Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-10
246 of Texas's 254 counties — 97% — have no county-wide zoning. That is the largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Cherokee County (88/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 1042 counties nationwide → Texas: no building codes → Texas: no codes, no zoning → Texas: owner-builder → Texas: rv living → Texas: tiny homes → Texas: no minimum home size → Full Texas profile →
From the Texas guide
Texas has 246 counties without countywide zoning, while 8 counties have zoning in applicable areas.28 Cherokee County, Sabine County and Angelina County are among the counties without countywide zoning.2 Texas county zoning authority is geographically or subject-matter limited, rather than a general statewide grant of county zoning power.15
For buyers seeking both conditions, 158 Texas counties have neither a residential building permit requirement nor countywide zoning.9 Use the no-zoning list and the no-building-codes and no-zoning list to narrow your search.29 Septic approval remains a separate question, because Texas generally requires an OSSF permit and approved plan even where a county does not require a residential building permit.161
From the Texas guide, written from the cited official sources and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: confirm with the office before you buy or build.
246 of 254 Texas counties · sorted by Index score
Texas counties lack zoning authority over unincorporated land, and no planning/zoning office is listed among Cherokee County's departments.
Cherokee County, TX - County Offices ↗Sabine County zoning ordinance in county-administered areas, including unincorporated county areas. The cited county statement is dated February 11, 2014; no newer county zoning…
Sabine County Fair Housing Activities Statement – Texas ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; regulation is limited to platting, septic, floodplain and public health.
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; land-use regulation is limited absent a special statutory adoption.
Texas State Law Library - Building Codes (Texas) ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Texas county land-use authority (Bexar County FAQ) ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority; unincorporated Angelina County is not zoned.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 211 ↗Under Texas law only municipalities, not counties, may adopt zoning ordinances, so unincorporated Shelby County has no zoning.
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗The same signed county letter states that the Commissioners Court has not passed any ordinances regulating zoning; private subdivision restrictions may still apply.
San Augustine County Judge - Zoning, County Permits, and Septic Systems Letter ↗Newton County has no zoning department; Texas counties generally lack authority to impose zoning in unincorporated areas.
Newton County TX official website ↗No county zoning or planning department is listed; Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land absent specific legislative authority.
Cass County TX - Official Website (Departments) ↗No county zoning department or ordinance; Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas. Zoning exists only within incorporated cities such as Palestine.
Anderson County, Texas - Official Website (department listing) ↗Countywide county zoning ordinance authority in Titus County, including unincorporated Titus County. The county plan states that Titus County currently has no Code of Ordinances…
TITUS COUNTY HAZARD MITIGATION ACTION PLAN UPDATE 2024 ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas (limited to a few legislatively named counties, which does not include Houston County).
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov) ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; the county permits page addresses only development/OSSF permitting, not zoning districts.
Polk County TX Permits Department ↗Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Robertson County publishes no zoning ordinance.
Robertson County official website ↗No planning or zoning department appears among Panola County's official offices, and Texas counties generally lack authority to impose zoning in unincorporated areas.
Panola County, TX - County Offices ↗Zoning within Tyler County, Texas. This conclusion is limited to zoning and does not establish whether non-zoning county, state, municipal, subdivision, septic, or floodplain ru…
Mass Appraisal Report for Tax Year 2025 ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Walker County regulates via subdivision, floodplain, and OSSF rules rather than zoning districts.
Walker County TX - Planning & Development ↗Texas counties generally have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Marion County's official site shows no zoning or planning department.
Marion County, Texas - Official County Website ↗County zoning requirements and restrictive land-use controls in the unincorporated areas of San Jacinto County. The official statement expressly applies to unincorporated areas …
2nd Amended Fair Housing Activity Statement ↗Under Texas law, general-law counties have no comprehensive zoning authority over unincorporated land; Red River County does not (and cannot) impose zoning outside incorporated …
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M), Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗No county zoning ordinance is referenced on Trinity County's site; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Trinity County, Texas - Septic Permit Process / County site ↗Texas counties cannot zone unincorporated land; Bowie County has no county zoning ordinance or planning/zoning office.
