Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-07-01
251 of Texas's 254 counties — 99% — have no county-wide zoning. That is the largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is San Augustine County (83/100). 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 959 counties nationwide → Texas counties with no building codes → Full Texas profile →
251 of 254 Texas counties · sorted by Index score
Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; no county zoning ordinance was found for San Augustine County.
San Augustine County, Texas - Official Website ↗No zoning or planning department is listed among county offices, consistent with Texas counties lacking general zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Sabine County official website (county departments) ↗Newton County has no zoning department; Texas counties generally lack authority to impose zoning in unincorporated areas.
Newton County TX official website ↗No county planning or zoning department is listed and Texas counties generally lack authority to zone unincorporated land.
McCulloch County, Texas (official site) ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority; unincorporated Angelina County is not zoned.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 211 ↗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) ↗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) ↗Texas counties cannot zone unincorporated land; Bowie County has no county zoning ordinance or planning/zoning office.
Bowie County, Texas ↗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 ↗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; only the City of San Saba administers zoning.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 231 ↗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 ↗The county's Public Works page states there are no zoning requirements in unincorporated Jack County.
Jack County, Texas - Public Works ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas (limited to a few legislatively named counties, which does not include Titus County).
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov) ↗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 ↗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) ↗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 ↗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 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) ↗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 ↗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) ↗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 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 ↗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 have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Texas county land-use authority (Bexar County FAQ) ↗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 ↗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 ↗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 ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and no Freestone County zoning ordinance was found.
Freestone County, Texas Official Website ↗The county's Permits & Regulations page lists no zoning ordinance among its only regulations; Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Schleicher County TX - Permits and Regulations ↗No planning or zoning office appears in the official Coleman County directory, consistent with Texas counties lacking general zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Coleman County Government ↗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 in unincorporated areas; Mason County shows no zoning/planning department.
Mason County, Texas (official) ↗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 lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; no county zoning ordinance is published by Hamilton County.
Hamilton County TX - Permits & Regulations ↗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, with few exceptions, have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas, so Camp County has no county zoning.
TCEQ OSSF Information for Homeowners ↗Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Robertson County publishes no zoning ordinance.
Robertson County official website ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority over unincorporated areas, and no county zoning ordinance appears on Leon County's official site.
Leon County, TX - Permits ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Sutton County lists no planning or zoning office.
Sutton County, TX - Official Website ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Tyler County's regulations list subdivision rules but no zoning.
Tyler County Regulations ↗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) ↗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 ↗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 ↗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 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) ↗No county zoning or planning department is listed; Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land absent specific legislative authority.
Comanche County TX - Departments ↗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 ↗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 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 over unincorporated land; Goliad County regulates septic and floodplain but not zoning districts.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 233 ↗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 ↗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; the county administers only subdivision regulations, not zoning.
Bexar County TX - County Zoning Authority (Texas law) ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority over unincorporated land, and Crane County lists no planning/zoning department.
Crane County, TX - County Website ↗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 county zoning department or ordinance is published; Texas counties have no zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Pecos County TX - Departments ↗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 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 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 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 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/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) ↗No county zoning is offered or applicable; Texas counties lack general zoning authority over unincorporated land.
La Salle County, TX - Permits & Applications ↗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 lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Archer County regulates only via subdivision regulations, not zoning.
Archer County, Texas (official county site) ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas ('there are no zoning regulations' outside city limits).
Texas county land-use authority (Bexar County FAQ) ↗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 ↗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 lack zoning authority; Gillespie County regulates land only through subdivision rules (e.g., 6-acre minimum lot for well/OSSF) and floodplain development, not zon…
Gillespie County (TX) Engineering Department ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Texas county land-use authority (Bexar County FAQ) ↗The county administers 'Regulations for Subdivisions and Development' but no zoning ordinance, consistent with Texas counties lacking zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
San Jacinto County, TX County Regulations ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority over unincorporated land, and Winkler County lists no planning/zoning department.
