Outside the cities, Walker County’s Planning & Development Department at 1313 University Avenue, Huntsville (936-436-4939) issues a development permit for all development, whether or not the land is in a flood zone: $100 for a single-family home, and $100 plus 5 cents per square foot for commercial and multi-family projects. A home on a septic system also needs a $210 on-site sewage permit from the same office. The county permit is tied to its floodplain and septic regulations, and property in Huntsville, New Waverly or Riverside is permitted by that city.
What needs a county permit in Walker County?
County development permit
- New site-built homes and manufactured homes
- Recreational vehicles placed as new construction
- Commercial, industrial and multi-family buildings, paving and parking
- Non-residential accessory buildings such as garages and storage buildings
- Substantial improvements (work worth more than 50% of the structure’s value)
- Placing fill or altering a natural waterway or drainage course
- Electric service only, for non-residential sites
Other county approvals
- An on-site sewage (septic) permit, filed together with the development permit
- A 911 address before any permit is issued
- A driveway culvert permit under the county’s culvert regulations
- A plat under the Walker County Subdivision Regulations when land is subdivided
- Mobile home parks under the county’s park regulations
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The development permit is issued for compliance with the Walker County Floodplain Regulations and must be in hand before construction starts on improved or unimproved land outside the cities; the septic permit covers the county’s on-site sewage rules and the TCEQ’s.
Who issues permits in Walker County?
| Office | What it handles |
|---|---|
| Walker County Planning & Development, 1313 University Ave., Huntsville, TX 77340; 936-436-4939; fax 936-436-4938. Open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m.; permits processed 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m. | Development (floodplain) permits, septic permits, 911 addressing, GIS mapping, subdivision plats, driveway culverts, environmental investigations |
| Walker County Clerk, Deed Records Room, Courthouse Room 103; 936-436-4924 | Copies of the deed needed for a permit; filing the aerobic septic affidavit |
| San Jacinto River Authority | Septic permits within 2,075 ft of Lake Conroe, outside city limits |
| Trinity River Authority | Septic permits around Lake Livingston, its islands and land within 2,000 ft of the 131-ft contour |
| TCEQ Region 12 office, Houston; 713-767-3683 | Septic permits inside New Waverly, Riverside and any other city in the county except Huntsville |
Who issues building permits in each city
- Huntsville: the City’s Development Services issues building permits for new structures, additions, alterations and finish-outs, and the TCEQ lists the City as the septic permitting agent inside its limits; 936-294-5717 or permits@huntsvilletx.gov. For land within two miles of Huntsville, the county asks first for the City’s Development Permit, a Certificate of Compliance that the City issues for its limits and its ETJ (936-294-5782; allow up to 7–10 business days).
- New Waverly: the City uses a third-party provider for all residential and commercial permitting and inspections. Download the City’s application, submit it to the provider, then pay the fees at City Hall, 200 Gibbs Street (936-344-6621, Monday to Thursday 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.), once the permit is approved.
- Riverside: the published sources do not say who issues building permits; ask City Hall, 2352 FM 980 (936-594-2520).
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Walker County permit fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Development permit, single-family residential | $100 |
| Development permit, commercial, industrial or multi-family | $100 plus 5 cents per sq ft of development and 1.5 cents per sq ft of paving and parking |
| Septic permit, single-family residential | $210 |
| Septic permit, commercial or multi-family | $510 plus 25 cents per gallon of design flow above 500 gallons |
| Aerobic system affidavit to the public (paid to the County Clerk) | $26 |
A new home on a conventional septic system therefore pays $310 to the county. The office takes checks, money orders and credit cards made out to the Walker County Treasurer, and does not accept cash.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to bring to the permit office
- A 911 address. If the site has none, file the 911 Address Request Form first; it takes about 7–10 business days, and someone must collect a wooden stake from the office and place it where the driveway will be.
- A copy of the deed, either a gift deed or a warranty deed with the volume and page stamped on it. A deed of trust is not accepted.
- Photo ID. Only the owner named on the deed can apply, unless you bring the owner’s notarized permission.
- A site drawing labelling the road and north, with two perpendicular measurements in feet locating the development on the lot.
- A floor plan of the house, manufactured home or commercial building.
- Septic design where a new system is needed; a replacement house served by an unchanged system uses the OSSF change of structure form instead.
- The Certificate of Compliance from the City of Huntsville, for land within two miles of the city.
Plan on 30 to 45 minutes at the counter to complete the permit. An application lapses 180 days after it is filed, and a permit 180 days after it is issued unless the county extends it in writing; a rejected application’s fee is not refunded.
How to get a Walker County permit
If the land is inside Huntsville, New Waverly or Riverside, apply to that city instead.
Get the City of Huntsville’s Certificate of Compliance before going to the county.
Complete the request form and set the stake at the driveway location.
For a new or changed system, have the design ready; near Lake Conroe or Lake Livingston, check whether the river authority issues the septic permit.
Bring the deed, ID, site drawing, floor plan and payment to 1313 University Avenue during the permit hours.
Get a culvert permit for the driveway, and a plat approval first if the tract is being subdivided.
Rather not deal with the Walker County building department?
Get a free quote →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
Walker County official permit resources
- Walker County Planning & Development
- Walker County permit application packet and fees
- Walker County 911 addressing
- Walker County flood plain management
- Walker County on-site wastewater
- Walker County subdivision and land development
- Walker County driveway culvert regulations
- City of Huntsville building permits
- City of New Waverly permits
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Walker County permit FAQ
Do I need a permit to build a house in unincorporated Walker County?
Yes. Every development outside the cities needs a county development permit, $100 for a single-family home, issued under the county’s floodplain regulations. A septic permit is $210 more.
Who can apply for the county permit?
Only the owner named on the deed, with photo ID, unless the owner gives you notarized permission. The deed must be a gift or warranty deed, not a deed of trust.
How long does a 911 address take?
About 7 to 10 business days, and you must collect a stake from the office and place it at the driveway site.
I am near Huntsville. What do I need first?
Within two miles of the City of Huntsville, get the City’s Certificate of Compliance (allow up to 7–10 business days) before applying to the county.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who permits septic systems near Lake Conroe or Lake Livingston?
The San Jacinto River Authority within 2,075 ft of Lake Conroe, and the Trinity River Authority around Lake Livingston; the county handles the rest of the unincorporated area. Inside Huntsville the City permits septic systems, and in New Waverly and Riverside TCEQ’s Houston regional office does.
Who issues permits in New Waverly?
The City, through a third-party provider that handles plan review and inspections; fees are paid at City Hall, 200 Gibbs Street, after approval.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Walker County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.