Franklin County, TX — 2026 Building Permit Guide

On this page 6

§ 01

Permit authority

Franklin County Septic Inspector & Designated Representative (OSSF matters); County Clerk / Commissioners Court (platting)

Street address

OSSF office: 204 Texas HWY 37, Mount Vernon, TX 75457; County Courthouse: 200 N. Kaufman Street, Mount Vernon, TX 75457

Phone

Septic Inspector office (903) 537-8346; County main line (903) 537-2342; County Clerk (903) 537-8357

jennifer.cooper@co.franklin.tx.us

Coverage

This section covers unincorporated Franklin County only. No public source reviewed showed a city-style general building permit program for ordinary vertical construction in the unincorporated county.

Website

Department website

Additional resources

§ 02

When a permit is required

Permit triggers and exempt work for Franklin County

No verified public source showed a countywide general building permit requirement for ordinary building construction in unincorporated Franklin County. Verified county controls instead include OSSF permits through the Septic Inspector & Designated Representative and subdivision plat or replat approval through Commissioners Court. If a parcel is in a special district, flood-prone area, county road context, or other regulated setting, applicants should confirm any additional county or special-district approvals directly.

Note: No exempt-work list was found because no public countywide general building permit program was identified in the reviewed sources.

Required documents

For OSSF matters: On Site Septic Facility Permit Application and Permit Checklist (PDFs available on county septic page)
For plats/replats: Signed copies of the plat, agenda coordination, publication steps, tax certificates, and related signatures before Commissioners Court approval

Building code: No public source reviewed showed Franklin County has adopted a countywide general building code for unincorporated areas.
Permit validity: No countywide general building permit expiration rule was found because no general building permit program was identified. No OSSF expiration rule was clearly posted on the reviewed page.
Owner-builder: No county owner-builder rules were found in the reviewed public materials. Texas HB 2833 private-inspection rules may matter where a local residential code-enforcement program applies, but no verified countywide unincorporated Franklin County residential code-enforcement program was found in the reviewed sources.
Contractor requirements: No countywide general contractor licensing program was identified. State licensing still applies to regulated trades such as electrical, plumbing, and similar work.

§ 03

Application process

Typical processing: No general building permit timeline was posted because no general county building permit program was found. The county plat page states applicants must meet Commissioners Court agenda deadlines and complete a two-reading process; OSSF processing time was not posted.

01

Determine whether the parcel is outside municipal limits and whether the project actually triggers a verified county-controlled program. The reviewed public record did not show a general county building permit requirement for ordinary construction.
02

For OSSF or septic work, contact the Franklin County Septic Inspector & Designated Representative and use the posted OSSF permit application and checklist from the county septic page.
03

For platting or replatting, submit the required signed plat copies to the County Clerk, then contact the County Judge office to get on the Commissioners Court agenda for first and second readings.
04

Complete the publication and tax-certificate steps required by the county plat procedure before the second reading.
05

Appear at both Commissioners Court readings through the owner or designated representative.

Typical processing time: No general building permit timeline was posted because no general county building permit program was found. The county plat page states applicants must meet Commissioners Court agenda deadlines and complete a two-reading process; OSSF processing time was not posted.

Source: Franklin County Septic Inspector & Designated Representative (OSSF matters); County Clerk / Commissioners Court (platting) ↗

§ 04

Fee schedule

Franklin County building permit fees

Fee type

Amount

Minimum permit fee

OSSF permit fees: $375 residential and $550 commercial. No countywide general building permit minimum fee was found because no general county building permit program was identified.

Plan check fee

Not publicly posted for a general county building permit. OSSF and plat review fee details beyond the posted OSSF permit fees were not clearly published on the reviewed pages.

Permit fee formula

Flat OSSF permit fees are publicly posted. No public fee formula was found for any countywide general building permit because no such public program was identified.

No online payment portal for county permit items was identified in the reviewed public materials.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.

§ 05

Required inspections

Scheduling and sequence

How to schedule

(903) 537-8346 (phone)

Typical sequence: OSSF inspection coordination appears to run through the Septic Inspector office, but no step-by-step public county inspection procedure was posted on the reviewed page. Verified county materials instead address OSSF administration and subdivision platting.

§ 06

Frequently asked

Common questions about unincorporated Franklin County permits

01 Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Franklin County, TX? ▸

02 How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Franklin County, TX? ▸

Building permit fees in unincorporated Franklin County, TX are set by the local building department and vary by project type and valuation. The minimum permit fee is OSSF permit fees: $375 residential and $550 commercial. No countywide general building permit minimum fee was found because no general county building permit program was identified.. Fees are calculated as: Flat OSSF permit fees are publicly posted. No public fee formula was found for any countywide general building permit because no such public program was identified.. Plan check fee: Not publicly posted for a general county building permit. OSSF and plat review fee details beyond the posted OSSF permit fees were not clearly published on the reviewed pages..

03 How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Franklin County, TX? ▸

To apply for a building permit in unincorporated Franklin County, TX, follow these steps: 1. Determine whether the parcel is outside municipal limits and whether the project actually triggers a verified county-controlled program. The reviewed public record did not show a general county building permit requirement for ordinary construction. 2. For OSSF or septic work, contact the Franklin County Septic Inspector & Designated Representative and use the posted OSSF permit application and checklist from the county septic page. 3. For platting or replatting, submit the required signed plat copies to the County Clerk, then contact the County Judge office to get on the Commissioners Court agenda for first and second readings. 4. Complete the publication and tax-certificate steps required by the county plat procedure before the second reading. 5. Appear at both Commissioners Court readings through the owner or designated representative.

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

Building permit processing times in unincorporated Franklin County, TX typically run No general building permit timeline was posted because no general county building permit program was found. The county plat page states applicants must meet Commissioners Court agenda deadlines and complete a two-reading process; OSSF processing time was not posted.. Timelines can vary based on project complexity and current department workload.

05 How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Franklin County, TX? ▸

Once your permit is issued and work reaches an inspection milestone, you can schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Franklin County, TX via: (903) 537-8346.

last verified April 2026 source Franklin County Septic Inspector & Designated Representative (OSSF matters); County Clerk / Commissioners Court (platting) ↗ entry id permits/texas/franklin/unincorporated

Report a correction

Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Franklin County Septic Inspector & Designated Representative (OSSF matters); County Clerk / Commissioners Court (platting) before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.

Unincorporated Franklin County