Comanche County, TX - 2026 Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Unincorporated areas of Comanche County only. Verify parcel is not within city limits or ETJ before relying on county-only rules.

Department

Comanche County

Address

Comanche County Courthouse, 101 W Central Avenue, Comanche, TX 76442

Phone

325-356-2466

Website

https://www.co.comanche.tx.us/

Application Process

1. Determine whether the property is in unincorporated Comanche County and not inside city limits. If a parcel lies near a city boundary, verify city and ETJ status before relying on county-only rules.
2. Do not assume a county general building permit exists. The reviewed public record did not show a countywide building permit application for ordinary residential or commercial construction.
3. If the project involves dividing land outside a municipality, follow the county subdivision regulations. The regulations require platting in the covered circumstances and state construction is prohibited without an approved application under that subdivision program.
4. Prepare the subdivision application materials required by the regulations. The regulations call for plats and supporting materials including utility consultations, paid tax certificate, 911 addressing consultation, groundwater certification in applicable cases, and engineering drainage information unless waived.
5. If the project uses an on-site sewage facility, file the county OSSF application and submit the required technical information, site evaluation, and planning materials. The OSSF application states: 'DO NOT BEGIN CONSTRUCTION PRIOR TO APPLICATION APPROVAL.'
6. For OSSF work, obtain authorization to construct, then schedule the required county inspection. The authorization letter in the county form packet instructs the owner or installer to contact the county inspector 5 working days prior to completion to schedule inspection.
7. For rural residential construction outside a documented county permit program, evaluate whether Texas HB 2833 private-inspection rules matter for the project team, lender, insurer, or buyer. That is a state-law overlay, not proof of a county building department.

Typical processing time: The Commissioners Court or its designee will approve, reject, or conditionally approve the application and notify the applicant in writing.

Source: Comanche County

General Requirements

No clearly documented countywide general building permit requirement for ordinary vertical construction was found. Verified county controls from the reviewed sources include subdivision plat approval for covered land division activity and OSSF permits for new construction and modification of on-site sewage facilities.

Required Documents

• For subdivision activity: plat application materials and supporting documents
• For OSSF work: owner and site details, technical information, site evaluation, and planning materials; OSSF planning materials must be prepared by a professional engineer or professional sanitarian and include overall site plan, topographic map, 100-year floodplain map, soil survey, location of water wells, and locations of easements

Permit validity

For OSSF authorization to construct, the county form states the authorization is valid for 1 year from the date of issue. If a final inspection has not been performed within 1 year, a new application and fee will be required.

Building code

No clearly posted countywide building code adoption for ordinary vertical construction was found in the reviewed county sources.

Owner-builder

No county-specific owner-builder rule for a general building permit program was found in the reviewed sources. HB 2833 private-inspection considerations may matter for some unincorporated residential projects, but that is a state-law overlay rather than proof of a county permit office.

Contractor requirements

No public county contractor registration or local contractor licensing program was found for ordinary construction. The county OSSF packet expects site evaluator, designer, and installer information and registration-license fields.

Fees

Permit fee formula

The subdivision regulations include an appendix fee schedule, but the OCR text available through the reviewed source did not clearly expose the specific fee amounts. The OSSF application packet contains an 'Amount' field and states the appropriate fee must be received.

Penalty (no permit)

The OSSF application warns that unauthorized construction can result in civil or administrative penalties, but no public countywide general building reinspection fee schedule was found.

Payment note

The OSSF authorization form states the application, related technical information, and the appropriate fee must be received by Comanche County before authorization to construct is granted.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Comanche County to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Contact county inspector Mack Thedford (phone)

Scheduling deadline

For OSSF work, contact the county inspector 5 working days prior to completion to schedule the required facility inspection.

Typical inspection sequence: For OSSF work, the packet shows application and approval, authorization to construct, installation inspection, and issuance of the operating permit after satisfactory completion. For subdivision infrastructure, the regulations require final inspection by commissioners before issuance of a certificate of compliance.

Additional Resources

• Building code: No clearly posted countywide building code adoption for ordinary vertical construction was found in the reviewed county sources.
• Subdivision Regulations
• On-Site Sewage Facility Application
• Texas Building Codes and Permits FAQ
• License lookup guide: Texas Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Texas Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Texas hub: Texas Contractor License & Permit Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

Comanche County Building Permit FAQ

Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Comanche County, TX?

No clearly documented countywide general building permit requirement for ordinary vertical construction was found. Verified county controls from the reviewed sources include subdivision plat approval for covered land division activity and OSSF permits for new construction and modification of on-site sewage facilities.

How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Comanche County, TX?

Fees are calculated as: The subdivision regulations include an appendix fee schedule, but the OCR text available through the reviewed source did not clearly expose the specific fee amounts. The OSSF application packet contains an 'Amount' field and states the appropriate fee must be received..

How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Comanche County, TX?

1. Determine whether the property is in unincorporated Comanche County and not inside city limits. If a parcel lies near a city boundary, verify city and ETJ status before relying on county-only rules. 2. Do not assume a county general building permit exists. The reviewed public record did not show a countywide building permit application for ordinary residential or commercial construction. 3. If the project involves dividing land outside a municipality, follow the county subdivision regulations. The regulations require platting in the covered circumstances and state construction is prohibited without an approved application under that subdivision program. 4. Prepare the subdivision application materials required by the regulations. The regulations call for plats and supporting materials including utility consultations, paid tax certificate, 911 addressing consultation, groundwater certification in applicable cases, and engineering drainage information unless waived. 5. If the project uses an on-site sewage facility, file the county OSSF application and submit the required technical information, site evaluation, and planning materials. The OSSF application states: 'DO NOT BEGIN CONSTRUCTION PRIOR TO APPLICATION APPROVAL.' 6. For OSSF work, obtain authorization to construct, then schedule the required county inspection. The authorization letter in the county form packet instructs the owner or installer to contact the county inspector 5 working days prior to completion to schedule inspection. 7. For rural residential construction outside a documented county permit program, evaluate whether Texas HB 2833 private-inspection rules matter for the project team, lender, insurer, or buyer. That is a state-law overlay, not proof of a county building department.

How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Comanche County, TX?

Typical processing time is The Commissioners Court or its designee will approve, reject, or conditionally approve the application and notify the applicant in writing..

How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Comanche County, TX?

Inspections can be scheduled via: Contact county inspector Mack Thedford. For OSSF work, contact the county inspector 5 working days prior to completion to schedule the required facility inspection..