Bolthole Index

Dallas County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Richardson, Texas

Richardson, Texas has city zoning, and Richardson Building Inspection is the contact for building-permit questions.12 Richardson requires a building permit for repairing, recovering or replacing at least 25% of a roof.2 RV living is prohibited except for emergency temporary shelter approved by the city manager or designee.3 For a Richardson parcel in Dallas County, we could not confirm the in-city septic permitting authority; ask TCEQ’s OSSF program before planning a system.4

At a glance

Building permits
Ask Richardson Building Inspection; roof work covering 25% or more requires a building permit2
Zoning
Richardson administers its own zoning; district and planned-development standards matter1
RV living
Prohibited, except approved emergency temporary shelter3
Septic
Texas generally requires an OSSF permit and approved plan; confirm the in-city authority with TCEQ54
Lot size
D-1400-M duplex lots require at least 12,000 square feet; this is not a citywide minimum6
Tiny homes
We could not confirm a specific occupancy rule; ask Development Services about the proposed use7

Who to call

Building permits

Richardson Building Inspection

Building-permit questions and construction inspections.

972-744-4180

2360 Campbell Creek Blvd. Suite 550 Richardson, TX 75082

Planning & zoning

Richardson Development Services

Zoning, land use and development-plan review.

972-744-4240

2360 Campbell Creek Blvd. Suite 525 Richardson, TX 75082

Septic permits

TCEQ OSSF Program

State septic guidance and assistance identifying the appropriate local permitting authority; not a confirmed Richardson permit issuer.

[email protected]

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Richardson, TX?

Start with Richardson Building Inspection for the building-permit answer for your proposed project.2 Richardson explicitly requires a building permit when repairing, recovering or replacing 25% or more of the entire roof area.2 Richardson also says garage enclosures must meet building and zoning codes.2 We could not confirm the general new-home building-permit requirement or a local owner-builder exemption; ask Building Inspection for the application, adopted codes, fee schedule and required inspections before committing to construction.2

Who is the Richardson building department, and how do you reach it?

Richardson Building Inspection’s published contact number is 972-744-4180; its FAQ also directs building-permit inquiries to 972-744-4164.2 Richardson allows inspection requests to be scheduled online, and inspection results can also be obtained online.2 For zoning and land-use questions, contact Richardson Development Services at 972-744-4240.7 Richardson’s Planning Division administers the zoning process, while Development and Engineering processes development applications for compliance with city regulations and policies.7 Ask both offices which approvals your address and proposed work need.27

Does Richardson have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Richardson administers its own Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, with district-specific regulations and special planned-development ordinances that can modify general standards.1 In Richardson’s D-1400-M Duplex District, the minimum lot area is 12,000 square feet; planned-development districts may have separate lot-area requirements.6 The D-1400-M district also requires 2 enclosed off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit, accessible by an approved-surface driveway, with the garage behind the front building line.8 Richardson planned-development applications must specify maximum structure heights by tract, and the approved ordinance controls.9 Ask Development Services to identify the parcel’s district, any special ordinance and the applicable setbacks before designing a house.7

How do septic permits work inside Richardson?

Texas generally requires a permit and approved plan to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate an on-site sewage facility.5 Local authorized agents administer the program within their approved jurisdictions, and local requirements may be stricter than state minimums.10 We could not confirm the septic permitting authority inside Richardson; ask TCEQ’s OSSF program to identify the authority for the exact address rather than assuming a county office serves city land.4 The Texas 10-acre exemption also requires a licensed site evaluation, a single dwelling, on-site disposal, no nuisance or groundwater pollution, and all system parts at least 100 feet from property lines.5 Ask Richardson Development Services about public sewer availability before choosing septic.7

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Richardson?

Richardson prohibits using recreational vehicles as living quarters.3 Richardson allows RVs as temporary shelters under emergency conditions only with approval from the city manager or designee.3 Do not plan to use an RV as your routine home during construction under that emergency exception.3 We could not confirm a specific Richardson tiny-home or accessory-dwelling occupancy rule; ask Development Services whether the proposed dwelling and use fit the parcel’s zoning, then ask Building Inspection about construction approvals.72 District standards and special planned-development ordinances can change the zoning answer for a particular Richardson lot.1

Building a home in Richardson: what are the steps?

  1. Ask Richardson Development Services to identify zoning and any planned-development ordinance before designing the home.71
  2. Discuss the development plans with Development Services; its application types include plats, site plans, landscape plans, building elevations and civil engineering plans.7
  3. Ask Richardson Building Inspection for the building-permit application, fees, code requirements and inspection sequence for your project.2
  4. Resolve public sewer availability with Development Services or identify the septic permitting authority through TCEQ before relying on an OSSF.74
  5. Schedule Richardson construction inspections online where applicable and review the posted or online inspection results.2

What should you check before buying land in Richardson?

Richardson’s subdivision rules include development-permit requirements, drainage provisions and public-utility measures intended to reduce flood exposure.11 Ask Development Services which floodplain and drainage requirements apply to the proposed development before buying a lot or dividing land.711 We could not confirm Richardson’s private-well rule or general public-water and sewer connection requirement; ask Development Services about the proposed water and wastewater arrangements.7 For land outside Richardson city limits, use the Dallas County guide: Dallas County’s development-permit requirement applies to unincorporated land rather than establishing Richardson’s building-permit rules.12

Watch-outs

  • Richardson’s RV emergency-shelter exception requires city manager or designee approval; it does not authorize routine RV living.3
  • The D-1400-M lot and parking standards apply to that duplex district; ask Development Services for the standards governing your parcel.687
  • We could not confirm the in-city septic authority, tiny-home occupancy rule or owner-builder exemption; ask TCEQ, Development Services and Building Inspection respectively before relying on those options.472

Sources

  1. D-1400-M Duplex District Regulations, Sec. 2. Building regulations (Richardson), quoted and re-checked
  2. Richardson Building Inspection (cor.net)
  3. Sec. 13-1. Recreational vehicles and other parking regulations (Richardson), quoted and re-checked
  4. TCEQ OSSF Program (tceq.texas.gov)
  5. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. D-1400-M Duplex District Regulations, Sec. 4. Area regulations (Richardson), quoted and re-checked
  7. Richardson Development Services (cor.net)
  8. D-1400-M Duplex District Regulations, Sec. 4. Area regulations (Richardson), quoted and re-checked
  9. PD Planned Development District Regulations, Sec. 4. Area regulations (Richardson), quoted and re-checked
  10. How to Become a Texas On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic System) Authorized Agent (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Sec. 9-69. Standards for subdivision proposals (Richardson), quoted and re-checked
  12. Department of Unincorporated Area Services | