County Building Permits
Morris County, TX - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Morris County, Texas. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Unincorporated Morris County only. Verified public controls are narrower: subdivision and plat approval, OSSF authority, and county emergency-management or hazard-related coordination. No clearly documented countywide general building-permit program was found.
- Department
- Morris County Commissioners Court
- Address
- Morris County Courthouse, 500 Broadnax St, Daingerfield, TX 75638
- Phone
- 903-645-3691
- Website
- https://www.co.morris.tx.us/
Application Process
- Determine whether the parcel is in unincorporated Morris County and not inside any city limits.
- For ordinary building construction, contact the county before work if the project may involve subdivision, platting, county roads, flood-prone areas, or septic. No public countywide general building permit workflow was found.
- If the project involves dividing land outside city limits, comply with the Morris County Subdivisions and Plats Regulations. A plat must be prepared and no construction of any kind in the subdivision begins until the subdivision plat and plans have received final authorization by Commissioners Court and have been filed with the County Clerk.
- If the project requires on-site sewage facilities, confirm OSSF permitting with Morris County as the TCEQ authorized agent.
- If the site has hazard or flood-related issues, coordinate with the county emergency-management office.
General Requirements
No public evidence of a countywide general building permit requirement was found for ordinary building construction in unincorporated Morris County. Subdivision and plat approval is required when dividing land outside city limits. Construction in a subdivision affected by the order cannot begin until the subdivision plat and plans have final authorization and are filed with the County Clerk. OSSF permitting authority exists because TCEQ lists Morris County as the authorized agent for OSSF activity.
Required Documents
- For subdivision and platting: plats, deed restrictions, survey and engineering information, and filing with the County Clerk
- For OSSF work: standard state-law septic permitting documentation required by the county as authorized agent
- Building code
- No public countywide adopted building code for unincorporated Morris County was found in the reviewed sources.
- Contractor requirements
- No county general contractor licensing program was found. State licensing still applies to regulated trades and OSSF roles under Texas law.
Fees
- Payment note
- No public county general building or county OSSF fee schedule was located in the reviewed sources.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Morris County Commissioners Court to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Inspection hours
- Courthouse: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; most offices close for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Typical inspection sequence: No public county general building inspection process found.
Additional Resources
- Building code: No public countywide adopted building code for unincorporated Morris County was found in the reviewed sources.
- Contact Numbers and Office Hours
- Subdivision and Plat Regulations
- Morris County Subdivision and Plat Regulations PDF
- Emergency Management Coordinator
- TCEQ Authorized Agent Report
- 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 Morris County Commissioners Court before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Morris County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Morris County, TX?
- No public evidence of a countywide general building permit requirement was found for ordinary building construction in unincorporated Morris County. Subdivision and plat approval is required when dividing land outside city limits. Construction in a subdivision affected by the order cannot begin until the subdivision plat and plans have final authorization and are filed with the County Clerk. OSSF permitting authority exists because TCEQ lists Morris County as the authorized agent for OSSF activity.
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Morris County, TX?
- 1. Determine whether the parcel is in unincorporated Morris County and not inside any city limits. 2. For ordinary building construction, contact the county before work if the project may involve subdivision, platting, county roads, flood-prone areas, or septic. No public countywide general building permit workflow was found. 3. If the project involves dividing land outside city limits, comply with the Morris County Subdivisions and Plats Regulations. A plat must be prepared and no construction of any kind in the subdivision begins until the subdivision plat and plans have received final authorization by Commissioners Court and have been filed with the County Clerk. 4. If the project requires on-site sewage facilities, confirm OSSF permitting with Morris County as the TCEQ authorized agent. 5. If the site has hazard or flood-related issues, coordinate with the county emergency-management office.
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