County Building Permits
Falls County, TX - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Falls County, Texas. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Unincorporated Falls County. Public county materials reviewed do not show a general city-style building permit program. Verified county controls are narrower and include OSSF/septic permitting, subdivision rules, and road cut policy materials.
- Department
- Falls County Clerk for OSSF permit intake
- Address
- Falls County Courthouse, 125 Bridge Street, Room 201, Marlin, TX 76661
- Phone
- 254-883-1408
Application Process
- Obtain the Falls County OSSF application packet from the county forms page or the County Clerk's Office.
- Have a site and soil evaluation performed and have planning materials prepared; proprietary and non-standard systems require professional design.
- Submit the completed application, technical information sheet, deed or property verification, planning materials, site and soil evaluation, directions to the site, and permit fee to the Falls County Clerk's Office.
- The Falls County designated representative reviews the plans and application.
- If approved, the county issues an Authorization to Construct.
- Build the system and request inspection before the system is covered, giving at least 5 working days' notice.
- After passing inspection, the county issues a Notice of Approval.
Typical processing time: Notice of Approval issued about 5 working days after a successful inspection; inspection request requires at least 5 working days' advance notice.
General Requirements
Verified county permit requirement found for on-site sewage facilities. Public county materials reviewed did not show a general permit requirement for ordinary building construction in unincorporated Falls County. County forms also publish subdivision rules and a road cut policy, which are narrower development controls rather than a full building department program.
Required Documents
- OSSF application
- Technical information sheet
- Deed or other legal-description backup
- Site and soil evaluation
- Planning materials and drawings
- Accurate directions
- Applicable fee
- Permit validity
- OSSF Authorization to Construct is valid for 1 year from issuance.
- Building code
- No countywide building code adoption or general county building code program was identified in the reviewed Falls County materials.
- Owner-builder
- Not stated in the reviewed county materials.
- Contractor requirements
- OSSF packet requires licensed site evaluator and installer information; proprietary and non-standard systems require professional design.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $325.00
- Permit fee formula
- Flat by OSSF type; $325 single residential excluding aerobic, $475 all other systems including commercial, multi-family, and aerobic, plus $19 affidavit-to-public fee where applicable.
- Reinspection fee
- One-half of the permit amount for each reinspection.
- Payment note
- Homeowner fees must be paid by cashier's check or money order; fees are non-refundable.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Falls County Clerk for OSSF permit intake to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Contact the county office (phone)
- Scheduling deadline
- Inspection request must be made at least 5 working days in advance.
Typical inspection sequence: Authorization to Construct, installation, inspection before covering, Notice of Approval after passing inspection.
Additional Resources
- Building code: No countywide building code adoption or general county building code program was identified in the reviewed Falls County materials.
- Verify contractor license: Texas TDLR License Lookup
- County Forms Page
- County Clerk Page
- County Judge Page
- License lookup guide: Texas Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Texas Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Texas hub: Texas Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Falls County Clerk for OSSF permit intake before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Falls County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Falls County, TX?
- Verified county permit requirement found for on-site sewage facilities. Public county materials reviewed did not show a general permit requirement for ordinary building construction in unincorporated Falls County. County forms also publish subdivision rules and a road cut policy, which are narrower development controls rather than a full building department program.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Falls County, TX?
- The minimum permit fee is $325.00. Fees are calculated as: Flat by OSSF type; $325 single residential excluding aerobic, $475 all other systems including commercial, multi-family, and aerobic, plus $19 affidavit-to-public fee where applicable..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Falls County, TX?
- 1. Obtain the Falls County OSSF application packet from the county forms page or the County Clerk's Office. 2. Have a site and soil evaluation performed and have planning materials prepared; proprietary and non-standard systems require professional design. 3. Submit the completed application, technical information sheet, deed or property verification, planning materials, site and soil evaluation, directions to the site, and permit fee to the Falls County Clerk's Office. 4. The Falls County designated representative reviews the plans and application. 5. If approved, the county issues an Authorization to Construct. 6. Build the system and request inspection before the system is covered, giving at least 5 working days' notice. 7. After passing inspection, the county issues a Notice of Approval.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Falls County, TX?
- Typical processing time is Notice of Approval issued about 5 working days after a successful inspection; inspection request requires at least 5 working days' advance notice..
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Falls County, TX?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: Contact the county office. Inspection request must be made at least 5 working days in advance..
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