County Building Permits
Karnes County, TX - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Karnes County, Texas. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Applies to unincorporated areas of Karnes County. County permit controls include 911 addressing, Development Permit applications, OSSF or septic permitting, and Road & Bridge permit applications.
- Department
- Permitting Department; Special Projects/Septic Permits; Road & Bridge Permits
- Address
- 210 W Calvert Ave., Suite 155, Karnes City, TX 78118
- Phone
- 830-780-3511
Online Permit Portal
Platform: iWorQ • Account required: No • Submission: Online only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Determine whether the project needs a 911 address application, a Determination Development Permit Application, an OSSF application, or a Road & Bridge application.
- For septic work, submit a Determination Development Permit Application before the OSSF application; the county permits page states the development application is required first.
- Use the iWorQ portal to submit a 911 address application, development permit application, road crossing application, temporary waterline application, or entry application.
- Fill out all required fields and upload related plans or documents.
- For Road Crossing applications, select the matching property and contractor, complete the permit information fields, and upload the required cross section survey PDF.
- For OSSF or septic matters, use the posted OSSF application and coordinate with Special Projects.
- Monitor the application through the portal. The portal also publishes a search-existing-permits function and notes that a contractor access code should be ready before proceeding.
Source: Permitting Department; Special Projects/Septic Permits; Road & Bridge Permits
General Requirements
Verified county permit categories are 911 address applications, Determination Development Permit applications, OSSF or septic permitting, and Road & Bridge applications including road crossing, temporary waterline, and entry permits. No blanket unincorporated county building permit requirement for ordinary residential vertical construction was verified.
Required Documents
- For septic work: Determination Development Permit Application before OSSF application
- For Road Crossing: matching property and contractor, cross section survey PDF
- All required fields and related plans or documents as applicable
- Building code
- No countywide adopted building code program for ordinary unincorporated construction was verified.
- Contractor requirements
- Road Crossing applications require a matching contractor; contractors with expired licenses are not eligible to submit.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Permitting Department; Special Projects/Septic Permits; Road & Bridge Permits to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Permitting Department / Road & Bridge (phone)
- Inspection hours
- 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Friday, closed for lunch 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Typical inspection sequence: Application submission through the county portal, upload of required supporting files, county review, and project coordination. For road utility work, advance notice to Road & Bridge is required.
Additional Resources
- Building code: No countywide adopted building code program for ordinary unincorporated construction was verified.
- County Permits Page
- iWorQ Portal
- County Contact
- 2025 Governing Members
- 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 Permitting Department; Special Projects/Septic Permits; Road & Bridge Permits before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Karnes County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Karnes County, TX?
- Verified county permit categories are 911 address applications, Determination Development Permit applications, OSSF or septic permitting, and Road & Bridge applications including road crossing, temporary waterline, and entry permits. No blanket unincorporated county building permit requirement for ordinary residential vertical construction was verified.
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Karnes County, TX?
- 1. Determine whether the project needs a 911 address application, a Determination Development Permit Application, an OSSF application, or a Road & Bridge application. 2. For septic work, submit a Determination Development Permit Application before the OSSF application; the county permits page states the development application is required first. 3. Use the iWorQ portal to submit a 911 address application, development permit application, road crossing application, temporary waterline application, or entry application. 4. Fill out all required fields and upload related plans or documents. 5. For Road Crossing applications, select the matching property and contractor, complete the permit information fields, and upload the required cross section survey PDF. 6. For OSSF or septic matters, use the posted OSSF application and coordinate with Special Projects. 7. Monitor the application through the portal. The portal also publishes a search-existing-permits function and notes that a contractor access code should be ready before proceeding.
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Karnes County, TX?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: Permitting Department / Road & Bridge.
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