Winkler County Departments ↗No county planning or zoning office exists; Texas counties lack general zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Reagan County, TX - Official Website ↗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 generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Chapter 231 grants zoning power only to specific legislatively designated counties (not Clay County).
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 (County Zoning Authority) ↗Texas counties have no authority to adopt zoning ordinances for unincorporated areas, so Hardeman County has no county zoning.
Bexar County (official) FAQ on Texas county authority (statewide rule) ↗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 ↗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 ↗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) ↗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 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 general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Shackelford County's official site shows no zoning or planning department.
Shackelford County, Texas - Official County Website ↗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) ↗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 ↗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 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 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) ↗No county zoning program is evident; Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Montague County Sewage Inspector ↗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 lack zoning authority over unincorporated land; Fannin County administers subdivision regulations and platting, not zoning.
Fannin 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 ↗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, so unincorporated Erath County is not zoned.
Bexar County, TX - How is my property zoned in the County (Texas law) ↗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 ↗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 generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Fayette County does not administer zoning.
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗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 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) ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Kerr County's development regulation is limited to subdivision, floodplain, and access rules with no zoning dist…
Kerr County Engineer ↗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 ↗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 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 have no general zoning authority over unincorporated areas, and the county maintains no zoning program.
Colorado County TX - OSSF / Development & Permitting ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and Austin County's permitting page references no zoning ordinance.
Austin County Permits ↗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 have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Kent County maintains no planning or zoning office.
Kent County, Texas - Official County Offices ↗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) ↗No county zoning ordinance is published; Texas counties have no zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Reeves County TX - Permits and Regulations ↗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 ↗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 lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Hudspeth County's official site shows no planning/zoning department.
Hudspeth County, Texas official website ↗Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas and Refugio County publishes no zoning ordinance.
Refugio 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) ↗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) ↗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 ↗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 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 ↗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 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) ↗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) ↗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) ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority; Victoria County regulates unincorporated development via floodplain and development standards rather than zoning districts.
Victoria County Development Services ↗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 ↗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 ↗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 counties lack general zoning authority; Lavaca County regulates via subdivision and development permits, not zoning districts.
Lavaca County - Permits & Applications ↗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 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 ↗No county zoning department or ordinance is published; Texas counties lack general zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Jones County, TX Official Website ↗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 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) ↗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 ↗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) ↗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 in unincorporated areas, and Presidio County maintains no planning/zoning office.
Bexar County TX - County Zoning Authority (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 ↗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 ↗No county planning or zoning department is listed; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Carson County official website ↗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 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 ↗Texas counties generally have no zoning authority over unincorporated areas, and Burnet County publishes no zoning ordinance; regulation is limited to plats, septic, and floodpl…
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗Texas counties do not have zoning authority (their land-use power is limited to platting and specific enumerated topics); Bailey County has no county zoning in unincorporated ar…
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗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 ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority; Lee County regulates via subdivision/development regulations rather than zoning districts.
Lee County Subdivision and Development Regulations ↗No county planning or zoning department is listed and Texas counties generally lack authority to zone unincorporated land.
Roberts County Texas (official site) ↗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 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 ↗The county lists no planning/zoning department; Texas counties generally cannot impose zoning in unincorporated areas.
Gray County, Texas - County Offices ↗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 ↗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 generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Cooke County regulates rural land via platting/subdivision and septic only, not zoning.
Texas Real Estate Research Center (Texas A&M) - Land-Use Restrictions in Texas ↗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) ↗No county zoning department or ordinance is published; Texas counties have no zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Dawson County TX - Official Website ↗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) ↗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 ↗No county zoning; Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and the county permits page references none.
Glasscock County 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 ↗"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 ↗No county zoning program exists; Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and no zoning is administered by Grimes County.
Grimes County Environmental Permits ↗No county zoning; Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas and the county site references none.
Hansford County, Texas (official site) ↗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 lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; land use in unincorporated Henderson County is not zoned.
