County Building Permits
Hardin County, TX - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Hardin County, Texas. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Hardin County unincorporated areas. The county documents floodplain and related permit controls for unincorporated areas. Verified county permits include electrical service, manufactured home placement, residential and commercial development, culverts, solar panels, subdivisions, and industrial tower/pipeline permits.
- Department
- Hardin County Floodplain Administration
- Address
- Hardin County Floodplain Office, 225 Crocker St, Kountze, TX 77625
- Phone
- (409) 246-5250
Online Permit Portal
Platform: • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Determine which county permit applies using the county permits page and download the matching application.
- Complete the application with applicant, property, and project information. Residential development and electrical forms both warn that no work may start until the permit is issued.
- If the site is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, provide the additional floodplain materials required by the county.
- Pay the applicable fee to Hardin County.
- County Floodplain Administration reviews the application and may perform inspections to verify compliance.
- Begin work only after permit issuance.
General Requirements
Verified county triggers include electrical service before utility service, manufactured home placement before placement, residential and commercial development before development begins, culverts, landscape culverts, residential solar panels, subdivisions before development starts, and industrial tower/pipeline activity.
Required Documents
- Application form
- Project description
- Site address
- Applicant and owner information
- Builder information where applicable
- Floodplain forms if in Special Flood Hazard Area
- Additional materials depending on permit type
- Permit validity
- Residential development and electrical permits expire if no work is commenced within six months of issuance.
- Building code
- No countywide general building code adoption was found on the county permit page. County regulation is floodplain-based and permit-specific.
- Owner-builder
- County forms collect builder information but do not publish separate owner-builder rules on the cited pages.
- Contractor requirements
- No countywide contractor licensing rule was found on the county permits page. Some permit types require installer-specific conditions, such as solar permit fees payable by company check from the installer.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $30.00
- Permit fee formula
- Mixed: flat fees for electrical service ($30), manufactured home placement ($100 per home), culvert ($50 per culvert), landscape culvert ($50 per 10 ft), solar panel installation ($100), subdivision ($500 plus $50 per lot); residential development is square-foot-based at $100 for first 1,000 square feet and $25 per each additional 100 square feet.
- Payment note
- County forms list check, cash, credit card, and money order fields. Residential solar permit fees must be paid by company check by the installer. Some development permit fees may be waived depending on intended use.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Hardin County Floodplain Administration to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
Typical inspection sequence: County forms authorize reasonable inspections by the local administrator or representative; specific sequence not publicly documented.
Additional Resources
- Building code: No countywide general building code adoption was found on the county permit page. County regulation is floodplain-based and permit-specific.
- Hardin County Floodplain Order
- Floodplain Administration
- Subdivisions
- 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 Hardin County Floodplain Administration before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hardin County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Hardin County, TX?
- Verified county triggers include electrical service before utility service, manufactured home placement before placement, residential and commercial development before development begins, culverts, landscape culverts, residential solar panels, subdivisions before development starts, and industrial tower/pipeline activity.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Hardin County, TX?
- The minimum permit fee is $30.00. Fees are calculated as: Mixed: flat fees for electrical service ($30), manufactured home placement ($100 per home), culvert ($50 per culvert), landscape culvert ($50 per 10 ft), solar panel installation ($100), subdivision ($500 plus $50 per lot); residential development is square-foot-based at $100 for first 1,000 square feet and $25 per each additional 100 square feet..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Hardin County, TX?
- 1. Determine which county permit applies using the county permits page and download the matching application. 2. Complete the application with applicant, property, and project information. Residential development and electrical forms both warn that no work may start until the permit is issued. 3. If the site is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, provide the additional floodplain materials required by the county. 4. Pay the applicable fee to Hardin County. 5. County Floodplain Administration reviews the application and may perform inspections to verify compliance. 6. Begin work only after permit issuance.
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