Unincorporated Bandera County

County controls are narrower than a city building department: floodplain development permits, OSSF/septic permits and inspections, and subdivision/land-development approvals. No general countywide building permit for ordinary vertical construction was found in public sources. The development permit application states it applies to Bandera County Floodplain Management Regulations only.

Note: No public exempt-work list was found for unincorporated Bandera County. The county does not publish a countywide general building permit program for all ordinary construction, so there is no county equivalent of a city exempt-work list in reviewed sources.

Building code

No public county adoption of a general building code program for all unincorporated construction was found. Bandera County has adopted local OSSF rules based on 30 TAC Chapters 30 and 285, a Flood Damage Prevention Court Order adopted April 9, 2020, and subdivision and land development regulations effective January 11, 2024.

Permit validity

No public expiration rule was found for county development permits or OSSF permits in reviewed sources.

Owner-builder

No general owner-builder rule was found for ordinary construction because no public countywide general building permit program was identified.

Contractor requirements

No public countywide contractor-registration program was found for general building contractors. For OSSF work, contractor roles and classifications are regulated by state law, including registered installers and, for certain system types, planning materials prepared by a registered sanitarian or professional engineer.

1. 01
   Determine which county-controlled approval applies: floodplain development permit, OSSF/septic permit, or subdivision/land-development approval.
2. 02
   Obtain a 911 address first. A 911 address must be assigned to proceed with a county development permit.
3. 03
   Submit the applicable County Engineer form with site information and supporting documents. For floodplain development, provide area map or survey and copy of deed.
4. 04
   If the project lies within an identified flood hazard area, submit plans and specifications. If within a delineated floodway, submit a no-rise letter signed and sealed by a licensed professional engineer.
5. 05
   For OSSF work, submit the residential or commercial septic permit application with required planning materials.
6. 06
   For subdivision work, follow the county's published subdivision process: informal meeting(s), sketch plan, application and preliminary plan, preliminary plat/construction plans, final plat and bond, and recording/constructing the subdivision.
7. 07
   County-regulated work proceeds through applicable approval and inspection steps. OSSF systems require inspection and approval before final covering.

Typical processing time: No public processing-time estimate was found for development permits, OSSF permits, or subdivision approvals.

Source: County Engineer - Permits and Inspections, Bandera County ↗

County Engineer page includes online payment link at govpay.net. Public county site does not show self-service permit filing portal.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ (effective May 2024) before budgeting.

• 830-796-3175 (County Engineer office) (phone)

Scheduling deadline

For OSSF inspections, applicant or registered installer must notify the county's designated representative at least 5 working days before the inspection is needed.

Inspection hours

County Engineer office hours: Monday-Thursday 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM; closes at noon Friday. Permits and Inspections office hours: Monday-Thursday 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM; closes at noon Friday.

Typical sequence: For OSSF systems, inspection and approval are required before final covering. Applicant or registered installer must be present. If property is in special flood hazard area, final foundation elevation certificate is required before OSSF license to operate is issued.

Source: County Engineer - Permits and Inspections, Bandera County ↗