Henderson County - County Ordinances ↗As a Texas county, Hood County has no general zoning authority over unincorporated land; the Development FAQ lists only septic, road-access, water-well and floodplain permits, n…
Hood County Development Department FAQs ↗No countywide zoning; only a localized Lake Tawakoni Planning & Zoning overlay applies within 5,000 feet of Lake Tawakoni.
Hunt County Development ↗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 ↗No county zoning ordinance is evident; Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land.
Knox County, Texas official website ↗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 ↗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; Real County's official site shows no planning/zoning department (it has subdivision rules only, not zoning).
Real County, Texas official website ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas, and Sherman County has no planning/zoning office.
Sherman County Commissioners Court / county offices ↗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) ↗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 ↗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 ↗Under Texas law only municipalities, not counties, may adopt zoning; Washington County has no zoning in its unincorporated areas.
Washington County Engineering & Development Services ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Wise County regulates development via OSSF and subdivision rules only.
Wise County FAQ ↗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 zoning authority in unincorporated areas (limited exceptions by statute); no Oldham County zoning ordinance was found.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 ↗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 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 ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Bastrop County Development Services lists no zoning permit and regulates only development, platting, flo…
Bastrop County Development Services - Forms & Applications ↗Texas counties have not been granted general zoning authority; Wilson County regulates unincorporated land only through subdivision and development rules, not a zoning ordinance.
Wilson County - Subdivision and Development Rules and Regulations ↗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; 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 lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Crosby County's official site shows no planning/zoning department.
Crosby County, Texas official website ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; no county zoning ordinance is documented.
Jim Wells County Safety & Inspection Department ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Cochran County shows no zoning/planning department.
Cochran County, Texas (official) ↗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 ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority over unincorporated land; Floyd County lists only county Subdivision Rules, not a zoning ordinance.
Floyd County, Texas ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority; unincorporated Kendall County has no zoning, only recorded deed restrictions and county development rules.
Kendall County - Development Information ↗Texas law prohibits county zoning in unincorporated areas (counties have no general zoning authority); Gaines County unincorporated land is unzoned.
Texas Local Government Code Ch. 211 (municipal zoning authority) ↗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) ↗Texas counties lack general zoning authority and no zoning department is listed for Swisher County.
Swisher County official website ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Waller County regulates land use through Subdivision and Development Regulations rather than zoning districts.
Waller County TX - Subdivision and Development Regulations ↗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) ↗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 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 generally have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Lamb County issues a zoning/permitting letter and has no countywide zoning ordinance.
Lamb County - Permits/Zoning ↗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) ↗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) ↗No county zoning department or zoning ordinance is listed on the county site; Texas counties generally lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas.
Hutchinson County, Texas - official county site ↗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 have no general zoning authority over unincorporated land, and the county lists no planning/zoning department.
Culberson County (official) ↗No county zoning department or ordinance is listed; Texas counties generally have no zoning authority over unincorporated land.
Yoakum County official website ↗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 ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; the county's Development Ordinance regulates subdivision, floodplain, and construction permits but conta…
Caldwell County Development Ordinance ↗Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land; Webb County administers land-development and floodplain regulations rather than a zoning ordinance.
Webb County Planning Department ↗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 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) ↗Aransas County has no zoning in unincorporated areas; Texas counties lack general zoning authority, and the county's only land regulation is its subdivision regulations under Te…
Aransas County Subdivision Regulations ↗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) ↗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 ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority in unincorporated areas; the county regulates via subdivision and floodplain rules rather than zoning.
San Patricio County Subdivision Rules ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Chambers instead uses subdivision regulations and drainage criteria.
Chambers County TX - Permitting ↗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 ↗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 ↗The county states there are no zoning regulations in Brazos County; only ETJ areas of cities are subject to city zoning.
Brazos County FAQ - Zoning ↗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; Ector County exercises subdivision and manufactured-home regulation, not zoning districts.
