Bolthole Index

Bell County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Killeen, Texas

Building permits in Killeen, Texas are required and issued by the city's Building Official, applied for through the MGO Connect portal12. Zoning inside city limits follows Chapter 31 of the Killeen Code of Ordinances3. Septic permits in Bell County come from the Bell County Public Health District, but we could not confirm how that applies inside Killeen, so ask the district before you buy4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Killeen city limits; apply to the Building Official1
Zoning
Yes, city zoning under Chapter 31 of the Code of Ordinances3
Permit application
Online through the MGO Connect portal2
Inspections
Required for new homes, duplexes and room additions5
Building codes
Adopted and amended in Chapter 8, effective January 1, 20266
Septic
Bell County Public Health District permits septic in Bell County; applicability inside Killeen not confirmed7
RV, tiny home, minimum lot size, setbacks
Set by Chapter 31 district rules; we could not confirm the details8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Killeen Building Inspections / Permits and Inspections Office

Building permits, plan review, inspections, certificates of occupancy and construction codes inside Killeen city limits

254-501-7762

100 E Avenue C, Killeen, TX 76541

Online permits →

Septic permits

Bell County Public Health District, Environmental Health (OSSF Program)

On-site sewage facility (septic) permitting and inspection for Bell County; ask whether it applies to a lot inside Killeen

254-532-9800

4236 Lowes Dr., Temple, TX 76502

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Killeen means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Killeen, Texas?

Yes. Inside Killeen city limits, an owner, authorized agent or contractor must apply to the Building Official and obtain a building permit before starting work1. That covers construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving and demolition, plus regulated electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing work1.

The Bell County rule that no county building permit is required applies only to unincorporated land outside Bell County's cities, so it does not apply to a lot inside Killeen9. For land outside city limits, see the Bell County page.

Who issues building permits in Killeen, and how do you reach them?

The City of Killeen's Permits and Inspections Office issues building permits, and applications and plans are submitted at the MGO Connect portal, where applicable plan review fees are collected210. Killeen's one- and two-family projects follow a different review path than commercial and apartment projects2.

The office is at 100 E Avenue C, Killeen, TX 76541, and takes general permit and inspection questions at 254-501-776210. Killeen's construction codes are adopted and amended in Chapter 8 of the city's Code of Ordinances, effective January 1, 20266. A certificate of occupancy is required before anyone occupies a structure, and a business certificate costs a $90 application fee plus a $10 technology fee1112.

Does Killeen have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. Killeen has its own zoning: Chapter 31 of the Killeen Code of Ordinances covers zoning classifications, allowed uses, site-development regulations and parking3. The city publishes a downloadable and interactive zoning map, so check a lot's district before you buy8.

We could not confirm Chapter 31's rules on RV living, tiny homes, manufactured homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size, setbacks or minimum house size3. Ask the City of Killeen's Development Services staff for the district rules on a specific lot. The no-zoning answers that apply in unincorporated Bell County do not carry over to land inside city limits13.

How do septic permits work in Killeen?

Septic permits in Bell County are issued by the Bell County Public Health District, which regulates on-site sewage facilities under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 3667. Construction must not begin before the application is approved, and setting a tank counts as construction4.

We could not confirm whether that county permit applies to a lot inside Killeen city limits. The city's building page links to Bell County's sewage disposal regulation, but does not say how it applies inside the city10. Call the Bell County Public Health District, or ask the city's Permits and Inspections Office, before you plan a septic system on a Killeen lot. Statewide, Texas requires a permit to construct, install, alter, extend or repair a septic system14.

Building a home in Killeen: the steps, in order

  1. Look up the lot's zoning district in Chapter 31 and the city's zoning map8.
  2. Ask the Bell County Public Health District whether septic or city sewer serves the lot4.
  3. Create an account on the MGO Connect portal and submit the permit application and plans2.
  4. Pay the applicable plan review fees2.
  5. Pass the standard inspections for new homes, duplexes and room additions, ending in a final inspection5.
  6. Get the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in11.

What stays with Bell County, and what should you check before you buy in Killeen?

Septic permits come from the Bell County Public Health District rather than the city7. Floodplain development in Bell County's jurisdiction requires a county permit15; whether the county or the city's Chapter 12 flood ordinance governs a Killeen lot is unconfirmed, so ask the city before you buy. Subdivision plats inside the city go to the city, with an application fee of $500 plus $25 per lot16.

Bell County's effective property tax rate is 1.5%17. For land outside Killeen, see the Bell County page.

Watch-outs

  • Killeen's own Chapter 31 zoning decides RV, tiny-home and lot-size questions, and we could not confirm those details, so ask the city before relying on county no-zoning answers3.
  • We could not confirm how Bell County septic rules apply inside Killeen city limits; ask the Bell County Public Health District4.
  • Killeen's construction codes changed effective January 1, 2026, so older advice on code editions may be out of date6.