Bowie County, Texas ↗Zoning authority in Texas is granted to municipalities (LGC Ch. 211); Wood County has subdivision regulations but no countywide zoning over unincorporated land.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 211 - Municipal Zoning Authority ↗No planning or zoning office is listed for Franklin County (subdivision rules exist but no general zoning), consistent with Texas counties lacking zoning authority over unincorp…
Franklin County Government ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Upshur County's department list includes no planning or zoning office.
County of Upshur (TX) — Departments ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority over unincorporated areas, and no county zoning ordinance appears on Leon County's official site.
Leon County, TX - Permits ↗The county administers building/floodplain and septic permits but no zoning; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Liberty County - Engineering, Permits and Inspections ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and no Freestone County zoning ordinance was found.
Freestone County, Texas Official Website ↗Texas counties may not adopt comprehensive zoning ordinances; land-use control in unincorporated areas is limited to platting, septic, floodplain, and health matters.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 233 ↗Zoning regulation in the unincorporated area of Grimes County. The source addresses the Grimes County unincorporated area; incorporated municipalities may administer their own z…
Regarding Regulations in Grimes County ↗No county zoning or planning department/ordinance is listed; Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas (zoning exists only within incorporated citi…
Lamar County, Texas - Official Website (site map / departments) ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Harrison County publishes no county zoning ordinance.
Bexar County (official) - County Zoning Authority FAQ (Texas statewide statute) ↗Countywide zoning in Camp County, including the county's unincorporated area; this claim does not negate municipal zoning within incorporated municipalities. Municipal zoning ma…
2023 Camp County Hazard Mitigation Action Plan ↗No county zoning is administered; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas and none is listed among county functions.
Madison County TX - Permits ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Delta County regulates land only through subdivision rules and regulations, not zoning districts.
Delta County TX - Development Services ↗No county zoning ordinance was found; Texas counties generally have no zoning authority over unincorporated land, and Bee County lists only development and OSSF permits.
Bee County Community Affairs ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Chapter 231 grants zoning power only to specific legislatively designated counties (not Mills County).
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 (County Zoning Authority) ↗General county zoning authority and countywide zoning regulation in Limestone County, including its unincorporated area. Texas counties retain selected land-use powers that are …
2024 State of Texas Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice ↗Under Texas law counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Stephens County publishes only subdivision regulations rather than a zoning ordinance.
Stephens County, Texas (official county website) ↗No county zoning department or ordinance is published; Texas counties lack general zoning authority over unincorporated land (the county administers subdivision platting only).
Van Zandt County, TX - Subdivision Regulations ↗General countywide zoning authority in Bosque County, including unincorporated areas; municipal zoning within incorporated cities is separate. The Texas Department of Housing an…
2024 State of Texas Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice ↗Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Young County publishes subdivision regulations but no zoning ordinance.
Young County - County Policy & Regulations ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; only the City of San Saba administers zoning.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 231 ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; no county zoning ordinance was found and the county permits page shows only development/subdivision and OSSF permit…
Atascosa County — Permits and Forms ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Hopkins County lists only subdivision regulations, OSSF, and flood damage prevention, with no countywide zoning …
Hopkins County - official site (Permits/Regulations) ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority over unincorporated land; Goliad County regulates septic and floodplain but not zoning districts.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 233 ↗County-administered zoning requirements in Jack County, Texas. The county page states that there are no zoning requirements in the county; incorporated municipalities may admini…
Jack County Commissioners ↗As a Texas county, Hardin County has no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; its permit program lists only development, floodplain, subdivision and infrastructure permits, …
Hardin County - Permits ↗Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas and Refugio County publishes no zoning ordinance.
Refugio County official website ↗Texas counties may not adopt comprehensive zoning in unincorporated areas; Eastland County has only limited statutory exceptions (e.g., an Airport Zoning Ordinance), not general…
Eastland County, Texas — official county website ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority over unincorporated areas, and the county maintains no zoning program.
Colorado County TX - OSSF / Development & Permitting ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority; Lavaca County regulates via subdivision and development permits, not zoning districts.
Lavaca County - Permits & Applications ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Milam County regulates land only through subdivision and floodplain/development rules rather than zoning districts.
Milam County Development Permit Application (floodplain) ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority; Rains County's regulations cover subdivisions and OSSF but there is no county zoning ordinance.
Rains County - Permits and Regulations ↗Smith County regulates subdivisions and floodplain development in unincorporated areas; its current county regulations do not establish traditional county-wide land-use zoning.
