Real County, TX — 2026 Building Permit Guide

On this page 6

§ 01

Permit authority

Real County Government

Street address

Real County Courthouse, 146 Highway 83 South, Leakey, TX 78873

Phone

(830) 232-5304

countyjudge@co.real.tx.us

Coverage

All unincorporated areas of Real County outside Camp Wood and Leakey city limits.

Website

Department website

Additional resources

§ 02

When a permit is required

Permit triggers and exempt work for Real County

No public countywide general building permit requirement for all unincorporated construction. County controls are narrower: floodplain development permits apply to new construction, additions, manufactured homes, travel trailers, and subdivision proposals; subdivision rules and regulations are effective December 9, 2024; county road underground conduit permits apply to conduit work.

Note: The county floodplain notice distinguishes between development outside the flood plain (exemption certificate) and development within the flood plain (elevation certificate), but does not publish a broader exempt-work list for ordinary building work.

Required documents

For floodplain matters: exemption certificate for development outside flood plain or elevation certificate for development within flood plain
For subdivision matters: application from County Judge's office plus development-plan and final-plat materials
For road cuts: underground conduit request form with applicant information, road crossing location, GPS coordinates, planned construction date, and conduit specifications

§ 03

Application process

Typical processing: Plat application must be filed at least 30 days before the regular Commissioners Court meeting.

01

Confirm the parcel is outside Camp Wood and Leakey city limits. If it is near a boundary, verify jurisdiction at the parcel level before relying on county-only procedures.
02

Determine whether the project triggers one of the county's verified narrow approval programs: floodplain development permits, subdivision and land-development review, OSSF review, or county road underground conduit permits.
03

For floodplain-related development, contact the County Judge or Flood Plain Coordinator before new construction, additions, manufactured homes, travel trailers, or subdivision work. The county adopted a development permit system.
04

For subdivision and land-development matters, obtain the application form from the County Judge's office and proceed through the county's platting process with optional sketch plan, development plan, and final plat review.
05

For county road underground conduit work, use the published permit request form and coordinate advance written approval and on-site presence of designated county personnel.
06

For on-site sewage facility (OSSF) projects, confirm OSSF requirements directly with the county through the County OSSF Inspector role.
07

Obtain written county direction before construction if the work could affect floodplain status, subdivision rules, septic, or county road access.

Typical processing time: Plat application must be filed at least 30 days before the regular Commissioners Court meeting.

Source: Real County Government ↗

§ 04

Fee schedule

Effective January 24, 2025

Fee type

Amount

Minimum permit fee

$50.00 (exemption certificate for development outside flood plain); $100.00 (elevation certificate for development within flood plain)

Permit fee formula

Floodplain permit fees are flat fees. Subdivision fees are deposit-plus-hourly-review: $1,000 engineering review, $2,000 geoscientist review, $500 county road supervisor review, $500 county OSSF inspector review, $1,500 attorney review, $500 flood plain coordinator review, then hourly charges at $200 per hour for engineer and geoscientist fees.

Penalty (no permit)

Class C misdemeanor for failure to apply for required floodplain permit with monetary penalties and possible civil enforcement.

Subdivision review deposits are paid with the filing of a development plan or, if no development plan is filed, with the filing of the final plat application. No public online payment portal.

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ (effective January 24, 2025) before budgeting.

§ 05

Required inspections

Scheduling and sequence

How to schedule

County Judge (phone)
Flood Plain Coordinator (phone)

Inspection hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday

Typical sequence: Floodplain permit review under development permit system; county review of subdivision materials; pre-approval plus on-site oversight and post-work inspection for county road underground conduit crossings.

Source: Real County Government ↗

§ 06

Frequently asked

Common questions about unincorporated Real County permits

01 Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Real County, TX? ▸

02 How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Real County, TX? ▸

Building permit fees in unincorporated Real County, TX are set by the local building department and vary by project type and valuation. The minimum permit fee is $50.00 (exemption certificate for development outside flood plain); $100.00 (elevation certificate for development within flood plain). Fees are calculated as: Floodplain permit fees are flat fees. Subdivision fees are deposit-plus-hourly-review: $1,000 engineering review, $2,000 geoscientist review, $500 county road supervisor review, $500 county OSSF inspector review, $1,500 attorney review, $500 flood plain coordinator review, then hourly charges at $200 per hour for engineer and geoscientist fees..

03 How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Real County, TX? ▸

To apply for a building permit in unincorporated Real County, TX, follow these steps: 1. Confirm the parcel is outside Camp Wood and Leakey city limits. If it is near a boundary, verify jurisdiction at the parcel level before relying on county-only procedures. 2. Determine whether the project triggers one of the county's verified narrow approval programs: floodplain development permits, subdivision and land-development review, OSSF review, or county road underground conduit permits. 3. For floodplain-related development, contact the County Judge or Flood Plain Coordinator before new construction, additions, manufactured homes, travel trailers, or subdivision work. The county adopted a development permit system. 4. For subdivision and land-development matters, obtain the application form from the County Judge's office and proceed through the county's platting process with optional sketch plan, development plan, and final plat review. 5. For county road underground conduit work, use the published permit request form and coordinate advance written approval and on-site presence of designated county personnel. 6. For on-site sewage facility (OSSF) projects, confirm OSSF requirements directly with the county through the County OSSF Inspector role. 7. Obtain written county direction before construction if the work could affect floodplain status, subdivision rules, septic, or county road access.

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

Building permit processing times in unincorporated Real County, TX typically run Plat application must be filed at least 30 days before the regular Commissioners Court meeting.. Timelines can vary based on project complexity and current department workload.

05 How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Real County, TX? ▸

Once your permit is issued and work reaches an inspection milestone, you can schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Real County, TX via: County Judge, Flood Plain Coordinator.

last verified April 2026 source Real County Government ↗ entry id permits/texas/real/unincorporated

Report a correction

Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Real County Government before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.

Unincorporated Real County