Upshur County, Texas Building Permit Guide

Upshur County’s permits for rural land are about roads and flooding, not buildings: Road and Bridge (903-843-7623) sizes and installs driveway culverts and approves utility lines and heavy loads on county roads, and a Floodplain Development Permit is required in FEMA flood hazard areas, where a new home’s lowest floor must sit 2 ft above the base flood elevation. The County publishes no building permit. Gilmer and Big Sandy issue building permits inside their limits.

What needs a county permit in Upshur County?

Who issues permits in each part of Upshur County?

Upshur County Road and Bridge is at 2255 Hwy 271 N, Gilmer (903-843-7623, fax 903-680-8345, roadandbridge@countyofupshur.com). It is open Monday to Thursday, 6 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.; after-hours road emergencies go to 903-843-2541. The flood ordinance names the County Judge or a designee as Floodplain Administrator, and the courthouse is at 100 W. Tyler, Gilmer.

Culverts, utility lines and heavy loads

Driveway culverts: call Road and Bridge at 903-843-7623 to book a culvert size evaluation, then fill in, sign and return the culvert permit, and schedule pipe delivery and installation with the department. In new subdivisions, driveway culverts must be at least 15 inches across unless the County approves otherwise, in corrugated metal, corrugated plastic or reinforced concrete.

Utility lines: anyone boring or laying a line in a county road right-of-way files a Notice of Proposed Installation, in triplicate, with three copies of drawings, addressed to the Commissioners Court through the County Engineer. The work must be finished within 90 days of approval, and the permit stays in force until the line is removed.

Overweight loads: visit the department to agree the route and dates and get the signed road use agreement before hauling.

Septic: TCEQ lists Upshur County as the septic agent for unincorporated land, and the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District runs the program as the County’s designated representative. Before building anything with plumbing, or repairing a system, apply to the District at 4180 FM 250 S., Hughes Springs (903-639-7538); since October 1, 2023 the permit costs $360 for a single-family home and $610 for multi-family or commercial use. Inside the cities TCEQ lists no local agent, and its Tyler regional office (903-535-5100) names Gilmer among the cities it may serve. Its plat rules require an approved percolation test with every subdivision plat unless a city will provide sewer, with an engineer certifying that the lots can handle septic systems.

Flood zones and subdivisions in Upshur County

Floodplain permits: the County’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance covers every special flood hazard area in its jurisdiction, using FEMA maps dated October 19, 2010. A permit application includes one copy of the plans and specifications, and an approved permit is valid for one year. New or substantially improved homes must have the lowest floor, including any basement, 2 ft above the base flood elevation, certified by an engineer, architect or land surveyor; commercial buildings can instead be floodproofed to the same level. Building in a floodway is barred unless an engineering study shows no rise in flood levels. A violation can be fined up to $2,000, and each day it continues counts as a separate violation.

Plats: any division of land outside a city into two or more parts for streets or lots needs a plat approved by the Commissioners Court before it is recorded with the County Clerk. In a city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, the city approves the subdivision first. Since April 29, 2022, a developer who does not build roads to County standards must state on the plat and deeds that the lot owners will maintain them.

Subdivision roads: right-of-way of 50 ft for main streets and 40 ft for others (60 ft radius at cul-de-sacs, with no trees in it), a 6-inch compacted base, a 20 ft surface and culverts sized for a 25-year storm. The pavement design goes to the Road Administrator at least two weeks before construction, and after completion the developer posts a 4-year maintenance bond of at least $7,000 per tenth of a mile.

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

Upshur County official resources

• Upshur County, Texas official website
• Upshur County Road and Bridge: regulations and permits
• Upshur County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (PDF)
• Subdivision plat specifications (PDF)
• Amended subdivision plat specifications, 2022 (PDF)
• Specifications for subdivision roads and maintenance bond (PDF)
• Utility line installation notice (PDF)
• Overweight load road use agreement (PDF)
• City of Gilmer permits and forms
• City of Big Sandy forms and permits
• Big Sandy building permit fees (PDF)
• City of Gladewater code enforcement
• TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
• Northeast Texas Municipal Water District septic program (Upshur County)
• Ore City 2024 fee schedule, including building permits (PDF)

Upshur County permit FAQs

Do I need a building permit in rural Upshur County?

The County publishes no building permit for unincorporated land. You may still need a culvert permit for the driveway and a floodplain permit if the site is in a flood hazard area.

How do I get a driveway culvert in Upshur County?

Call Road and Bridge at 903-843-7623 for a size evaluation, return the signed permit, then schedule the pipe delivery and installation.

How high must a house be built in a flood zone?

The lowest floor must be at least 2 ft above the base flood elevation, with a professional’s certification.

Who issues building permits in Gilmer?

The City of Gilmer, through its GovWell online system; contractors register there first. City Hall is at 110 Buffalo Street.

How much is a building permit in Big Sandy?

$0.15 per square foot with a $50 minimum, plus inspection fees that average about $100 each.

Do I need a plat to split land?

Yes, outside cities, unless an exemption applies, such as every lot being over 10 acres or a family transfer of four or fewer parts.

Simplify Upshur County permitting with Alliance Permitting

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.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Upshur County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.