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 211 (Municipal Zoning Authority) ↗County states plainly there is no zoning in the unincorporated areas of Ellis County, though certain development/business orders apply.
Ellis County Department of Development - Regulations ↗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 have no general zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Johnson County regulates land through subdivision platting and development permits rather than zoning di…
Johnson County Land Development and Platting ↗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 ↗Lubbock County's own document states the county has no zoning regulations in the unincorporated area.
Lubbock County (official county document) ↗Midland County states it 'does not have any specific planning and zoning requirements' for unincorporated areas (city ETJ regulations may apply within 5 miles of Midland).
Midland County, TX - Commissioners Court FAQ ↗There are no zoning requirements within the unincorporated areas of Parker County.
Parker County Permitting Department ↗Texas counties have no general zoning authority; Smith County regulates only subdivision layout in unincorporated areas, not land-use zoning.
Smith County Subdivision Regulations ↗Texas counties have no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Taylor County regulates only subdivision platting, roadway/drainage standards and floodplain development, not zo…
Taylor County - Subdivision Development Procedures and Regulations ↗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 general zoning authority; unincorporated Montgomery County is not zoned and instead regulates land via subdivision and floodplain development permits.
Montgomery County Environmental Health - Development Permit Structure ↗The county has no authority to enforce zoning in unincorporated Bell County; there is no zoning outside the cities.
Bell County Engineer - FAQ ↗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 ↗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 zoning authority in unincorporated areas; Guadalupe County regulates land development only through Subdivision Regulations, not zoning.
Guadalupe County - Subdivision Regulations ↗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 generally lack land-use zoning authority; Jefferson County regulates unincorporated development via floodplain/development permits rather than a use-based zoning …
Jefferson County, TX Environmental Control - Development Permits ↗County FAQ states: 'In the unincorporated areas of the County ... there are no zoning regulations.'
Bexar County FAQ - How is my property zoned in the County ↗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 ↗The county explicitly states it has no zoning authority; unincorporated land has no county zoning except near the Fabens Airport or Historic Mission Trail.
El Paso County - Permits ↗As a Texas county, Fort Bend has no zoning authority in unincorporated areas; the county regulates development through subdivision, drainage and floodplain (flood-damage-prevent…
Fort Bend County - Development Permits ↗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 ↗Texas counties lack zoning authority; Hidalgo County regulates unincorporated land through subdivision/platting rules rather than zoning districts.
Hidalgo County - Planning Department ↗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 does not grant zoning authority to counties; unincorporated Rockwall County is not zoned. The county regulates subdivision and development (platting, driveways, floodplain…
Texas Local Government Code Chapter 232 - County Regulation of Subdivisions ↗Texas counties have no statutory zoning authority; unincorporated Travis County is not zoned and instead regulates land through development, floodplain, and subdivision permits.
Travis County Development Services ↗There are no zoning regulations in Williamson County; the county has no authority to zone property for land use and cannot issue a Certificate of Occupancy.
Williamson County - FAQ: Zoning Regulations ↗Unincorporated Harris County has no zoning; land use is governed instead by platting, deed restrictions, floodplain, health and state regulations.
Harris County Office of the County Engineer - Permits FAQ ↗The county has no zoning in unincorporated areas except limited regulation of sexually-oriented businesses, salvage/junk yards and animal slaughter operations.
Collin County Development Services FAQ ↗Dallas County states it does not have the authority to enact zoning, though it can adopt other regulations for its unincorporated area.
Dallas County Planning and Development - Zoning ↗There is no general county zoning in unincorporated Denton County; the only county-administered land-use zoning is the special Lake Ray Roberts Land Use Ordinance covering that …
Denton County - Development Services ↗The county states unincorporated Tarrant County does not enforce zoning regulations, though it maintains development standards.
Tarrant County Engineering Services - Development ↗One email a week: the best counties to live off-grid, rule changes that matter, and rule changes as Texas counties adopt or drop codes. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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.
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.