Smith County Subdivision Regulations (revised 2023) ↗County zoning in unincorporated Kerr County, outside the city limits of Kerrville and Ingram. Kerr County does not require building permits or certificates of occupancy. The cou…
Kerr County Road & Bridge ↗County zoning requirements administered by McCulloch County. The county page separately states that septic, culvert, and right-of-way permits are required. This claim does not d…
McCulloch County permits ↗No county zoning program is evident; Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Montague County Sewage Inspector ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Orange County administers only development/floodplain permits, not zoning districts.
Orange County Environmental Health & Code Compliance - Development and Floodplain ↗County zoning ordinance or minute order administered by Victoria County, Texas. Under the County-City interlocal agreement, property within the City of Victoria extraterritorial…
County of Victoria Development & Permit Guidelines ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Mason County shows no zoning/planning department.
Mason County, Texas (official) ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority; unincorporated Somervell County is not zoned, with land-use regulation limited to incorporated Glen Rose.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 211 ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Lampasas County regulates only subdivision platting and on-site sewage, not land-use zoning.
Lampasas County Subdivision Regulations (2021) ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; the county administers only subdivision regulations, not zoning.
Bexar County TX - County Zoning Authority (Texas law) ↗No county zoning is administered; Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and the county permitting page shows no zoning program.
Brown County Permitting ↗No county zoning or planning department is listed; Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land absent specific legislative authority.
Comanche County TX - Departments ↗General county land-use zoning in unincorporated Gillespie County, Texas, apart from the limited airport-hazard zoning regulation described separately. The official county narra…
Marshall Springs Project Narrative ↗County zoning requirements for business or residential construction in unincorporated Hamilton County, Texas. The county statement expressly applies outside city limits. For pro…
Hamilton County Clerk — Required Permits ↗County zoning requirements in Erath County, including business and residential construction; municipal and ETJ properties are subject to city requirements instead. If property i…
County Clerk | Erath County, TX ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; land use in unincorporated Henderson County is not zoned.
Henderson County - County Ordinances ↗The county administers subdivision and floodplain regulations but no traditional zoning is indicated; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Matagorda County Environmental Health ↗No zoning or planning department is listed among county services; Texas unincorporated areas are not zoned by the county.
Gregg County Services Overview ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Medina County regulates land via subdivision rules, not zoning.
Medina County - What Type of Permits Are Required ↗County zoning in unincorporated Taylor County. This does not determine municipal zoning, municipal ETJ subdivision review, deed restrictions, or HOA/POA rules. Subdivision, floo…
Development & Permitting | Taylor County, TX - Official Website ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Coryell County uses subdivision and OSSF rules rather than zoning.
Bexar County, TX - How is my property zoned in the County (Texas law) ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and the county's permitting page addresses only development, floodplain, and septic permits, not zoning.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 211 ↗No zoning or planning department appears among the county's listed offices; Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Coke County, Texas - Official County Website ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority over unincorporated areas, and Live Oak County maintains no zoning department; zoning exists only within incorporated cities.
Live Oak County Official Website ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas (Local Gov Code); Frio County publishes no county zoning ordinance.
Bexar County (official) - County Land-Use/Zoning Authority FAQ (Texas statewide statute) ↗County zoning regulations in Brazos County. Property in a city’s extra territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) must follow that city’s zoning regulations.
brazoscountytx.gov ↗General county zoning authority in Aransas County. The county plan states that municipalities have zoning authority while counties do not have the same authority. The plan notes…
Aransas County Multi-Jurisdictional Floodplain Management Plan ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; DeWitt County regulates only OSSF and flood damage prevention, with no countywide zoning ordinance.
DeWitt County - official site (Permits/Regulations/Applications) ↗No county zoning ordinance is administered; the county permit department lists only OSSF, floodplain, and rural addressing, consistent with Texas counties lacking zoning authori…
Wharton County Permit & Inspection Department ↗The county states it does not regulate land use or have any zoning ordinances in the unincorporated areas of the county.
Brazoria County Floodplain - Building Permits ↗No county zoning is offered or applicable; Texas counties lack general zoning authority over unincorporated land.
La Salle County, TX - Permits & Applications ↗No county planning or zoning department is listed among Callahan County offices; Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Callahan County, Texas - Commissioners Court (County Offices) ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; no county zoning ordinance is documented.
