Building permits, zoning and land rules in Camp County, Texas

Unincorporated Camp County requires no county building permit for a typical home¹. That fits with the county's own record: its hazard mitigation plan states plainly that "Camp County does not have zoning, a comprehensive plan, a capital improvements program"². Texas lets some counties adopt a fire code or residential building standard, but only counties over 250,000 people (or adjacent to one) qualify, and Camp County's population of about 13,000 is far below that threshold, so it never applies here regardless of what the county decides^9,13. One statewide exception reaches everyone: industrialized housing, modules and modular components must meet current state code editions as of July 1, 2024, wherever they're installed in Texas¹⁴. Inside the City of Pittsburg, it's a different picture: the city has adopted the International Building Code (2012), National Electrical Code (2011), International Plumbing Code (2012) and International Residential Code (2015) by reference, and requires a permit to build⁶.

Camp County has no confirmed dedicated building or zoning department; the County Judge's Office is the practical first call for county construction questions and receives subdivision plat and replat submissions for the Commissioners Court agenda^5,10. After approval, the plat or replat is filed with the Camp County Clerk for a $48 filing fee^10,15. Qualifying divisions of land outside municipal limits for agricultural, farm, ranch, wildlife-management or timber-production use are exempt from county platting while that use continues¹¹. Septic permits are handled locally rather than by a county building department; the County Judge's Office is the place to ask who accepts septic applications^4,5.

No: Camp County's own hazard mitigation plan states the county has no zoning ordinance². Because Texas law hands zoning power only to counties the legislature specifically authorizes, and Camp County has none, unincorporated Camp County sets no minimum dwelling size, no setback, no lot-coverage limit, no building-height limit, and no restriction on RV, tiny-home, manufactured-home or accessory-dwelling occupancy, and no restriction on temporary camping³. That's a real, confirmed answer, not just an absence of information. It changes at the City of Pittsburg's limits, where the city administers its own zoning ordinance separately from the county⁷.

Camp County appears as an authorized agent in TCEQ's 2025 report on septic (on-site sewage facility) systems, which means septic permits are handled locally rather than by a TCEQ regional office; the specific county office that accepts applications is not identified, so ask the County Judge's Office^4,5. A permit and approved plan are generally required to construct, install, alter, extend, repair or operate a system, and the permitting authority inspects the installation^8,16. Local programs can be stricter than state minimums, so ask before you design⁸. Only 5.3% of Camp County soils are free of severe limits for a conventional drain field, so obtain the site evaluation before settling on a house site or system budget⁹. The 10-acre exemption removes planning materials, the permit and inspection only when every condition is met, including a single-family dwelling, at least 100 feet from each property line, no nuisance or groundwater pollution, on-site effluent disposal and no second dwelling¹⁶. Boreholes, cesspools and seepage pits cannot be installed or used for off-grid sewage disposal¹⁶. Owner installation may be allowed for your own single-family home if the permitting authority allows it and no part of the property is developed for sale or lease⁸.

Yes, on unincorporated Camp County land: because the county has no zoning ordinance, it places no restriction on RV occupancy, tiny-home occupancy or manufactured-home occupancy³. Wastewater rules still apply regardless of the dwelling type, and almost all off-grid septic systems (OSSFs) need a permit before construction or alteration¹⁶. A qualifying single-family home on at least 10 acres can avoid OSSF planning materials, a permit and inspection only when every condition is met¹⁶. Inside the City of Pittsburg, the city's own zoning applies instead and may restrict what the county does not⁷.

1. Confirm with the County Judge's Office whether your parcel is unincorporated or inside the City of Pittsburg, since the rules differ sharply⁵.
2. If you're inside Pittsburg, apply for a city building permit under the city's adopted building codes before starting work⁶.
3. Ask the County Judge's Office who accepts septic (OSSF) applications for Camp County, get the permit and approved plan, then obtain any required inspection before using the system^4,5,16.
4. If you're dividing land outside municipal limits, first determine whether the agricultural-use exemption applies; otherwise submit the required plats and tax certificate to the County Judge's Office, then file the approved plat with the County Clerk for a $48 fee^10,11,15.
5. Before burying any utility line near a county road, give formal written notice and get Commissioners Court approval; never run a line through a road or driveway culvert¹⁷.
6. If your access is onto a state highway, file TxDOT Form 1058 and give TxDOT 24 hours' notice before construction¹⁸.

Soils and septic: only 5.3% of Camp County soils are free of severe septic limitations, so get a site evaluation before committing to a house site or system budget⁹. Flood exposure: Camp County says its regulations prohibit building in an area prone to flooding, but the available county plan does not define the boundary, enforcement process or exceptions, so ask the County Judge's Office before placing improvements on low ground^2,5. Water: Texas generally does not require state registration of a private well, but a groundwater conservation district may require registration, permitting or spacing, and every new well requires a State of Texas Water Well Report¹². Access: utility work in a county-road right-of-way needs written notice and Commissioners Court approval, while a driveway onto a state highway requires TxDOT's process^17,18. Jurisdiction: confirm whether the parcel is unincorporated or inside Pittsburg, where city building permits and zoning apply^6,7.