Washington County’s own “Do I need a permit?” list says no building or electrical permits are required for a new build or an addition in the unincorporated county. What does need a county permit is filed online through MGO with Engineering and Development Services and its Environmental Health division at 3650 Highway 36 North, Brenham: a septic permit on any size of tract ($325 for a home), a floodplain permit, a culvert permit for a driveway onto a county road ($625 for a 20–30 ft residential drive), a utility permit in county right-of-way and a plat or variance for subdividing. Brenham and Burton handle building permits inside their limits, but septic permits stay with the county everywhere.
Do I need a permit in Washington County?
County permit required
- Building in the floodplain (floodplain permit)
- Installing, replacing, repairing or adding to a septic system, regardless of acreage
- A driveway fronting a county-maintained road (culvert permit)
- Utilities in county right-of-way, such as pipeline crossings or sewer lines
- Subdividing a tract (subdivision application or variance letter)
- Prescribed burns while a burn ban is in effect
No county permit
- A new house or other new building in the unincorporated county
- An addition to an existing structure
- Electrical work
- Routine septic maintenance such as pumping the tank
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in Washington County?
| Office | What it handles |
|---|---|
| Engineering and Development Services, 3650 State Highway 36 N, Brenham, TX 77833; 979-277-6275; wcrboffice@washingtoncountytx.gov; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. County Engineer: Wesley Stolz, PE. | Driveway and culvert permits, utility permits in county right-of-way, subdivision plats and variances, 911 addresses and signs, the 626-mile county road system |
| Environmental Health (a division of Engineering and Development Services), same address; 979-277-6290; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays | Septic permits for the whole county, floodplain determinations and development permits in the unincorporated area, maintenance provider registration, prescribed burn permits |
Brenham and Burton
- Brenham (home of the county courthouse): the City’s Development Services department at City Hall, 200 W. Vulcan Street (979-337-7220), handles building permits and inspections, planning, engineering and fire marshal review inside city limits, and answers floodplain questions for city property.
- Burton: the City’s code compliance page has no permit information yet. City Hall is at 12200 E. Mulberry Street (979-289-3402); the county directs Burton floodplain questions to the City Secretary at 979-289-3400 or burtonsecr@cityofburton-tx.gov.
The TCEQ lists Washington County as the septic permitting agent for the entire county, so a septic system inside Brenham or Burton is still permitted by county Environmental Health.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Washington County permit fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Septic permit, single-family residential | $325 |
| Septic permit, non-profit / multi-unit or non-residential | $425 / $525 |
| Septic re-inspection | $150 |
| Floodplain determination permit, single-family / non-profit / multi-unit or non-residential | $325 / $425 / $525 |
| Residential driveway, 20–30 ft wide | $625 |
| Residential driveway, 31–40 ft wide | $875 |
| Culvert extension, up to 40 ft wide | $50 per linear foot |
| Commercial driveway, over 40 ft wide | $150 |
| Driveway inspection where no culvert is required | $50 |
| 911 address application / address sign | No fee / $5 |
| Minor plat / final plat | $100 / $1,250 plus $50 per lot |
| Infrastructure review | $750 plus $5 per acre |
| Variance request | $100 |
| Oil and gas pipeline or sanitary sewer crossing of county right-of-way | $300 |
| Violation | $100 per violation, per occurrence |
The office takes cash, checks, money orders and debit or credit cards other than American Express; card payments carry a processing fee charged by Certified Payments.
Septic rules in Washington County
Environmental Health permits every new, altered, repaired or enlarged septic system in the county before work begins, whatever the size of the property. Applications go through MGO. The county’s septic order, amended in 2025 with stricter local rules, adds these requirements:
- Lots created after the order took effect and not on central sewer must be at least 1 acre with public water, or 1.5 acres without it.
- A tiny home, cabin, casita, cottage or park model RV is sized as a single-family dwelling.
- An existing tank reused in a new permit must have been pumped by a registered hauler within the last five years, with the manifest supplied by final inspection.
- Drainfield pipe must be rated for at least 3,000 lb crush; spray heads run only between midnight and 5 a.m. and stay 25 ft from buildings and property lines and 75 ft from streams, ponds and other water.
- More than one dwelling per acre, or a commercial or multi-unit system, is capped at 440 gallons per day per acre and needs a matching reserve area.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Maintenance providers working in the county must register with Environmental Health, free of charge, and contracts are accepted only from registered providers. Homeowners may take over maintenance of their own aerobic system after the first two years, but can be made to hire a provider after two violations in 12 months.
How to permit a rural project in Washington County
Inside Brenham, start with the City’s Development Services; inside Burton, call City Hall.
Look the property up on the county’s Engineering and Development Services web map or FEMA’s map service; if the work touches the floodplain, a floodplain permit is needed first.
Have a designer size it, using 12 months of water records if you are on a public water system, and file the septic application on MGO.
Apply on MGO for the culvert permit before cutting a drive onto a county road.
Read the Subdivision and Development Regulations adopted March 31, 2026, book a pre-application meeting with Engineering and Development Services, submit electronically, answer review comments, then file hard copies for approval: minor plats by the County Engineer, final plats by Commissioners Court.
No county building or electrical permit is needed for the house itself outside the cities.
Rather not deal with the Washington County building department?
Get a free quote →Floodplain details
Washington County takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program, so a permit and authorization are needed before any development relating to the floodplain begins in the unincorporated county. The application, fee and planning materials go to Environmental Health for review first. Maps are on the county’s Engineering and Development Services web map (layer “Washington County Floodplain”), the appraisal district map and FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center, and Base Level Engineering estimates of flood elevations and depths cover some areas of the county. Development in wetlands may also need U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval.
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 →Washington County official permit resources
- Washington County Engineering and Development Services
- Washington County Environmental Health (septic and floodplain)
- MGO Connect permit applications for Washington County
- Engineering and Development Services fee schedule
- Washington County rules for on-site sewage facilities (2025)
- Washington County flood damage prevention order
- Washington County Subdivision and Development Regulations (adopted March 31, 2026)
- City of Brenham Development Services
- City of Burton
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Washington County permit FAQ
Do I need a building permit for a new house in rural Washington County?
No. The county states that no building or electrical permits are required for new builds or additions in the unincorporated area. Septic, floodplain and driveway permits still apply.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →How much is a septic permit in Washington County?
$325 for a single-family home, $425 for a non-profit and $525 for multi-unit or non-residential systems; a re-inspection is $150.
Do I need a septic permit on a large tract?
Yes. Every new, altered, repaired or enlarged system needs a permit regardless of acreage.
How much is a driveway permit on a county road?
$625 for a 20–30 ft residential driveway and $875 for 31–40 ft, plus $50 per linear foot for a culvert extension.
Who issues permits in Brenham?
The City of Brenham’s Development Services department at City Hall, 200 W. Vulcan Street (979-337-7220). Septic systems there are still permitted by the county.
How do I apply for county permits?
Online through MGO Connect; septic, floodplain, prescribed burn, driveway and right-of-way permits are all filed there.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Washington County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.