Willacy County has its own Building Inspector, at the courthouse, 576 W. Main Ave., Raymondville (956-689-3393). The County publishes residential, commercial, electrical, plumbing and gas, mechanical, septic, demolition, manufactured home and moving permit applications; you file them at the Tax Office and pay by cash or check. A new house costs $0.18 per sq ft, and no permit is issued for a lot that is not on a recorded plat.
What needs a county permit in Willacy County?
Building permits
- New homes, additions and remodels
- Commercial buildings
- Garages, carports, storage buildings and boat sheds
- Swimming pools
- Fences and driveways
- Roof replacement and foundation repair
- Fire damage repairs
- Moving a house onto a lot, and manufactured homes
- Demolition
Other county permits
- Electrical, plumbing and gas, and mechanical work
- On-site sewage (septic) systems, new or modified
- Floodplain development permit for any project in the 100-year floodplain
- Underground lines and utilities in county road right-of-way
- Subdivision plats
Starting work or moving a structure in before the permit is approved doubles the fee. A permit can be cancelled if work stops for a year.
Who issues permits in each part of Willacy County?
| Area | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Raymondville, the county seat (about 10,100 residents) | City of Raymondville Permit Department, 142 S. 7th St.; 956-689-2443 ext. 1406. The City’s Code Enforcement handles residential and commercial inspections. |
| Lyford (about 2,200 residents) | City of Lyford Permit Department, which enforces the 2012 International codes and issues the City’s flood plain permit; City Hall 956-347-3512 |
| San Perlita (about 550 residents) | The published sources do not say who issues building permits; ask city hall |
| Unincorporated county | Willacy County Building Inspector, 576 W. Main Ave., Raymondville; office 956-689-3393; fax 956-689-4817 |
| Where to file and pay | Willacy County Tax Office, weekdays 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.; cash or check payable to Willacy County TAC |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The County’s forms do not say whether they apply inside city limits; Raymondville and Lyford both run their own permit offices. A new subdivision inside a city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction needs that city’s approval on the final plat as well as the County’s.
Willacy County permit fees
Fees come from the schedules printed with the County’s permit applications. Every permit carries a $5 processing fee.
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New construction, residential | $0.18 per sq ft |
| New construction, commercial | $0.22 per sq ft |
| Plan review | 25% of the permit fee (residential), 50% (commercial) |
| Remodel, value up to $500 | $45 |
| Remodel, $2,000.01–$25,000 | $80 plus $8.50 per $1,000 over $2,000 |
| Remodel, $25,000.01–$50,000 | $257 plus $6 per $1,000 over $25,000 |
| Remodel, $50,000.01–$100,000 | $370 plus $4.75 per $1,000 over $50,000 |
| Manufactured home | $150 |
| Demolition | $75 residential, $150 commercial |
| House moving (the owner needs a separate permit) | $75 |
| Foundation repair | $60 |
| Driveway | $45 |
| Fence | $15 |
| Re-inspection | $35 an hour, one-hour minimum, or the County’s full hourly cost if higher |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →For example, a 1,500 sq ft house costs $270 for the building permit, plus 25% plan review ($67.50) and the $5 processing fee, before trade permits. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits for a new home are charged by finished area: $56 under 1,000 sq ft and $84 for 1,000 to 2,000 sq ft, each with its own $5 processing fee.
What to submit
The County’s initial checklist for homes and commercial buildings asks for:
- The recorded plat (without it the application cannot be accepted)
- Completed application, copy of the deed and the current tax statement
- Site plan, floor plan and elevations on 8.5x11 or 11x17 sheets, with an engineer’s design where the project needs one
- Elevation certificate and a windstorm bracing plan
The site plan page of the residential form must show every existing and proposed building with its distance to the property lines. Setbacks and finished floor elevations must match the subdivision plat and any deed restrictions, only one single-family home is allowed per lot, and nothing may be built over an easement.