Jim Wells County Safety & Inspection Department ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Wise County regulates development via OSSF and subdivision rules only.
Wise County FAQ ↗Countywide zoning in unincorporated Hunt County outside the Lake Tawakoni planning area. The official county statement limits the absence of zoning to unincorporated areas more …
Permits & Zoning ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Kimble County's site shows subdivision/plat rules but no zoning ordinance.
Kimble County official website ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Real County's official site shows no planning/zoning department (it has subdivision rules only, not zoning).
Real County, Texas official website ↗No county zoning ordinance or zoning department was found; Texas counties generally have no zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Nolan County, Texas - Official Site ↗Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land; Webb County administers land-development and floodplain regulations rather than a zoning ordinance.
Webb County Planning Department ↗"Grayson County does not have any zoning regulations for the unincorporated areas of the county outside of the Lake Ray Roberts Zoning District and the North Texas Regional Airp…
Grayson County TX - Development Services ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and Duval County lists no planning/zoning department.
Duval County, Texas - Official County Website ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Uvalde County lists no planning/zoning department.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 (County Zoning Authority) ↗County zoning or land-use regulatory powers in unincorporated Caldwell County. Municipal zoning and special-purpose zoning may still apply to particular areas, including airport…
Commissioners approve resolution regarding data centers ↗County zoning regulations in unincorporated Kendall County. Area municipalities may have requirements within their city limits and extraterritorial jurisdictions. Subdivision co…
Permits Required, Building Codes, Certificates of Occupancy, and Zoning Regulations ↗Texas counties may not adopt comprehensive zoning ordinances; land-use control in unincorporated areas is limited to platting, septic, floodplain, and health matters.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 233 ↗The county administers subdivision and OSSF regulation but no zoning; Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Kinney County, Texas - Permits (OSSF / Subdivision) ↗No county zoning ordinance is listed; the county administers Subdivision and Land Development Regulations rather than zoning, consistent with Texas counties lacking zoning autho…
Bandera County, Texas - official county site ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority; Lee County regulates via subdivision/development regulations rather than zoning districts.
Lee County Subdivision and Development Regulations ↗Zoning authority of the Burnet County Commissioners Court over property use in the county, including unincorporated areas. The statement was made during discussion of a subdivis…
Burnet County Commissioners Court Minutes, October 24, 2023 ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Chambers instead uses subdivision regulations and drainage criteria.
Chambers County TX - Permitting ↗Private use of property in the unincorporated areas of Fayette County, Texas. Certain exceptions may apply under Chapters 232 and 212 of the Texas Local Government Code. Deeds, …
Fayette County Zoning Information and Certificate of Occupancy Letter ↗General county zoning in unincorporated Bastrop County. This conclusion is limited to general zoning authority in unincorporated areas. A small area in the northwest part of the…
Development Services | Bastrop County ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority over unincorporated land and Karnes County's permitting page lists no zoning program.
Karnes County Special Projects & Permits ↗The county regulates via subdivision and OSSF/floodplain permits with no zoning program, consistent with Texas counties lacking general zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Gonzales County - OSSF/Permits ↗Blanco County has no zoning; the Commissioners' Court regulates only the subdivision process in unincorporated areas, consistent with Texas counties lacking general zoning autho…
Blanco County Development Rules and Regulations ↗No county zoning or planning department appears on the Brooks County site; Texas counties generally lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Brooks County TX - Official Website ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Llano County administers subdivision, floodplain and development-permit regulations but no zoning ordinance.
Llano County - Development Services Citizen Portal ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority by statute; Edwards County publishes subdivision and land-development regulations but no zoning ordinance.
Edwards County - Subdivision & Land Development Regulations ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas, so there are no county zoning regulations outside Fort Davis city limits.
Texas county authority FAQ (no unincorporated zoning) ↗The county lists no zoning; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and the county's own page describes only subdivision, driveway, floodplain, u…
Burleson County - Construction Permits ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas (zoning is granted only to specific counties under Ch. 231); Kleberg County lists no planning/zoning de…
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 (County Zoning Authority) ↗Texas counties generally cannot zone; LG Code Ch. 231 grants zoning authority only to specifically named counties, which does not include Starr County.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 231 (County Zoning Authority) ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and Austin County's permitting page references no zoning ordinance.
