Victoria County’s own development guidelines say the county has adopted no building code and issues no building permits or certificates of occupancy in the unincorporated area. What it does permit goes through the Victoria County Public Health Department’s Environmental Services Division at 2805 N. Navarro, Victoria (361-578-6281): septic systems ($285 for a home, inspections included), floodplain development and storm water. Since January 1, 2026 the County Fire Marshal also requires permits and plan review for commercial construction, remodels and changes of occupancy. Land in the City of Victoria’s ETJ follows the City’s development process, and the City permits buildings inside its limits.
What needs a permit in unincorporated Victoria County?
County permit needed
- Installing, replacing or repairing a septic system
- Any development in the Special Flood Hazard Area: homes, commercial buildings, septic systems, fill or excavation
- New commercial buildings, commercial remodels, tenant finish-outs and changes of occupancy (Fire Marshal)
- Installing, changing or removing fire sprinklers, fire alarms or other fire protection systems
- A driveway into a county road right-of-way (precinct commissioner)
- Dividing land into tracts of 10 acres or less outside the City’s ETJ (plat under the county’s Development Standards)
No county permit
- A building permit or certificate of occupancy for a home or other building
- County zoning approval, since the county has no zoning order
Water well permits come from the Victoria County Groundwater Conservation District, manufactured home installation falls under the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, and driveways onto state highways are permitted by TxDOT’s Victoria County Area Engineer (361-572-5214).
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Victoria County?
| Office | What it handles |
|---|---|
| Victoria County Public Health Department, Environmental Services Division (Floodplain Administration), 2805 N. Navarro, Suite 106, Victoria, TX 77901; 361-578-6281; fax 361-579-6348 | Septic permits and inspections, floodplain determinations and development permits, the county storm water program |
| Victoria County Fire Marshal’s Office, 25 N. Hangar Dr., Victoria, TX 77904; 361-579-9103; fmpermits@vctx.org. Open Monday to Friday, 7 to 11 a.m. and noon to 4 p.m. | Commercial plan review, permits and fire inspections; fire protection system permits |
| County Judge and Commissioners, 115 N. Bridge Street, Victoria; 361-575-4558 | Driveway permits in county right-of-way, through the commissioner of the precinct |
| Golden Crescent Regional Planning Commission, 1908 N. Laurent St., Suite 600A, Victoria; 361-578-1587 | New 911 addresses and checks of existing ones |
The City of Victoria and its ETJ
Victoria is the county’s only incorporated city. Its Development & Permitting Center at 700 Main Center, Suite 128 (361-485-3320) issues building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and sign permits inside city limits. Under an interlocal agreement, property in the City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction follows the City’s Development Services processes, and any plat or subdivision in the city limits or the ETJ is filed with the City; Planning Services is on 361-485-3360. Bloomington, Placedo and the county’s other communities are unincorporated and fall under the county rules above.
Victoria County permit fees
| Permit or service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Septic permit, residential (state fee, floodplain review, application, permit, inspections and notice of approval included) | $285 |
| Septic permit, commercial (same inclusions) | $385 |
| Septic re-inspection | $100 |
| Floodplain development permit, residential | $75 |
| Floodplain development permit, commercial | $100 |
| Floodplain information request (map and determination letter) | $25 |
| Fire Marshal commercial building permit, any occupancy | $100 per 1,000 sq ft, rounded up |
| Fire Marshal site/civil plan review only | $150 |
| Fire Marshal work without a permit | $350 plus the permit fee |
| Fire Marshal re-inspection | $50 first, $75 second, $100 third and later |
| Certificate of Compliance change of owner or business name | $100 |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →A 9,200 sq ft commercial building, for example, rounds up to 10,000 sq ft and pays $1,000 in Fire Marshal building fees. Fire Marshal fees are non-refundable and are paid by check, money order or credit card before the work they cover begins; a missed or late-cancelled inspection is charged as a re-inspection.
Septic systems in Victoria County
Victoria, Calhoun and DeWitt Counties are each TCEQ authorized agents for septic systems, and all three have agreed to let the Victoria County Public Health Department’s Environmental Services Division run the program, which has six licensed designated representatives. The same office therefore takes Calhoun septic applications ($80) and DeWitt applications ($130).
A licensed soil and site evaluator must first assess the site. The application then follows the department’s OSSF Application Packet, with the planning materials the state rules require; incomplete applications are not processed. The department approves or denies an application within 30 days and issues an Authorization to Construct. Non-standard or proprietary systems need a design by a professional engineer or registered sanitarian and a Class II installer, unless the homeowner installs the system. A homeowner may install a standard system for their own home if nobody is paid for any of the labor.
