Unincorporated Hill County

No public evidence was found of a general unincorporated-county building permit program for all construction. Verified county permit controls are narrower. An OSSF permit is required for covered septic work in the unincorporated county. Floodplain approval should be confirmed for work in flood hazard areas.

Note: OSSF work is not generally exempt; use the county/TCEQ process for septic installation, replacement, and related work unless a specific state-law exemption applies.

Building code

No public evidence found that Hill County has adopted a general countywide building code requiring standard building permits for all unincorporated construction.

Permit validity

County OSSF authorization to construct is valid for 1 year from the date of issuance.

Owner-builder

Hill County's public OSSF materials do not publish a local owner-builder summary. Texas state OSSF rules may still allow some homeowner installation in limited circumstances subject to TCEQ rules.

Contractor requirements

OSSF materials require site evaluator and installer information and license numbers; state TCEQ licensing remains applicable for OSSF installers.

1. 01
   First verify the tract is in unincorporated Hill County and not inside a city.
2. 02
   For OSSF work, obtain the Hill County OSSF permit application from Development Services or the county website.
3. 03
   Complete the OSSF package with the application fee, soil/site evaluation, planning materials, recorded affidavit to the public, and maintenance contract if required.
4. 04
   Submit the package to Hill County Development Services at 218 N Waco St, Hillsboro, Texas 76645. The county page states this process is effective January 1, 2026.
5. 05
   Development Services and/or TCEQ review the application. If approved, an authorization-to-construct permit is issued and is valid for 1 year from the date of issuance.
6. 06
   The installer must request a construction inspection from Hill County Development Services and keep the excavation/installation site open until inspection is completed and approved.
7. 07
   If approved, the county states a notice of approval permit/license to operate will be issued to the owner within seven days.
8. 08
   For development in a mapped floodplain, contact the county floodplain administrator before work. No public countywide general floodplain application packet was identified in the reviewed materials.

Typical processing time: For approved OSSF systems, notice of approval permit/license to operate is issued within seven days after approval; no overall application review estimate found

Source: Hill County Development Services ↗

County states Development Services accepts cash, check, and credit/debit cards; credit card convenience fees apply. OSSF payments can also be made through the county's GovPay link.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ (effective 2026-01-01) before budgeting.

• John Crawson or Kathy Smith, Hill County Development Services (phone)

Inspection hours

Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Typical sequence: Submit application and supporting materials, obtain authorization to construct, keep installation open, request construction inspection, then receive notice of approval / license to operate if approved