Austin County Permits ↗County zoning authority across Hidalgo County, including county-administered unincorporated areas. The official county statement addresses county authority under the Texas Local…
Fair Housing Activity Statement – Texas ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Sutton County lists no planning or zoning office.
Sutton County, TX - Official Website ↗Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; no county zoning ordinance was found on Hill County official sources.
Hill County - OSSF Permits & 911 Signage ↗Under Texas law only municipalities, not counties, may adopt zoning; Washington County has no zoning in its unincorporated areas.
Washington County Engineering & Development Services ↗County-administered land-use zoning in Montgomery County, Texas. This conclusion concerns Montgomery County's own land-use controls; it does not establish the rules of incorpora…
Montgomery County PY 2023 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report ↗County-administered zoning of unincorporated Coleman County. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs identifies limited county-zoning exceptions only for specified…
2024 State of Texas Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice ↗No zoning or planning department appears on the county's official site; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas, with only subdivision/manufacture…
Menard County, Texas (official county website) ↗The Jefferson County commissioners court's authority to adopt or enforce zoning regulations under Subchapter F, Chapter 233, Texas Local Government Code. This explicit limitatio…
jeffersoncountytx.gov ↗No county zoning ordinance is evident; Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land.
Knox County, Texas official website ↗County zoning regulations in the unincorporated areas of Wilson County. Wilson County requires floodplain, septic, and driveway permits for construction in unincorporated areas.…
Building and Zoning Letter ↗No county zoning department or ordinance is published; Texas counties lack general zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Jones County, TX Official Website ↗General countywide zoning authority in Johnson County, including its unincorporated area. Texas counties generally lack zoning authority; the cited state report identifies limit…
Counties ↗The county's regulatory authority (Local Government Code sec. 232.001 subdivision, TCEQ OSSF agent, roads/drainage, floodplain) does not include zoning; Texas counties have no g…
Tom Green County Subdivision Regulations ↗The county regulates only subdivisions and floodplain development, not land-use zoning; Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
McMullen County - Permits ↗The county lists no planning/zoning department; Texas counties generally cannot impose zoning in unincorporated areas.
Gray County, Texas - County Offices ↗County zoning ordinances administered by Fort Bend County. This does not establish rules administered by incorporated municipalities or other authorities. County fire-code, subd…
Building Codes/Zoning | Fort Bend County ↗Texas law does not authorize county zoning; McLennan County's residential order explicitly does not authorize adoption or enforcement of zoning regulations. County maintains sub…
McLennan County - Residential Building Requirements ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Archer County regulates only via subdivision regulations, not zoning.
Archer County, Texas (official county site) ↗Zoning requirements in the unincorporated areas of Parker County, Texas. This claim is limited to unincorporated Parker County; incorporated municipalities may administer their …
Permitting | Parker County, TX - Official Website ↗The county has subdivision regulations but no zoning department or ordinance, consistent with Texas counties generally lacking authority to zone unincorporated land.
Runnels County official website ↗As a Texas county, Galveston County has no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; it regulates development via floodplain/development permits rather than zoning distr…
Galveston County - Engineering/Floodplain Permitting ↗County zoning enforcement in Waller County's unincorporated areas. This does not establish rules within incorporated municipalities. County subdivision, floodplain, septic, driv…
Certificate of Occupancy and Zoning within Unincorporated Areas of Waller County ↗As a Texas county, Kaufman County has no general zoning authority over unincorporated land; Development Services administers plats and permits but not zoning districts.
Kaufman County Development Services ↗County zoning requirements in unincorporated areas of Clay County, Texas. The source addresses unincorporated areas only; incorporated municipalities may have separate rules. On…
Zoning & Building Permits- Unincorporated Areas ↗County zoning administered by Hardeman County, including the county's unincorporated area; this does not determine whether an incorporated municipality has adopted its own zonin…
2024 State of Texas Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Maverick County lists a Planning Department but no county-wide zoning ordinance was found.
Maverick County Departments ↗Texas counties generally have no authority to adopt comprehensive zoning ordinances in unincorporated areas, and no zoning applies in unincorporated Foard County.
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; only cities/ETJ arrangements can zone, so unincorporated Scurry County is unzoned.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 231 (county land-use/zoning authority) ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Calhoun County's official services list only floodplain development permits and no zoning ordinance.
