In unincorporated Wharton County, the Permit & Inspection Department at 315 E. Milam, Suite 102, Wharton (979-532-8587) issues the county development permit, reviews flood zones, permits septic systems and assigns rural 9-1-1 addresses. The County publishes no building code and no house building permit; El Campo, Wharton and East Bernard issue their own building permits. Call ahead for an appointment, because the inspector is out on inspections every day.
What needs a county permit in Wharton County?
County permits and reviews
- Wharton County Development Permit for building outside the cities, with a flood zone determination
- On-site sewage facility (septic) permit for every system, whatever the size of the tract
- Permit to repair or rebuild a flood-damaged building in a flood zone
- Drainage review of subdivisions over 6 lots, commercial and industrial sites, creek crossings and pipelines
- Subdivision plats, approved by Commissioners Court
- Rural 9-1-1 address
- Culverts, utility work and heavy loads in county road right-of-way, through the precinct
Not a county permit
- Building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits for rural homes: the County publishes no building code
- Work inside El Campo, Wharton or East Bernard, which the cities permit
- Repairs after a flood on property the County confirms is outside the flood zone
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in each part of Wharton County?
| Area | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| El Campo (about 12,100 residents) | City of El Campo Inspections & Planning Department issues building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits inside city limits |
| Wharton, the county seat (about 8,800 residents) | City of Wharton Code Enforcement Department, 120 E. Caney St., 979-532-2491; it registers contractors and issues building permits through its MyGov portal, and the City has no zoning |
| East Bernard (about 2,300 residents) | City of East Bernard, City Hall, 704 Church St., 979-335-6558: building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit applications and contractor registration, emailed to the deputy clerk; floodplain permits and 9-1-1 addresses stay with the County |
| Unincorporated county | Wharton County Permit & Inspection Department, 315 E. Milam, Suite 102, Wharton; 979-532-8587; fax 979-532-8947; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment |
| Drainage | Wharton County Drainage Department, 315 E. Milam, Suite 101; 979-532-9470; Monday to Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| County road right-of-way | Precinct 1: 979-532-1991; Precinct 2: 979-335-7541; Precinct 3: 979-543-0091; Precinct 4: 979-543-3561 |
New subdivisions inside a city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction follow that city’s rules instead of the County’s: half a mile around East Bernard and one mile around El Campo and Wharton. The County’s septic rules do not cover land inside the cities unless a city has a contract with the County: TCEQ lists the County as septic agent for the unincorporated county and the City of East Bernard, and its Houston regional office (713-767-3683) names the City of Wharton among the cities it may serve.
Septic system rules in Wharton County
The County’s septic order, approved by the state in January 2011, is stricter than the state minimum in several ways:
- Every new system needs a permit, regardless of acreage.
- A licensed installer must build the system; owners may not install their own unless they hold an installer licence.
- Spray (surface application) systems may only spray between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
- Low pressure dosing systems are sized for one more bedroom than the house has.
- Aerobic systems carry a maintenance policy for the first two years, recorded with an affidavit in the county deed records; after that an owner may maintain a home system only after an approved course or with a Class D wastewater licence, reporting every four months.
- Installers and maintenance companies must register with the Permit & Inspection Department before working in the county.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →The application asks for the site evaluator, designer and installer with their licence numbers, the water supply, the house size and the number of bedrooms. A $10 state research fee is collected with each permit, and the County publishes a list of septic contractors.
Wharton County fees
The County does not post its development or septic permit fee amounts. The fees it does publish are for plats and engineering drainage review:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Subdivision plat | $75 plus $30 per sheet and $3 per single-family lot |
| Short form plat (qualifying divisions of 4 lots or fewer) | $30 |
| Drainage review, subdivision of 7 to 24 lots | $3,500 |
| Drainage review, each lot over 25 | $50 extra |
| Drainage review, commercial or industrial site up to 10 acres | $3,500, plus $100 per extra acre |
| Third and later drainage reviews | $1,000 each |
| Creek crossing design review | $2,500 |
| CLOMR or LOMR review | $3,000 |
The drainage review fee, set by Commissioners Court on September 14, 2020, is charged on top of the development permit fee, and a project must comply with the drainage ordinance before the development permit is issued. The first fee covers two rounds of review.
What drainage review needs
Site development submittals must be about 90% complete plans with a location map, site plan, grading and existing topography, a drainage area map and plan, the floodplain boundary if the site is in it, the direction of overland flow before and after, drainage calculations, fill areas and depths, and any detention pond. Pipeline projects add plan and profile sheets and any above-ground facilities. Each round of comments must be answered in the resubmittal.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to build outside the cities
Use the County’s interactive web map to see whether the lot is inside El Campo, Wharton or East Bernard, in a city’s ETJ, or in a flood zone.
Send the plat at least 30 days before the court date to the precinct commissioner, the County Engineer, the County Attorney, Permit & Inspection and 9-1-1 Addressing, with septic planning materials.
Call 979-532-8587 to set an appointment with Permit & Inspection.
Bring the site details, any drainage review the project needs, and the septic application signed by the owner.
Request the rural address and order the reflective address sign; arrange any driveway culvert with your precinct.
The septic application authorizes County staff to enter the property in daylight hours to inspect the system.
Flood rules and lot sizes
After a flood: a permit is required before repairing or rebuilding a building in a flood zone. If repairs, counting labor and materials, cost more than 50% of the structure’s value on the appraisal district roll, the building is substantially damaged and must be raised to or above the base flood elevation on the current map (effective April 2006), demolished or moved. Bring your repair estimates to the office. If the County confirms your address is outside the flood zone, no repair permit is needed and the address is recorded for future reference.
Rather not deal with the Wharton County building department?
Get a free quote →New homes in a flood zone: the lowest floor must be at or above the base flood elevation, certified by an engineer, architect or surveyor.
Lot sizes in new subdivisions: 1 acre and 125 feet wide with a private well and septic; half an acre and 100 feet wide with public water and septic; 8,400 sq ft with 70 feet of frontage when both public water and sewer are available. Each lot may have only one single-family home.
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 →Wharton County official resources
- Wharton County Permits & Inspections and 9-1-1 Addressing
- Septic (OSSF) permit application (PDF)
- County OSSF order (PDF)
- Septic contractors list (PDF)
- Master Subdivision Policy, 2023 (PDF)
- Drainage review fee ordinance, 2020 (PDF)
- Drainage check list and permit contacts (PDF)
- Flood damage prevention ordinance (PDF)
- Rebuilding or repairing after a flood (PDF)
- Wharton County Drainage Department
- City of Wharton building permits
- City of El Campo Inspections & Planning
- City of East Bernard permits and forms
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
Wharton County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a building permit to build a house in rural Wharton County?
The County has no building code or house building permit, but it requires a county development permit with a flood zone check, and a septic permit if the house is not on a sewer.
Who issues building permits in El Campo, Wharton and East Bernard?
Each city issues its own: El Campo through its Inspections & Planning Department, Wharton through its Code Enforcement Department and East Bernard at City Hall (979-335-6558).
Can I install my own septic system in Wharton County?
No, unless you are a licensed installer. The County requires a licensed installer for every system.
Do I need a permit to repair my house after a flood?
Yes, if it is in a flood zone. The County compares your repair estimates with the appraised value to decide whether the building must be elevated.
How small can a rural lot be?
One acre, at least 125 feet wide, when the lot will have its own well and septic system.
Where is the Wharton County permit office?
315 E. Milam, Suite 102, Wharton (979-532-8587), open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call ahead for an appointment.
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More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Wharton County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.