30 / $25 |
| Ivanhoe: septic installation, standard / aerobic | $310 / $510 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →County subdivision fees are paid to the County Clerk when the application is filed, and fees due after approval within 10 days. Ivanhoe’s fee sheet dates from July 30, 2020, lists a separate, higher late fee for each permit, and asks for applications at least 4 working days before work starts. Woodville’s trade permits have a $25 minimum.
How to get approvals for a Tyler County project
Woodville and Ivanhoe permit their own work; elsewhere the county rules apply.
If the site is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, apply for the county floodplain permit before building.
The no-permit rule assumes service already exists; confirm with SHECO or Entergy that the service can carry new equipment.
Outside Ivanhoe, apply to TCEQ’s Beaumont office (409-898-3838) before installing a system; subdivisions also send planning materials there.
Place new buildings at least 25 ft from a public road right-of-way, or 50 ft from a highway.
File the plat, survey and application fees with the County Clerk for Commissioners Court approval.
Rather not deal with the Tyler County building department?
Get a free quote →Subdivisions and rental communities in Tyler County
The Commissioners Court updated the Subdivision Regulations on November 13, 2023. Roads need a 60 ft right-of-way, dead ends a turnaround with a 140 ft right-of-way and a 50 ft radius of improved surface, and lots a 15 ft utility easement along the road. Roads must be numbered under the Deep East Texas Council of Governments 9-1-1 system, and engineering plans must carry a Texas engineer’s seal. Pit privies and portable toilets are allowed in a subdivision only as a 30-day emergency measure.
A manufactured home rental community, meaning two or more spaces rented for less than 30 months with no purchase option, cannot start construction until the Commissioners Court or its designee approves an Infrastructure Development Plan. The County recommends meeting the Precinct Commissioner and the County Engineer before submitting.
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 →Tyler County official resources
- Tyler County, Texas official website
- Tyler County building permit guidelines (PDF)
- Tyler County Flood Plain Management
- Tyler County Office of Emergency Management
- Tyler County Subdivision Regulations, November 2023 (PDF)
- Manufactured home rental community regulation (PDF)
- Town of Woodville permits, licenses and forms
- Woodville building permit and plan review fee schedule (PDF)
- City of Ivanhoe permits
- Ivanhoe building permit and inspection fees (PDF)
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
Tyler County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit in rural Tyler County?
No. The County’s guidelines say places outside Woodville, including Chester and Colmesneil, need no building permit where power and water are already connected. Flood-zone sites still need a county floodplain permit.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a permit for solar panels in Tyler County?
Not outside Woodville and Ivanhoe. In Woodville the Building Code Officer inspects first; in Ivanhoe you need a City permit.
My power was disconnected. Do I need a permit?
Yes. A new electrical permit from the Emergency Management Office, 201 Veterans Way, Woodville, is needed anywhere in the county.
How much is a building permit in Ivanhoe?
$600 for a new single-family home, which covers three inspections and the certificate of occupancy.
How much does Woodville charge?
Residential plan review is $0.03 per square foot ($75 minimum) and each inspection is $90.
Who decides if my land is in a flood zone?
The Floodplain Management Office of Tyler County Emergency Management, 409-331-0874.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Tyler County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.