Calhoun County TX - Services ↗County zoning in Ellis County's unincorporated areas. The no-zoning statement is limited to unincorporated areas. The county page states that specific orders regulate outdoor bu…
Regulations ↗No zoning or land-use department is listed on the county site; Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land.
Fisher County, Texas official website ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Cameron County regulates via building/subdivision rules rather than a zoning ordinance.
Cameron County Department of Transportation ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas, so there are no county zoning regulations outside incorporated city limits.
Texas county authority FAQ (no unincorporated zoning) ↗No county planning or zoning department appears among Concho County's offices; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Concho County, Texas - Official County Website ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority over unincorporated land, and Crane County lists no planning/zoning department.
Crane County, TX - County Website ↗Zoning in the unincorporated areas of Bell County, meaning areas not located within any Bell County city. The source states that incorporated cities in Bell County are excluded …
Frequently Asked Questions - Bell County Engineer ↗Texas counties may not adopt comprehensive zoning ordinances in unincorporated areas; no county zoning was found for Dimmit County.
Bexar County FAQ — County zoning authority (Texas framework) ↗County zoning regulation administered by Schleicher County across the county; the official county page states that the listed permits and regulations are the only ones the count…
Permits & Regulations | Schleicher County, TX ↗Outside the San Marcos Regional Airport zoning area, Hays County states it does not have zoning authority; unincorporated areas operate without traditional zoning.
Hays County Development Services FAQs ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Howard County does not administer zoning.
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority over unincorporated land, and Winkler County lists no planning/zoning department.
Winkler County Departments ↗Haskell County lists no planning or zoning department; Texas counties generally lack authority to zone unincorporated areas.
Haskell County, Texas official website (county offices) ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas ('there are no zoning regulations' outside city limits); Andrews County lists no zoning department.
Bexar County - County building/zoning authority FAQ (Texas framework) ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; zoning power is granted by statute only to specifically named counties, which do not include Wichita C…
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 231 (county zoning authority) ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority over unincorporated land; Floyd County lists only county Subdivision Rules, not a zoning ordinance.
Floyd County, Texas ↗By Texas law counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Briscoe County's unincorporated land is unzoned.
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗No planning or zoning department is listed among Ward County offices; Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Ward County, Texas official website (departments) ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Zavala County maintains no planning/zoning ordinance office.
Bexar County TX - County Zoning Authority (Texas law) ↗Texas counties generally have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Shackelford County's official site shows no zoning or planning department.
Shackelford County, Texas - Official County Website ↗No county zoning ordinance is published; Texas counties have no zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Reeves County TX - Permits and Regulations ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority; Comal County's permit guidance lists no zoning and regulates land use only through OSSF, floodplain, subdivision and right-of-way r…
Comal County TX - Permits ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas except where the Legislature has specifically granted it, which does not include Throckmorton County.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 ↗Zoning restrictions in unincorporated portions of Collin County. Exceptions stated by the county are Sexually-Oriented business, Salvage and Junk Yards, and Animal Slaughter Ope…
collincountytx.gov ↗Under Texas law counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Stonewall County has no zoning ordinance.
Bexar County FAQ - How is my property zoned in the County (Texas counties lack zoning authority) ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; the county's land-use controls are limited to a Floodplain Ordinance and Subdivision Rules & Regulations, with n…
Willacy County Permits Department ↗County zoning and permitting regulations throughout Pecos County, subject to separate municipal rules within city limits. State laws, rules, regulations, and federal guidelines …
Rules, Regulations, and Guidelines – Pecos County ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority over unincorporated land; only the City of Seymour zones within its limits and ETJ, not the rest of Baylor County.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 233 ↗Zoning regulations in unincorporated Bexar County areas outside municipal city limits. Other development regulations may apply to the property. The source specifically limits th…
Code Enforcements and Inspections | Bexar County, TX - Official Website ↗Texas counties cannot adopt zoning in unincorporated areas; Irion County regulates only subdivision platting and related water/sewer/OSSF disclosures, not land-use zoning.
Irion County Subdivision/MHRC Regulations ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; only cities such as Colorado City administer zoning, and Mitchell County publishes no planning/zoning depar…
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 231 ↗No zoning or planning department appears on the county's official site; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Cottle County, Texas (official county website) ↗County zoning regulation of land uses in Bailey County, including unincorporated areas. The official Texas source states the general rule for Texas counties; county-specific sta…
Regulatory Tools Available to Border Counties ↗No county zoning ordinance is described; county land-related permits are limited to floodplain and septic, consistent with Texas counties lacking zoning authority.
