Mills County, TX - 2026 Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Unincorporated Mills County. County controls are narrower: OSSF/septic, floodplain development, subdivision/platting, and county-road-access permits. No general countywide building permit requirement found for all construction.

Department

Mills County

Address

Mills County Courthouse, 1011 4th Street, Goldthwaite, TX 76844

Phone

(325) 648-2222

Email

jett.johnson@millscountytx.gov

Website

https://www.millscountytx.gov/

Application Process

1. Verify the tract is in unincorporated Mills County and identify which county control applies: OSSF/septic, floodplain development, subdivision/platting, and/or county-road access.
2. For OSSF/septic work, obtain the county packet, complete all pages, obtain required soil evaluation and planning materials, and submit the application to the County Judge's office with the fee and legal description.
3. For floodplain development, submit a Floodplain Development Permit application to the County Judge as Floodplain Administrator on county-furnished forms with plans showing location, dimensions, elevations, and other required floodplain information.
4. For subdivision work, submit the preliminary plat and engineering plans first, then construct improvements, then submit the final plat and pay applicable fees.
5. For a county-road driveway/entrance permit, contact the applicable County Commissioner, complete the county form, and submit the application plus the fee to the County Judge's office.
6. Where the subdivision lies in a city's ETJ or city limits, obtain the required city signatures shown in the county plat regulations before final approval and recordation.

Typical processing time: OSSF inspections must be requested at least 5 working days in advance. County-road-access work cannot start until the fully executed permit is issued and 48-hour notice is given to the County Commissioner. Final plat must be filed within 12 months of the preliminary plat.

Source: Mills County

General Requirements

No public evidence found of a general unincorporated-county building permit program. Verified permit controls are narrower. OSSF permits are required for all on-site sewage facilities regardless of acreage. Floodplain Development Permits are required for development in regulated flood hazard areas. Subdivision plats and associated approvals are required for covered land divisions. A county-road-access permit is required to construct or revise a new or existing entrance onto a county road.

Required Documents

• OSSF packet requires a complete application, technical information sheet, legal description, soil identification procedure, and planning materials with professional design required for proprietary and non-standard systems.
• Floodplain applications may require plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing location, dimensions, elevations, floodproofing information, and drainage/watercourse changes.
• Subdivision submittals include the preliminary plat, final plat, engineering plans, required reports, tax certificate, required signatures, and certifications.
• Road-access permit applications must include the applicant's name, mailing address, telephone number, location of the proposed driveway, and description/sketch of the proposed work.

Permit validity

OSSF Authorization to Construct is valid for 1 year. County-road-access permits become void if the driveway facilities are not constructed within 6 months of issuance. Subdivision rules require final plat filing within 12 months of the preliminary plat.

Building code

No public evidence found that Mills County has adopted a general countywide building code for all unincorporated construction. Verified county regulatory programs are floodplain management, OSSF/septic regulation, subdivision regulations with county road standards, and county-road-access permitting.

Owner-builder

No public county owner-builder rule for general building construction found. OSSF packet materials still require the applicant to comply with county and state OSSF procedures.

Contractor requirements

OSSF packet requires installer registration number and county materials link to TCEQ OSSF standards. County-road-access policy states a county-approved contractor is needed for the work unless the county installs the entrance under the county's preferred installation process.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

OSSF application/inspection fee $335.00; county-road-access permit fee $50; subdivision preliminary plat and final plat each have a $1,000 minimum fee

Plan check fee

No separate public floodplain or OSSF plan check fee found. Subdivision construction inspection fee is 2% of infrastructure cost, and the regulations also require applicants to reimburse county direct expenses for professional plat/application/construction review as applicable.

Permit fee formula

OSSF is a flat $335.00 application/inspection fee. County-road-access permit is a flat $50 permit fee, with an additional $1,500 county-installation fee under the preferred installation option after inspection and agreement if the county installs the culvert. Subdivision fees are flat plus per-lot for plats: preliminary plat $300 plus $100 per lot with a $1,000 minimum; final plat $500 plus $50 per lot with a $1,000 minimum; amending plat $300; replat $500; vacating plat/right-of-way/easements $300; variance request $200 per variance per lot.

