County Building Permits
Goliad County, TX - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Goliad County, Texas. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Unincorporated Goliad County. The county maintains specialized permit programs for OSSF/septic systems, subdivision regulation, and floodplain/environmental compliance rather than a general county building permit for all construction.
- Department
- Office of Emergency Management & Environmental Quality Services
- Address
- Goliad County Courthouse, 127 N Courthouse Square, Goliad, TX 77963
- Phone
- 361-645-3337
Application Process
- Determine whether the project is in unincorporated Goliad County and whether it triggers one of the county's verified permit or approval programs, especially OSSF or subdivision review.
- For OSSF work, obtain the county application and have a licensed site evaluator perform the mandatory soil-identification procedure.
- Have the appropriate planning materials prepared. Professional design by a registered sanitarian or professional engineer is required for proprietary and non-standard systems.
- Submit the completed application and technical information sheet to the Office of Emergency Management and Environmental Services in the property owner's name, together with the fee, planning materials, site and soil evaluation, and accurate directions to the site.
- County Environmental Services reviews the submission. Non-standard system plans may also be reviewed by TCEQ staff in Austin.
- If approved, the county issues an Authorization to Construct.
- After installation begins, request inspection before the system is covered. After successful inspection, the county issues a Notice of Approval.
Typical processing time: The county says the Authorization to Construct is valid for one year from issuance. After successful inspection, the county says a Notice of Approval is issued within approximately 5 business days. The county requires at least 3 business or working days' advance notice to arrange an inspection.
Source: Office of Emergency Management & Environmental Quality Services
General Requirements
No public county source reviewed documents a general building permit requirement for all unincorporated construction. The verified county permit requirement is for OSSF or septic system installation through Environmental Services. The county subdivision regulations also require plat review outside municipalities and state that subdivision plats must comply with floodplain regulations and on-site sewerage facility regulations.
Required Documents
- Completed OSSF application
- One copy of the application form
- Planning materials
- Site and soil evaluation
- Accurate directions to the installation site
- Permit validity
- The county's OSSF permitting process states the Authorization to Construct is valid for one year from the date of issuance.
- Building code
- No countywide building code adoption or public county general building-code program was identified in the reviewed sources. The verified county regulatory materials instead address OSSF permitting under county Environmental Services and subdivision regulation under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 232.
- Owner-builder
- The county's OSSF process says the application is submitted in the property owner's name.
- Contractor requirements
- For OSSF, the county requires a licensed site evaluator for the soil-identification procedure and states that proprietary and non-standard systems require professional design by a registered sanitarian (R.S.) or registered engineer (D.E.). The county publishes a list of septic installers and certified OSSF inspectors.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $300
- Permit fee formula
- Flat-fee OSSF schedule: $300 for single-family residential OSSF sites.
- Reinspection fee
- Residential site reinspection is $150. Commercial site reinspection is $200.
- Penalty (no permit)
- Unpaid citations accrue an additional $100 per day after 30 days.
- Payment note
- All fees must be paid by personal check, cashier's check, or money order payable to Goliad County Environmental Service Department. No cash or credit card payments are accepted.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule (effective March 16, 2026).
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Office of Emergency Management & Environmental Quality Services to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Call the Office of Goliad County Environmental Office at 361-405-1874 (Inspector: Maritza Watkins) (phone)
- Scheduling deadline
- At least 3 business or working days in advance to arrange inspection.
- Inspection hours
- Monday through Thursday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM; Friday, 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Typical inspection sequence: For OSSF work, submit application and technical documents, obtain Authorization to Construct, install the system, request inspection before covering, pass inspection, and then receive Notice of Approval.
Additional Resources
- Building code: No countywide building code adoption or public county general building-code program was identified in the reviewed sources. The verified county regulatory materials instead address OSSF permitting under county Environmental Services and subdivision regulation under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 232.
- Office of Emergency Management & Environmental Quality Services
- OSSF Fines Adjustments
- 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 Office of Emergency Management & Environmental Quality Services before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Goliad County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Goliad County, TX?
- No public county source reviewed documents a general building permit requirement for all unincorporated construction. The verified county permit requirement is for OSSF or septic system installation through Environmental Services. The county subdivision regulations also require plat review outside municipalities and state that subdivision plats must comply with floodplain regulations and on-site sewerage facility regulations.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Goliad County, TX?
- The minimum permit fee is $300. Fees are calculated as: Flat-fee OSSF schedule: $300 for single-family residential OSSF sites..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Goliad County, TX?
- 1. Determine whether the project is in unincorporated Goliad County and whether it triggers one of the county's verified permit or approval programs, especially OSSF or subdivision review. 2. For OSSF work, obtain the county application and have a licensed site evaluator perform the mandatory soil-identification procedure. 3. Have the appropriate planning materials prepared. Professional design by a registered sanitarian or professional engineer is required for proprietary and non-standard systems. 4. Submit the completed application and technical information sheet to the Office of Emergency Management and Environmental Services in the property owner's name, together with the fee, planning materials, site and soil evaluation, and accurate directions to the site. 5. County Environmental Services reviews the submission. Non-standard system plans may also be reviewed by TCEQ staff in Austin. 6. If approved, the county issues an Authorization to Construct. 7. After installation begins, request inspection before the system is covered. After successful inspection, the county issues a Notice of Approval.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Goliad County, TX?
- Typical processing time is The county says the Authorization to Construct is valid for one year from issuance. After successful inspection, the county says a Notice of Approval is issued within approximately 5 business days. The county requires at least 3 business or working days' advance notice to arrange an inspection..
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Goliad County, TX?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: Call the Office of Goliad County Environmental Office at 361-405-1874 (Inspector: Maritza Watkins). At least 3 business or working days in advance to arrange inspection..
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