Town of Highland Park, Texas: building permits, zoning and septic rules

At a glance

Building permits

Required before construction; apply through town Building Inspection¹

Zoning

Town zoning applies inside Highland Park limits²

Minimum lot area

Varies by zoning district; confirm the schedule for the parcel³

Septic systems

Texas generally requires a septic permit and approved plan; confirm the local authority with TCEQ⁵⁴

Owner-builder electrical work

State licensing exemption has conditions and does not waive local building permits or inspections⁶

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Highland Park, TX?

Highland Park requires building permits before construction, and town Building Inspection reviews plans for compliance with building and zoning requirements.¹ Start with Building Inspection for the application and plan review; the department accepts digital submittals and conducts correspondence by telephone.¹ The person performing the work must apply, while the property owner remains responsible for ensuring that a building permit is obtained.¹ Ask Building Inspection which approvals your proposed scope needs before arranging a construction start date.¹

Does the Town of Highland Park have zoning and minimum lot sizes?

Highland Park has town zoning that applies to land inside town limits.² Highland Park’s published districts include one-family, two-family and multifamily residential districts, as well as other district categories.⁷ Minimum lot area for a detached home varies by district; there is no single townwide lot-area figure in the verified schedule.³ Before buying a lot, ask Building Inspection to identify the parcel’s district and review the proposed building plan against zoning requirements.³¹ For property outside town limits, consult the Dallas County guide for the county’s unincorporated-area zoning answer.⁸

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Highland Park?

A proposed septic system in Highland Park is subject to Texas requirements for a septic permit and approved plan to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate an on-site sewage facility, unless an applicable exemption is satisfied.⁵ We could not confirm the septic permitting authority inside Highland Park; ask the TCEQ OSSF Program to identify the authority for the exact address.⁹ Texas uses local authorized agents in many areas, with a TCEQ regional office handling locations without an authorized local jurisdiction.⁴ Local septic programs can be stricter than state minimums, so confirm the local requirements before selecting a system.⁵

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Highland Park?

We could not confirm Highland Park’s rules for living in an RV, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or manufactured-home occupancy; ask town Building Inspection to review the intended use against town zoning before buying a structure.²¹ Highland Park’s minimum lot-area schedule is district-specific, so a small dwelling proposal still needs the correct district identified.³ If a proposal includes septic disposal, Texas septic permitting requirements also apply unless an applicable exemption is met.⁵ Ask Building Inspection about the proposed residential use and TCEQ about the septic authority as separate questions.¹⁹

Building a home in the Town of Highland Park: what comes first?

1. Ask town Building Inspection to review the parcel’s zoning district and proposed home; Highland Park’s minimum lot area depends on district.¹³ 2. Submit the building permit application and plans digitally to Building Inspection, which reviews building and zoning compliance before construction.¹ 3. If proposing septic, identify the permitting authority through TCEQ and obtain the required septic approval unless an exemption applies.⁴⁵ 4. Obtain the building permit before beginning construction and request inspections before concealing work; the department uses OpenGov for inspection requests.¹ An owner doing electrical work should confirm Highland Park’s requirements: Texas’s conditional owner-resident licensing exemption does not waive local building permits or inspections.⁶

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm Highland Park’s setbacks, minimum dwelling size or current building permit fees; ask Building Inspection for the requirements applicable to your parcel and project.¹
• Dallas County’s no-zoning answer describes unincorporated land; Highland Park has its own town zoning.⁸²
• We could not confirm public sewer connection requirements or private-well requirements inside Highland Park; ask town Building Inspection before planning an off-grid utility arrangement.¹

Sources

1. Town of Highland Park Building Inspection (hptx.org)
2. Town of Highland Park Code of Ordinances Chapter 14 Zoning and Zoning Ordinance No. 676 (Town of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
3. Town of Highland Park Code of Ordinances Chapter 14 Zoning and Zoning Ordinance No. 676 (Town of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
4. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. Exemptions to Electrician Licensing (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. Town of Highland Park Code of Ordinances Chapter 14 Zoning and Zoning Ordinance No. 676 (Town of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
8. Planning and Development | Zoning (2026 county census)
9. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality OSSF Program (tceq.texas.gov)

Written October 15, 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.