Sources

  1. Building Inspections | City of Killeen, TX (Killeen), quoted and re-checked
  2. killeentexas.gov (Killeen), quoted and re-checked
  3. Development Services Division Flowcharts (Killeen), quoted and re-checked
  4. Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  5. Inspection List for New 1 & 2 – Family Dwellings (Killeen), quoted and re-checked
  6. Building Inspections | City of Killeen, TX (Killeen), quoted and re-checked
  7. Application to Construct OSSF, quoted and re-checked
  8. Development Services Division Flowcharts (Killeen), quoted and re-checked
  9. Frequently Asked Questions — Bell County Engineer (2026 county census)
  10. City of Killeen Building Inspections / Permits and Inspections Office (killeentexas.gov)
  11. New Commercial Certificate of Occupancy (CO) (Killeen), quoted and re-checked
  12. Building Inspections | City of Killeen, TX (Killeen), quoted and re-checked
  13. Frequently Asked Questions - Bell County Engineer (2026 county census)
  14. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Floodplain Management, quoted and re-checked
  16. Planning | City of Killeen, TX (Killeen), quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Killeen

Killeen’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside Killeen city limits including construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, occupancy changes, and regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing-system work.

    • The owner, authorized agent, or contractor must first apply to the Building Official and obtain the required permit.
    “Permits are required when any owner, authorized agent, or contractor who desires to or causes any such work to be done, shall first make application to the Building Official and obtain the required permit for the work.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Killeen city limits.

    • The city page states construction codes are effective January 1, 2026.
    • The listed codes are adopted and amended in Chapter 8 unless otherwise noted.

    effective date: 2026-01-01

    “CONSTRUCTION CODES (Effective January 01, 2026) The construction codes are adopted and amended in Chapter 8, Killeen Code of Ordinances unless otherwise noted.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    New one- and two-family homes, duplexes, and room additions inside Killeen city limits.

    • The city checklist identifies standard inspections for this work.
    • Final inspection includes building, electrical, energy, mechanical, plumbing, and applicable fence, irrigation, and backflow-preventer items.
    “The following lists the standard inspections required to build new homes, duplexes, and room additions.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy or use of any structure or parcel of land within Killeen city limits.

    • A new certificate is required upon a change of building use, business name, or ownership.
    • No occupancy is permitted until the Permits and Inspections Office issues the certificate.
    • The flowchart describes an optional temporary certificate in 30-day increments.

    temporary certificate period: per 30 days (Optional temporary certificate of occupancy; applicant must request it in writing and acknowledge outstanding inspection items.)

    “Certificates of occupancy are required prior to the occupancy or use of any structure or parcel of land within the City of Killeen. New certificates of occupancies shall be issued if there is a change of building use, change in business name, or change of ownership. No occupancy shall be permitted until the certificate of occupancy is issued by the Permits and inspections office.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Killeen city limits.

    • Chapter 31 governs zoning classifications, allowed uses, site-development regulations, parking, and restrictions.
    “Chapter 31 of the City of Killeen Code of Ordinances contains the Zoning Ordinance. It provides information on zoning classification, including allowed uses, site development regulations, parking and restrictions.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Killeen city limits.

    • The city identifies Chapter 31 as the zoning ordinance and provides a downloadable and interactive zoning map.
    “Chapter 31 of the City of Killeen Code of Ordinances contains the Zoning Ordinance. It provides information on zoning classification, including allowed uses, site development regulations, parking and restrictions.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision plats and property developments inside Killeen city limits.

    • The city flowchart directs the applicant to submit an application and pay the application fee.
    • The Planning and Zoning Commission approves plats, while eligible plats may be approved by staff.
    • The source says a plat expires 45 days after development review if no corrections are submitted.

    city application fee: 500 USD (Plus $25 per lot.) · city fee per lot: per 25 USD (In addition to the $500 city application fee.)

    “SUBDIVISION APPROVAL PROCESS BEGIN PROCESS. (INTAKE) Submit application and pay application fee.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Certificates of occupancy for businesses inside Killeen city limits.

    • The listed fees apply to business certificates of occupancy.

    CO application fee: 90 USD (Business certificate of occupancy.) · CO technology application fee: 10 USD (In addition to the $90 business certificate-of-occupancy application fee.)

    “Fees for CO are $90 application fee plus a $10 technology application fee.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Killeen city limits.

    • The source identifies MGO Connect as the portal for permit applications and plans.
    • Applicable plan-review fees are collected.
    • One- and two-family projects, commercial/apartment remodels, and new commercial/apartment/addition projects have different review paths.
    “Permit application and plans submitted at mgoconnect.org portal. Applicable Plan Review fees collected.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Killeen or Bell County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Killeen city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential districts inside Killeen city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Single-family residential districts inside Killeen city limits.
  • Setbacks — Single-family residential districts inside Killeen city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Single-family residential districts inside Killeen city limits.
16 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Killeen publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Bell County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Bell County: county rules, score and offices