County Building Permits
Jeff Davis County, TX - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Jeff Davis County, Texas. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
All unincorporated areas of Jeff Davis County, including Fort Davis CDP and surrounding unincorporated territory. Floodplain administration through County Judge; OSSF permitting through TCEQ Region 6 (El Paso office) where no local jurisdiction is authorized.
- Department
- Office of the County Judge (Floodplain Administration) and TCEQ Region 6 (OSSF Permitting)
- Address
- Jeff Davis County Courthouse, 100 Court Avenue, Fort Davis, TX 79734
- Phone
- (432) 426-3968
Online Permit Portal
Platform: TCEQ OARS (for OSSF only) • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Application Process
- Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Jeff Davis County and not inside the Town of Valentine.
- Determine whether the work is ordinary vertical construction, floodplain-related, or OSSF/septic work. The county does not publish a clear general building permit program for ordinary construction.
- For floodplain questions, contact the County Judge (listed floodplain administrator). No public floodplain permit form or ordinance is published on the county website.
- For OSSF work, identify the permitting authority through TCEQ OARS or county-region lookup. TCEQ Region 6 (El Paso office) is the permitting authority where no local jurisdiction has been authorized.
- For OSSF applications, submit the application and planning materials to the applicable permitting authority. Arrange a required preconstruction site evaluation by a licensed site evaluator or professional engineer.
- The OSSF permitting authority must approve or deny the application within 30 days of receipt.
Typical processing time: 30 days for OSSF permit review. No county floodplain processing-time estimate was found.
Source: Office of the County Judge (Floodplain Administration) and TCEQ Region 6 (OSSF Permitting)
General Requirements
No public county general building permit requirement was found for ordinary construction in unincorporated Jeff Davis County. OSSF/septic systems require a permit and approved plan to construct, alter, repair, extend, and operate. Floodplain permits are administered by the County Judge.
Required Documents
- For OSSF: Application and planning materials submitted to the applicable TCEQ permitting authority, plus a site evaluation by a licensed site evaluator or professional engineer
- Permit validity
- No county general building permit rule found. No county floodplain permit validity rule found. OSSF permit validity rules are set by the applicable permitting authority.
- Building code
- No public countywide building code adoption was found on the official county website.
- Owner-builder
- TCEQ states an owner may install their own OSSF only if the permitting authority allows it, the system serves a single-family dwelling the owner owns, the owner also owns the property, no part of the property will be developed for sale or lease, and all permitting, construction, and maintenance requirements are met.
- Contractor requirements
- No county contractor registration or contractor license program was found. OSSF installers are regulated under state licensing rules.
Fees
- Permit fee formula
- No public county general building, floodplain, or OSSF fee schedule was published.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Office of the County Judge (Floodplain Administration) and TCEQ Region 6 (OSSF Permitting) to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Inspection hours
- County Judge office hours: Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM; Friday 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM; Friday afternoon by appointment.
Typical inspection sequence: No public county building inspection sequence was found. No public county floodplain inspection sequence was found. OSSF inspections depend on the applicable permitting authority and the approved system plan.
Additional Resources
- Building code: No public countywide building code adoption was found on the official county website.
- Jeff Davis County Home Page
- Jeff Davis County Contact Page
- TCEQ OSSF Permits
- TCEQ OARS Permitting Authority Lookup
- Floodplain Administrator Directory
- 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 the County Judge (Floodplain Administration) and TCEQ Region 6 (OSSF Permitting) before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jeff Davis County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Jeff Davis County, TX?
- No public county general building permit requirement was found for ordinary construction in unincorporated Jeff Davis County. OSSF/septic systems require a permit and approved plan to construct, alter, repair, extend, and operate. Floodplain permits are administered by the County Judge.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Jeff Davis County, TX?
- Fees are calculated as: No public county general building, floodplain, or OSSF fee schedule was published..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Jeff Davis County, TX?
- 1. Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Jeff Davis County and not inside the Town of Valentine. 2. Determine whether the work is ordinary vertical construction, floodplain-related, or OSSF/septic work. The county does not publish a clear general building permit program for ordinary construction. 3. For floodplain questions, contact the County Judge (listed floodplain administrator). No public floodplain permit form or ordinance is published on the county website. 4. For OSSF work, identify the permitting authority through TCEQ OARS or county-region lookup. TCEQ Region 6 (El Paso office) is the permitting authority where no local jurisdiction has been authorized. 5. For OSSF applications, submit the application and planning materials to the applicable permitting authority. Arrange a required preconstruction site evaluation by a licensed site evaluator or professional engineer. 6. The OSSF permitting authority must approve or deny the application within 30 days of receipt.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Jeff Davis County, TX?
- Typical processing time is 30 days for OSSF permit review. No county floodplain processing-time estimate was found..
- What work is exempt from building permits in unincorporated Jeff Davis County, TX?
- The following work is generally exempt: The 10 acre rule may exempt some OSSF systems if all TCEQ conditions are met; Emergency OSSF repairs may not require a permit if reported to the permitting authority in writing within 72 hours after repairs begin; Some grandfathered OSSFs may not need a permit if they meet TCEQ stated conditions. Note: No public exempt-work list was found for general county construction because no public countywide building permit program was identified. OSSF exemptions are limited and condition-based under TCEQ rules.
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