Septic systems and trade permits
Willacy County is the TCEQ-authorized septic agent for the unincorporated county, and a septic permit is required separately from the building permit. Inside the cities, TCEQ’s Harlingen regional office (1804 W. Jefferson Ave.; 956-425-6010) lists itself as the septic permitting authority unless a city has an interlocal agreement. The County’s application names the site evaluator, designer and installer, and the checklist for its designated representative requires at least two soil borings or backhoe pits at opposite ends of the drain field area, dug 2 feet below the planned trench. Soil with less than 24 inches of suitable material under the drain field is treated as unsuitable. Two copies of the construction drawings are needed, and aerobic systems also need scaled drawings, the recorded affidavit and a maintenance agreement.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Electrical, plumbing and gas, and mechanical permits each have their own application; the plumbing form asks for the contractor’s state licence number, and trade fees must be paid before work starts.
How to get a Willacy County building permit
Find the recorded plat; dividing land into residential lots of 5 acres or less outside a city needs a plat under the Model Subdivision Rules.
If the site is in the 100-year floodplain, get an elevation certificate and apply for a floodplain development permit.
Assemble the site plan, floor plan, elevations, windstorm bracing plan, deed and tax statement.
Submit the building, septic and trade applications during the morning or afternoon filing hours and pay by cash or check.
Give the inspection department 48 hours’ notice before pouring the foundation so it can check setbacks and the finished floor elevation.
In a flood zone, final clearance waits for a finished-construction elevation certificate showing the house was built as approved.
Flood, road and subdivision rules
Flood zones: in zones A, AE, AH and AO, the County will not clear a building until the floodplain administrator has approved a development permit with an elevation certificate showing the planned finished floor and the base flood elevation. The inspector’s section of the form records a minimum finished floor height, with a box for 18 inches above a stated reference.
Rather not deal with the Willacy County building department?
Get a free quote →County roads: lines in the right-of-way must be at least 4 feet below the bottom of the roadside ditch, road crossings must be bored or jacked, and open cuts in asphalt need Commissioners Court approval. Crossings of canals and ditches also need the irrigation or drainage district’s permit.
Plat fees: a preliminary plat costs $50 to submit, $350 for review and $100 per lot; a final plat costs the same plus $50 per lot for plan review of the improvements and $50 per lot for county construction inspection. Final plats need drainage district and irrigation district certifications where they apply.
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 →Willacy County official resources
- Willacy County permits and applications
- Checklist for initial application (PDF)
- Residential building permit application and fees (PDF)
- Commercial building permit application (PDF)
- Electrical permit application (PDF)
- Plumbing and gas permit application (PDF)
- Mechanical permit application (PDF)
- Septic (OSSF) application and checklist (PDF)
- Underground and utility permit (PDF)
- Willacy County flood plain ordinance (PDF)
- Subdivision plat checklists (PDF)
- City of Raymondville City Hall
- City of Lyford building permits
Willacy County permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Does Willacy County issue building permits?
Yes. The County Building Inspector handles residential and commercial building permits and trade, septic, demolition, moving and manufactured home permits, filed at the County Tax Office.
How much is a building permit for a new house in Willacy County?
$0.18 per square foot, plus residential plan review of 25% of that fee and a $5 processing fee. Trade and septic permits are extra.
Can I get a permit if my lot is not platted?
No. The County’s checklist says a building permit cannot be issued without a recorded plat.
How do I pay for a Willacy County permit?
By cash or check, payable to Willacy County TAC, at the Tax Office.
Who issues permits in Raymondville and Lyford?
Each city has its own permit department: Raymondville at 142 S. 7th St. and Lyford at City Hall.
When do I call for an inspection?
At least 48 hours before pouring the foundation, so the County can check setbacks and the finished floor elevation.
Simplify Willacy County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Texas. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
Ready to break ground in Willacy County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Willacy County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Willacy County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.