Wood County has no building department and no county building permit for homes outside city limits. Its permit work is a $25 floodplain development permit from the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management office in Quitman (903-763-2356), septic permits from the County’s on-site sewage facility inspector (903-763-5308), and subdivision plats under rules revised on May 26, 2026. Mineola, Quitman, Hawkins and Winnsboro issue their own building permits.
What needs county approval in Wood County?
County permits and approvals
- Floodplain development permit for new buildings, substantial improvements, fill or changes to a natural waterway or drainage course in a flood hazard area
- On-site sewage facility (septic) permit
- Subdivision plats and revisions, approved by Commissioners Court
- Infrastructure approval for manufactured home, mobile home, tiny home and RV rental communities
Not a county permit
- Building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits for rural homes: the County publishes none
- Building permits inside Mineola, Quitman, Hawkins, Winnsboro and the other towns
- Driveways onto US, state and farm-to-market highways, which need a TxDOT permit
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues permits in each part of Wood County?
| Area | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Mineola (about 5,500 residents) | City of Mineola Building / Code Enforcement Services, which issues building permits and certificates of occupancy under the 2015 International Building Code; 300 Greenville Highway, 903-569-6183 |
| Winnsboro (Wood County part, about 2,900 residents) | City of Winnsboro, City Hall at 501 S. Main Street, 903-342-3654: residential, commercial and trade permit packets and inspection requests; open Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday mornings |
| Quitman, the county seat (about 2,100 residents) | City of Quitman; its Code of Ordinances requires a city building permit before any building is built, enlarged, altered or demolished |
| Hawkins (about 1,900 residents) | City of Hawkins, City Hall at 200 N. Beaulah, 903-769-2224, which publishes its own building permit form; weekdays 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| Yantis (about 440 residents) | The City adopted the 2021 International codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code in April 2022 but posts no permit procedure; ask City Hall, 903-383-2610 |
| Alba (Wood County part, about 510 residents) | The City’s website directs building permit applications to City Hall, 145 S. Broadway, 903-765-2396 |
| Unincorporated county | Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (floodplain administrator), P.O. Box 938, Quitman; 903-763-2356. On-site sewage facility inspector, 903-763-5308 |
Most of Winnsboro lies in Wood County and a smaller part in Franklin County; the City’s permit packets cover both. TCEQ lists Wood County as the septic agent for the unincorporated county and the Sabine River Authority for land within 2,000 ft of the Lake Fork Reservoir project boundary, where the Authority (Quitman, 903-878-2262) issues septic permits instead of the County. Inside the towns TCEQ lists no local agent; its Tyler regional office (903-535-5100) names Mineola and Quitman among the cities it may serve.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Wood County fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Floodplain development permit | $25 (valid one year) |
| Subdivision plat, 1–10 lots | $400 |
| Subdivision plat, 11–20 lots | $800 |
| Subdivision plat, 21 or more lots | $1,200 |
The County does not post its septic permit fee. Floodplain permits must be renewed if the work is not finished within a year.
What a new Wood County subdivision needs
The 2026 checklist for a new subdivision or a new phase lists:
- Completed application and lienholder acknowledgment with a copy of the deed of trust
- Original certified tax certificate from the Wood County Tax Office
- A letter from the County’s OSSF office on septic permitting, backed by a full environmental development plan by a registered sanitarian or professional engineer (site plan, topographic map, 100-year floodplain map, soil survey, wells and easements); near Lake Fork the letter comes from the Sabine River Authority
- A stormwater pollution prevention plan if 1 acre or more will be cleared or disturbed
- Will-serve letters from the water supply corporation and the electric supplier
- A letter from the city if the land is within 1 mile of its city limits
- A preliminary plat emailed by the surveyor before the final plat; then one mylar and three signed, notarised paper copies, no larger than 18 by 24 inches
- An engineer’s drainage report and county-standard construction if the County is to maintain the roads; private roads must be marked on the plat
- TCEQ groundwater certification if wells will supply the lots
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to build on rural land in Wood County
Inside Mineola, Quitman, Hawkins or Winnsboro, apply to the city for the building permit.
If the site is in a flood hazard area, file the County’s development permit application with the FIRM zone, panel and base flood elevation, and pay the $25 fee.
Call the County OSSF inspector at 903-763-5308, or the Sabine River Authority if the land is in the Lake Fork area.
Splitting land into a subdivision goes through the Subdivision Coordinator and Commissioners Court under the May 2026 rules.
County road matters go to the Road and Bridge office for your precinct; state highways need a TxDOT driveway permit.
Lot sizes and rental communities
Lots in new single-family subdivisions on septic must have at least half an acre of usable land when public water serves them, or 1 acre without public water; easements and rights-of-way do not count. Manufactured housing communities and multi-unit developments on septic that rent or lease spaces must submit a sewage disposal plan by a professional engineer or sanitarian, with total flow on the tract no more than 5,000 gallons a day. Since May 26, 2026, manufactured home, mobile home, tiny home and RV rental communities follow separate County infrastructure development standards.
Rather not deal with the Wood County building department?
Get a free quote →Precinct Road and Bridge offices: Precinct 1, 903-878-2238; Precinct 2, 903-569-6351; Precinct 3, 903-857-2311; Precinct 4, 903-629-7317.
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 →Wood County official resources
- Wood County Fire Marshal and Emergency Management
- Floodplain development permit application (PDF)
- Wood County subdivision regulations and forms
- 2026 Wood County Subdivision Rules and Regulations (PDF)
- New or phased subdivision checklist, 2026 (PDF)
- Wood County directory
- City of Mineola Building / Code Enforcement
- City of Winnsboro permits and forms
- City of Hawkins building permit
- City of Quitman Code of Ordinances
- TCEQ on-site sewage facility permits
Wood County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit to build a house in rural Wood County?
The County publishes no building permit for homes outside the towns. You may still need a $25 floodplain development permit and a septic permit.
Who issues building permits in Winnsboro?
The City of Winnsboro, at City Hall, 501 S. Main Street (903-342-3654), which publishes residential, commercial and trade permit packets.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who handles septic permits near Lake Fork?
Within 2,000 ft of the reservoir’s project boundary, the Sabine River Authority (903-878-2262); elsewhere in the unincorporated county, the Wood County on-site sewage facility inspector (903-763-5308).
How small can a rural lot be in a new subdivision?
Half an acre of usable land with public water and septic, or 1 acre where there is no public water.
How much does it cost to plat a subdivision in Wood County?
$400 for 1 to 10 lots, $800 for 11 to 20 lots and $1,200 for 21 or more.
Simplify Wood 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 Wood County sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Wood County permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Texas permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Wood County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.