Hale County - Special Projects (Permits) ↗The county government lists no planning or zoning department; Texas counties generally cannot impose comprehensive zoning in unincorporated areas.
Moore County, Texas (official county government site) ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority; Randall County regulates subdivision/platting in the unincorporated area but does not zone.
Randall County Subdivision Regulations (2023) ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Presidio County maintains no planning/zoning office.
Bexar County TX - County Zoning Authority (Texas law) ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; the county regulates via subdivision and floodplain rules rather than zoning.
San Patricio County Subdivision Rules ↗Zoning or development zones in unincorporated Ector County. This claim does not address zoning ordinances administered by incorporated municipalities.
Ector County Permits — No Zoning Letter ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Nueces County exercises only subdivision/plat review through Commissioners Court and Public Works.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 (County Zoning Authority, limited) ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Sterling County maintains no planning or zoning office.
Sterling County, Texas - Official County Offices ↗No county zoning or planning department is listed on the county site; Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Deaf Smith County, Texas - Official Site ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas ('there are no zoning regulations'), and Castro County maintains no planning/zoning department.
Texas county authority for building permits/zoning (Local Gov't Code framework) ↗No county zoning department or ordinance is published; Texas counties have no zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Dawson County TX - Official Website ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas absent a specific legislative grant, and none was found for Wilbarger County.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 211 (municipal zoning authority) ↗Broad county land-use, commercial, or residential zoning ordinances in the unincorporated areas of Gaines County. The county's statement is limited to broad zoning ordinances in…
Chapter 312 Tax Abatements ↗No planning or zoning office appears among Donley County's listed departments, consistent with Texas counties lacking general zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Donley County Government ↗County zoning and permitting requirements in Lamb County's unincorporated area. The county page states that projects within city limits or the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a…
Permits | Lamb County, Texas ↗Texas counties generally have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and no county planning/zoning department is listed for Wheeler County.
Wheeler County, Texas (official county website) ↗General countywide zoning regulation by Hudspeth County, including the county's unincorporated area. Texas state materials describe county zoning authority as unavailable genera…
2024 State of Texas Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Crosby County's official site shows no planning/zoning department.
Crosby County, Texas official website ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Brewster County's permits/procedures information reflects no county zoning regime (zoning exists onl…
Brewster County, Texas - Permits & Procedures ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Childress County has no county zoning ordinance.
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas (LGC Ch. 231 grants it only to specific named counties such as Cameron/Willacy Padre Island); Kenedy Co…
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 ↗Hall County lists no planning or zoning department; Texas counties generally lack authority to zone unincorporated areas.
Hall County, Texas official website (county offices) ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority over unincorporated areas, and Lipscomb County lists no planning or zoning department; unincorporated county land is unzoned.
Lipscomb County, Texas - County Government ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Guadalupe County regulates land development only through Subdivision Regulations, not zoning.
Guadalupe County - Subdivision Regulations ↗No county planning or zoning department is listed; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Carson County official website ↗County zoning authority in unincorporated Travis County. Incorporated municipalities may exercise zoning authority and may impose separate rules. The county page also states tha…
traviscountytx.gov ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Dickens County publishes no planning/zoning department.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 231 ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Kent County maintains no planning or zoning office.
Kent County, Texas - Official County Offices ↗Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and the official Collingsworth County site shows no planning or zoning department.
Collingsworth County, Texas (official county site) ↗No county planning or zoning department exists; Texas counties generally cannot impose comprehensive zoning in unincorporated areas.
Parmer County - Departments (official county site) ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and Jim Hogg County lists no planning/zoning department.
Jim Hogg County, Texas - Official County Website ↗Under Texas law, general-law counties have no comprehensive zoning authority over unincorporated land; Motley County does not (and cannot) impose zoning outside incorporated cit…
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M), Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Sherman County has no planning/zoning office.
Sherman County Commissioners Court / county offices ↗County planning and zoning requirements in unincorporated Midland County, excluding land subject to an incorporated municipality's or the City of Midland ETJ regulations. The Co…
Frequently Asked Questions | Midland County, TX ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Hockley County lists no planning or zoning office among its departments.