Reinspection fee

OSSF reinspection fee is one-half of the permit amount for each reinspection. Subdivision reinspection fee is $200. County-road-access policy states improper or unauthorized installations are subject to removal and restoration charges at the county's posted hourly machine rate, stated in the policy as currently $150 per hour.

Payment note

OSSF applications must be submitted with the fee to the County Judge's office and no refunds are granted. County-road-access applications and fee must be submitted to the County Judge's office. Subdivision regulations state all Appendix B fees must be paid at the time of final plat application.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Mills County to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• OSSF Inspector Al Hamrick: (325) 372-1751 (phone)
• County Judge's Office (in-person)

Scheduling deadline

OSSF inspections must be requested at least 5 working days in advance. County-road-access work requires 48-hour notice to the applicable County Commissioner before work starts.

Inspection hours

OSSF inspector business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Typical inspection sequence: OSSF inspection is required before covering the system, followed by notice of approval after successful inspection. County-road-access work is inspected by the County Commissioner for acceptability after permit issuance and notice. Subdivision procedure contemplates construction of improvements followed by county inspection and final approval/acceptance of improvements before final plat filing.

Additional Resources

• Building code: No public evidence found that Mills County has adopted a general countywide building code for all unincorporated construction. Verified county regulatory programs are floodplain management, OSSF/septic regulation, subdivision regulations with county road standards, and county-road-access permitting.
• Subdivision Regulations
• OSSF/Septic Permit Forms
• Floodplain Development
• County Road Access Agreement
• License lookup guide: Texas Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Texas Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Texas hub: Texas Contractor License & Permit Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

Mills County Building Permit FAQ

Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Mills County, TX?

No public evidence found of a general unincorporated-county building permit program. Verified permit controls are narrower. OSSF permits are required for all on-site sewage facilities regardless of acreage. Floodplain Development Permits are required for development in regulated flood hazard areas. Subdivision plats and associated approvals are required for covered land divisions. A county-road-access permit is required to construct or revise a new or existing entrance onto a county road.

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

The minimum permit fee is OSSF application/inspection fee $335.00; county-road-access permit fee $50; subdivision preliminary plat and final plat each have a $1,000 minimum fee. Fees are calculated as: OSSF is a flat $335.00 application/inspection fee. County-road-access permit is a flat $50 permit fee, with an additional $1,500 county-installation fee under the preferred installation option after inspection and agreement if the county installs the culvert. Subdivision fees are flat plus per-lot for plats: preliminary plat $300 plus $100 per lot with a $1,000 minimum; final plat $500 plus $50 per lot with a $1,000 minimum; amending plat $300; replat $500; vacating plat/right-of-way/easements $300; variance request $200 per variance per lot.. Plan check fee: No separate public floodplain or OSSF plan check fee found. Subdivision construction inspection fee is 2% of infrastructure cost, and the regulations also require applicants to reimburse county direct expenses for professional plat/application/construction review as applicable..

How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Mills County, TX?

1. Verify the tract is in unincorporated Mills County and identify which county control applies: OSSF/septic, floodplain development, subdivision/platting, and/or county-road access. 2. For OSSF/septic work, obtain the county packet, complete all pages, obtain required soil evaluation and planning materials, and submit the application to the County Judge's office with the fee and legal description. 3. For floodplain development, submit a Floodplain Development Permit application to the County Judge as Floodplain Administrator on county-furnished forms with plans showing location, dimensions, elevations, and other required floodplain information. 4. For subdivision work, submit the preliminary plat and engineering plans first, then construct improvements, then submit the final plat and pay applicable fees. 5. For a county-road driveway/entrance permit, contact the applicable County Commissioner, complete the county form, and submit the application plus the fee to the County Judge's office. 6. Where the subdivision lies in a city's ETJ or city limits, obtain the required city signatures shown in the county plat regulations before final approval and recordation.

How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Mills County, TX?

Typical processing time is OSSF inspections must be requested at least 5 working days in advance. County-road-access work cannot start until the fully executed permit is issued and 48-hour notice is given to the County Commissioner. Final plat must be filed within 12 months of the preliminary plat..

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

Inspections can be scheduled via: OSSF Inspector Al Hamrick: (325) 372-1751, County Judge's Office. OSSF inspections must be requested at least 5 working days in advance. County-road-access work requires 48-hour notice to the applicable County Commissioner before work starts..