How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Howard County, TX?

The minimum permit fee is $75-$500 depending on permit type. Fees are calculated as: OSSF new residential installation: $210.00; voluntary preliminary plat review: $350.00; final plat / MHRC with 1 to 10 lots or spaces: base fee $500.00 plus $100.00 per lot / space / divided part; variance request/application fee: $75.00; certificate of approved plat: $75.00; inspection fees for developments outside city limits and ETJ: 1% of the cost of public improvements or private roadway with public easements; road / driveway agreement form: $400 non-refundable administration fee.. Plan check fee: No separate county plan-check fee for ordinary building permits was found because no countywide general building-permit program was found..

How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Howard County, TX?

Inspections can be scheduled via: Contact the OSSF office at least 5 working days in advance to arrange inspection, Road & Bridge / County Engineer office. OSSF: contact office at least 5 working days in advance..

County Building Permits

Howard County, TX - 2026 Building Permit Guide

How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Howard County, Texas. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.

Texas Updated March 2026

Permit Authority

This section covers only unincorporated Howard County. Howard County's public record supports narrower regulatory programs for OSSF, county-road ROW / driveway access, floodplain development, subdivision and MHRC platting, utility-connection certificates, and 911 addressing. No countywide city-style building permit program for routine residential or commercial building construction in unincorporated areas was found.

Department: Howard County Road & Bridge / County Engineer; Howard County OSSF Office; Howard County 911 Addressing
Address: Road & Bridge / OSSF: 3604 Old Colorado City Road, Big Spring, TX 79720; County Courthouse / County Judge: 300 Main Street, Big Spring, TX 79720
Phone: Road & Bridge / OSSF: (432) 264-2208; 911 Addressing: (432) 264-2266; County Judge: (432) 264-2202
Email: OSSF: permits@howardcountytx.gov , 911 Addressing: howardcnty911address@howardcountytx.com
Website: https://www.co.howard.tx.us/

Online Permit Portal

Open Official Payments

Platform: Official Payments • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only

Additional resources:

Application Process

Determine whether the project is actually in unincorporated Howard County and whether it triggers one of the county's verified limited controls: 911 addressing, OSSF / septic, county-road driveway or ROW use, floodplain development, subdivision platting, or MHRC review.
Obtain a 911 address if needed. The county states new house, agriculture, septic, building, and driveway permits are among the reasons for requesting a county 911 address.
For OSSF work, submit the completed OSSF application, technical information, planning materials, site and soil evaluation, directions to the site, and fee to the Howard County OSSF Office.
For county-road access or ROW work, submit the applicable Road & Bridge permit / agreement form to the County Road and Bridge Engineer.
For subdivision or MHRC development, submit the plat or development plan, supporting documents, and fees to the county in compliance with the 2023 Subdivision and Manufactured Home Rental Community Regulations.
Complete county-required inspections where applicable. OSSF installation must be inspected before covering. Subdivision and roadway improvements are also subject to county inspection fees and review.
Do not begin work until the applicable county authorization is issued. The OSSF packet expressly states not to begin construction until receipt of the Notice of Approval / Authorization to Construct.

Typical processing time: OSSF: after a successful inspection, the packet states a Notice of Approval and permit will be issued to the owner within approximately 5 working days. Voluntary preliminary plat: written comments are due within 10 working days. No broader county processing-time estimate was found for road permits or floodplain review.

Source: Howard County Road & Bridge / County Engineer; Howard County OSSF Office; Howard County 911 Addressing

General Requirements

No public source reviewed established a countywide general building permit requirement for ordinary building construction in unincorporated Howard County. Verified county permit and approval triggers include: OSSF / septic installation or modification; county-road driveway and other ROW use permits; floodplain development compliance under the county Flood Damage Prevention Order; subdivision plat approval and MHRC development review; utility-connection certificates for certain subdivisions; 911 addressing needed for new house, agriculture, septic, building, or driveway permit purposes.

Required Documents

OSSF application packet: site evaluation, planning materials, construction drawing, installer drawing, technical information sheet, directions to the site, and fee
Residential driveway and commercial driveway forms: Right of Way Use and Indemnification Agreement and Section III Driveway Permit Application
Subdivision filings: completed application form and fee, proof of taxes paid, title opinion or deed or title insurance, bond where applicable, variance documentation if applicable, and groundwater / water-availability documentation where applicable

Permit validity: OSSF Authorization to Construct is valid for one year from the date of issuance. No public expiration rule was identified for county driveway permits or floodplain approvals.
Building code: No countywide adopted building code for general construction was publicly identified. The subdivision regulations encourage developers to use nationally accepted building codes, but that language is advisory. Floodplain, subdivision, and OSSF controls are the verified county regulatory programs.
Owner-builder: No general county owner-builder rule was publicly posted for routine building construction. Because no countywide general building-inspection program for ordinary vertical construction was found, Texas HB 2833 private-inspection issues may matter only in narrower project contexts or where another jurisdiction's code program applies.
Contractor requirements: No countywide general contractor licensing or registration program was publicly identified for ordinary building construction. OSSF documents require licensed / registered site evaluators, designers, and installers as applicable under state OSSF rules.