Hockley County, Texas - County Departments ↗County zoning ordinance and zoning authority in Hutchinson County’s unincorporated area. The source identifies Hutchinson County as having no zoning ordinance in its existing-pl…
Hutchinson County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2022 Draft ↗The county regulates only subdivision platting and on-site sewage; Texas counties have no general zoning authority over unincorporated land and none is exercised here.
Dallam County Subdivision Regulations 2025 ↗County zoning authority in the unincorporated area of Cochran County, Texas. Texas counties generally lack zoning authority, except for limited cases specifically granted by the…
Comparative Analysis of Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Requirements in States Bordering with Mexico ↗County zoning regulations in unincorporated Harris County. The county expressly identifies floodplain management, on-site sewage facilities, driveways, and signs as regulations …
oce.harriscountytx.gov ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas (Local Government Code Ch. 231); Upton County publishes no zoning ordinance.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 ↗No county zoning; Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and the county site references none.
Hansford County, Texas (official site) ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and Crockett County lists no zoning or planning department.
Crockett County, Texas official government website ↗Texas grants comprehensive zoning authority to municipalities (Local Government Code Ch. 211), not to counties, so unincorporated Garza County has no county zoning.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 211 (Municipal Zoning Authority) ↗Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land, and Hemphill County has no zoning or planning department listed on its official site.
Hemphill County, Texas - official county site ↗Texas zoning authority is granted to municipalities; Texas counties generally have no zoning power over unincorporated land, so there is no county zoning in Terry County.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 211 (Municipal Zoning Authority) ↗No county planning or zoning office exists; Texas counties lack general zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Reagan County, TX - Official Website ↗Lubbock County's own document states the county has no zoning regulations in the unincorporated area.
Lubbock County (official county document) ↗County zoning authority and zoning regulations in Williamson County, including unincorporated areas. The county FAQ states that property inside city limits must follow the appli…
FAQs - Infrastructure - Developers ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority and no zoning department is listed for Swisher County.
Swisher County official website ↗Texas general-law counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and King County lists no zoning or planning department.
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Hartley County maintains no planning/zoning office.
Bexar County TX - County Zoning Authority (Texas law) ↗No county planning or zoning department is listed and Texas counties generally lack authority to zone unincorporated land.
Roberts County Texas (official site) ↗Texas does not grant zoning authority to counties; unincorporated Potter County is not zoned (zoning exists only within the City of Amarillo). The county regulates subdivision p…
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 232 - County Regulation of Subdivisions ↗Under Texas law, zoning authority is granted to municipalities (LGC Ch. 211); Texas counties generally have no zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 211 - Municipal Zoning Authority ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority over unincorporated land; Martin County does not zone unincorporated areas.
Texas State Law Library - Building Codes in Texas ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; zoning power (LGC Ch. 211/231) is limited to cities and a few specified counties, which does not inclu…
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 211 ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas (limited exceptions by statute); no Oldham County zoning ordinance was found.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 ↗No county zoning; Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and the county permits page references none.
Glasscock County Permits ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority over unincorporated areas, and Borden County lists no planning or zoning department; unincorporated county land is unzoned.
Borden County, Texas - County Government ↗Dallas County's authority to enact county zoning ordinances. The source states that Dallas County may adopt various regulations for its unincorporated area, defined as land not …
Planning and Development | Zoning ↗El Paso County zoning authority countywide; the county does not issue or administer county zoning regulations. The county page states that Texas does not allow the County to hav…
Permits | El Paso County, TX ↗No county planning or zoning office is listed on the official county site; Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Terrell County, Texas - Official Site ↗Zoning regulations in the unincorporated areas of Tarrant County outside city limits. The statement does not apply inside city limits. County development regulations, subdivisio…
Guidelines for Development in the Unincorporated Areas of Tarrant County ↗Texas law forbids counties from adopting general zoning in unincorporated areas, so there are no county zoning regulations in Loving County.
Texas county authority - zoning (Bexar County FAQ) ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority over unincorporated land, and the county lists no planning/zoning department.
Culberson County (official) ↗County zoning authority in the unincorporated area of Rockwall County. Municipalities may have separate zoning authority and ordinances. County subdivision, development, floodpl…
rockwallcountytexas.com ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Texas state page for all 254 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Texas counties? The kit we'd start with:
These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.
General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
