The only permit program Uvalde County publishes is septic: the County Sanitarian at 66 Military Lane, Uvalde (830-900-6558) is the state’s authorized agent for on-site sewage facilities across the entire county, including inside Uvalde and Sabinal. The county’s list of offices has no building, planning or permitting department. Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits come from the City of Uvalde inside its limits (830-278-3316), and Sabinal’s City Hall answers for that town.
What needs a permit in Uvalde County?
County Sanitarian
- A new septic (on-site sewage) system anywhere in the county
- Repairs, replacements and changes to an existing septic system
- Systems inside the cities of Uvalde and Sabinal as well as in the rural county, since the TCEQ lists the county as the agent for the entire county
City of Uvalde
- Building, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a building inside city limits
- Changing a building’s occupancy
- Re-roofing
- Installing, altering or replacing electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems
For a house or barn on rural land outside the two cities, the county publishes no building permit, plan review or building inspection. Utopia, Concan and Knippa are not incorporated, so they fall under the same county rules.
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Get a free quote →County offices and the two cities
| Office | What it handles |
|---|---|
| County Sanitarian (Sanitation Office), 66 Military Lane, Box 9, Uvalde, TX 78801; 830-900-6558; philip.packer@uvaldecounty.gov | Septic system applications and permits for the whole county; well-water and septic advice |
| County Road Department, 2967 US Hwy 83 N, Uvalde; 830-278-9213 | County roads; the department publishes a county road map |
| County Judge’s Office, Courthouse Plaza, Box 3, Uvalde; 830-278-3216 | Commissioners Court business (the court meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month) |
| Office of Emergency Management, 207 S. Getty, Uvalde; 830-261-5474 | Emergency planning and flood recovery for the county, Uvalde and Sabinal |
Who issues building permits in each town
- Uvalde (county seat): the City’s Planning & Development Department at City Hall, 101 E. Main Street, issues building and trade permits and keeps the contractor registration form; 830-278-3316 or permits@uvaldetx.gov. The City has adopted the 2021 ICC codes.
- Sabinal: the City’s website publishes no permit information. City Hall is at 501 N. Center Street (830-988-2218), open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Septic permits are the exception to the city split: in both towns they still go to the County Sanitarian.
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Get a free quote →Septic systems in Uvalde County
The Sanitation Office lists an Application for Onsite Sewage Facility, a permitting-process sheet and a guide titled How to Obtain a Septic System in Uvalde County. The page notes that its links are being updated, and those documents do not open today, so request the current application from the office by phone or email before you hire a designer.
The same office handles well-water questions and publishes leaflets on disinfecting a private well, protecting wells during drought and placing wells in flood plains, along with a high-efficiency plumbing fixture replacement program application.
Inside the City of Uvalde, plumbing, gas, electrical and mechanical work also needs a City permit, separate from any septic approval.
How to start a project in Uvalde County
Use the City of Uvalde’s Zoning, Boundary and ETJ map (August 2026) to see whether the site is inside city limits.
Get the permit application and contractor registration form from the City’s Forms and Applications menu, or ask City Hall at 830-278-3316.
Call City Hall on 830-988-2218 before work starts, as the City publishes no permit rules online.
Contact the County Sanitarian for the application and permit before the system is installed.
Owners repairing after the 2026 floods can call the county’s recovery line, 830-215-4066, and inside Uvalde the City’s Flood Plain Manager on 830-278-3316.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Local details: floods, flood plain and historic district
2026 flood recovery: after the 2026 floods the county set up a call center (830-215-4066, updated August 5, 2026) for questions about damaged homes, temporary housing and rebuilding help, and it links to the state’s damage survey at damage.tdem.texas.gov.
Flood plain in the City of Uvalde: the City has its own Flood Plain Manager, reached through City Hall on 830-278-3316, for questions about whether a property is in a flood zone.
Historic district: inside Uvalde, the Historic Preservation Board approves changes to the exterior of buildings in the City’s historic district, and the Building Standards board reviews unsafe structures.
Hazard mitigation: the Office of Emergency Management has posted a draft update of the county’s hazard mitigation action plan, which covers Uvalde, Sabinal and the rest of the county.
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
Rather not deal with the Uvalde County building department?
Get a free quote →Uvalde County official permit resources
- Uvalde County Sanitarian (septic permits)
- Uvalde County offices directory
- Uvalde County Road Department
- Uvalde County 2026 flood recovery resources
- Uvalde County Office of Emergency Management
- City of Uvalde Planning & Development Department
- City of Sabinal City Secretary and City Hall
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- TCEQ lookup of local septic permitting authorities
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Uvalde County permit FAQ
Do I need a county building permit to build a house in rural Uvalde County?
The county publishes no building permit program, and its list of offices has no building department. A septic system still needs a permit from the County Sanitarian.
Who issues septic permits in Uvalde County?
The County Sanitarian at 66 Military Lane, Uvalde (830-900-6558). The state lists the county as the septic permitting agent for the entire county, including the cities.
Who issues building permits in the City of Uvalde?
The City’s Planning & Development Department at City Hall, 101 E. Main Street; call 830-278-3316 or email permits@uvaldetx.gov. Re-roofing and trade work need permits there too.
What about Sabinal?
Sabinal publishes no permit details online. Ask City Hall at 501 N. Center Street, 830-988-2218.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who can help with rebuilding after the 2026 flood?
The county’s flood recovery call center on 830-215-4066 takes questions about damaged homes and recovery help; inside Uvalde, the City’s Flood Plain Manager can say whether a lot is in a flood zone.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Uvalde County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.