Fees

Minimum permit fee: $75-$500 depending on permit type
Plan check fee: No separate county plan-check fee for ordinary building permits was found because no countywide general building-permit program was found.
Permit fee formula: OSSF new residential installation: $210.00; voluntary preliminary plat review: $350.00; final plat / MHRC with 1 to 10 lots or spaces: base fee $500.00 plus $100.00 per lot / space / divided part; variance request/application fee: $75.00; certificate of approved plat: $75.00; inspection fees for developments outside city limits and ETJ: 1% of the cost of public improvements or private roadway with public easements; road / driveway agreement form: $400 non-refundable administration fee.
Reinspection fee: OSSF: reinspection fee equals one-half of the permit amount each time the system must be reinspected, payable by the installer. No public dollar penalty schedule was identified for floodplain or road permits.
Payment note: Subdivision regulations require payment by cashier's check or money order, payable to Howard County, submitted in person or by mail to the Office of the County Road and Bridge Engineer, except filing / recording fees paid to the County Clerk. OSSF packet states all fees are non-refundable and payable to Howard County.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Howard County Road & Bridge / County Engineer; Howard County OSSF Office; Howard County 911 Addressing to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

Contact the OSSF office at least 5 working days in advance to arrange inspection (phone)
Road & Bridge / County Engineer office (in-person)

Scheduling deadline: OSSF: contact office at least 5 working days in advance.
Inspection hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: OSSF: plan review -> Authorization to Construct -> installation -> inspection before covering -> successful inspection -> Notice of Approval / permit issued. County driveway permits: submit agreement and application -> county conditions / notice to proceed -> construction -> final county acceptance or rejection as completed. Subdivision / MHRC: county review and fee payment -> approval / plat process -> inspection of street, road, and drainage improvements where applicable.

Additional Resources

Building code: No countywide adopted building code for general construction was publicly identified. The subdivision regulations encourage developers to use nationally accepted building codes, but that language is advisory. Floodplain, subdivision, and OSSF controls are the verified county regulatory programs.
County Home
County Contact Page
Road Administrator / County Engineer
OSSF Office
911 Addressing
Flood Damage Prevention Order
Subdivision Regulations
Plat Application Information Sheet
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 Howard County Road & Bridge / County Engineer; Howard County OSSF Office; Howard County 911 Addressing before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Howard County Building Permit FAQ

Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Howard County, TX?: No public source reviewed established a countywide general building permit requirement for ordinary building construction in unincorporated Howard County. Verified county permit and approval triggers include: OSSF / septic installation or modification; county-road driveway and other ROW use permits; floodplain development compliance under the county Flood Damage Prevention Order; subdivision plat approval and MHRC development review; utility-connection certificates for certain subdivisions; 911 addressing needed for new house, agriculture, septic, building, or driveway permit purposes.
How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Howard County, TX?: The minimum permit fee is $75-$500 depending on permit type. Fees are calculated as: OSSF new residential installation: $210.00; voluntary preliminary plat review: $350.00; final plat / MHRC with 1 to 10 lots or spaces: base fee $500.00 plus $100.00 per lot / space / divided part; variance request/application fee: $75.00; certificate of approved plat: $75.00; inspection fees for developments outside city limits and ETJ: 1% of the cost of public improvements or private roadway with public easements; road / driveway agreement form: $400 non-refundable administration fee.. Plan check fee: No separate county plan-check fee for ordinary building permits was found because no countywide general building-permit program was found..
How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Howard County, TX?: 1. Determine whether the project is actually in unincorporated Howard County and whether it triggers one of the county's verified limited controls: 911 addressing, OSSF / septic, county-road driveway or ROW use, floodplain development, subdivision platting, or MHRC review. 2. Obtain a 911 address if needed. The county states new house, agriculture, septic, building, and driveway permits are among the reasons for requesting a county 911 address. 3. For OSSF work, submit the completed OSSF application, technical information, planning materials, site and soil evaluation, directions to the site, and fee to the Howard County OSSF Office. 4. For county-road access or ROW work, submit the applicable Road & Bridge permit / agreement form to the County Road and Bridge Engineer. 5. For subdivision or MHRC development, submit the plat or development plan, supporting documents, and fees to the county in compliance with the 2023 Subdivision and Manufactured Home Rental Community Regulations. 6. Complete county-required inspections where applicable. OSSF installation must be inspected before covering. Subdivision and roadway improvements are also subject to county inspection fees and review. 7. Do not begin work until the applicable county authorization is issued. The OSSF packet expressly states not to begin construction until receipt of the Notice of Approval / Authorization to Construct.
How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Howard County, TX?: Typical processing time is OSSF: after a successful inspection, the packet states a Notice of Approval and permit will be issued to the owner within approximately 5 working days. Voluntary preliminary plat: written comments are due within 10 working days. No broader county processing-time estimate was found for road permits or floodplain review..
How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Howard County, TX?: Inspections can be scheduled via: Contact the OSSF office at least 5 working days in advance to arrange inspection, Road & Bridge / County Engineer office. OSSF: contact office at least 5 working days in advance..

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Important: This page is an educational resource provided by jaspector.com. It is not legal advice, and it does not substitute for official guidance from the permit authority listed above. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing department before beginning any construction project. Use of this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Jaspector assumes no liability for any outcomes arising from reliance on this information.

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