Call in the inspection no later than the 5th working day before the system is to start operating. Rental, commercial, multi-family and variance systems need an ongoing maintenance contract; the owner of a single-family home may maintain their own.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What the Fire Marshal needs for commercial work
Commercial plan review uses NFPA 1 (Fire Code) and NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code) as the minimum standards. Submit the permit application, the fee and one set of plans as a single PDF on a USB drive; work may not begin until the stamped, approved plans are back.
- Site and civil plans first: fire lanes at least 24 ft wide from a public way (26 ft aerial lanes for buildings over 30 ft tall), turning radii of 20 ft inside and 50 ft outside, two access points or one at least 30 ft wide, and hydrants within 400 ft of every part of the building.
- Construction plans once the site plan is approved: code analysis cover sheet, architectural plans with a life safety plan, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing plans. Buildings over 5,000 sq ft need plans sealed by a professional engineer or registered architect.
- Separate permits for the underground fire line, sprinklers, fire alarm, hood suppression, fuel tanks, electronic access and emergency responder radio coverage.
- Pre-submittal meeting for new construction over 12,000 sq ft.
How to permit a project in Victoria County
Inside Victoria or its ETJ, start with the City’s Development Services; elsewhere the county rules apply.
Request or verify the 911 address through the Golden Crescent Regional Planning Commission.
Send the Request Floodplain Information form with $25 to Floodplain Administration; if the site is in the flood hazard area, apply for a floodplain development permit.
Have a site evaluation done and file the OSSF application with Environmental Services; wait for the Authorization to Construct.
For a business building, remodel or change of occupancy, submit site plans and then construction plans to the Fire Marshal and wait for the permit.
Call in the septic inspection at least five working days ahead and book Fire Marshal progress, system and final inspections.
Rather not deal with the Victoria County building department?
Get a free quote →Floodplain, platting and utilities
Floodplain: Victoria County takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program. Its floodplain development permit (April 2013 form) requires the lowest finished floor and the electrical service, pumps and air conditioning units to be raised 2 ft above the base flood elevation, an elevation certificate from a Texas-licensed surveyor or engineer, and engineer letters on utilities and foundations. Fill or excavation needs before-and-after topographic surveys, and sites disturbing 1 acre or more must provide the TCEQ construction site notice. The permit expires 180 days after issue unless extended. An RV in a flood hazard area must stay road-ready, be under 400 sq ft and be used no more than 180 days. FEMA issued preliminary flood maps for the county in 2022.
Platting: outside the City’s ETJ, dividing land into tracts of 10 acres or less needs a plat under the Victoria County Development Standards, which also set road and drainage rules.
Water and sewer: the county’s guidelines list Victoria County WID #1 for the Bloomington area (361-897-1011), WID #2 for Placedo (361-237-1066), Quail Creek MUD (361-572-0810) and private utilities serving the Brentwood and North Park Estates subdivisions.
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 →Victoria County official permit resources
- Victoria County Development & Permit Guidelines (January 2025)
- Victoria County development regulations and permits
- Victoria County Floodplain Administration
- Victoria County on-site sewage facility program
- Septic and floodplain fee schedule
- Victoria County Fire Marshal permits
- Fire Marshal building permit and commercial occupancy fees (2026)
- Fire Marshal new construction submittal requirements
- City of Victoria Development Services
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Victoria County permit FAQ
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Does Victoria County issue building permits?
No. The county has adopted no building code and issues no building permits or certificates of occupancy in the unincorporated area. Septic, floodplain, storm water and commercial fire permits still apply.
How much is a septic permit in Victoria County?
$285 for a residential system and $385 for a commercial one, with the state fee, floodplain review and inspections included. A re-inspection costs $100.
How do I find out if my property is in the floodplain?
Send the Request Floodplain Information form with the $25 fee to Floodplain Administration, 2805 N. Navarro, Suite 106 (361-578-6281). You receive a map and a determination letter.
Do commercial projects need a county permit?
Yes. Since January 1, 2026 new commercial construction, remodels, finish-outs and changes of occupancy need a Fire Marshal permit and plan review, at $100 per 1,000 sq ft.
Who handles property in the City of Victoria’s ETJ?
The City. Under an interlocal agreement, ETJ property follows the City of Victoria’s Development Services processes, and plats there are filed with the City.
Who permits septic systems in Calhoun and DeWitt Counties?
The same Environmental Services Division in Victoria, by agreement; the permit fee is $80 in Calhoun County and $130 in DeWitt County.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Victoria County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.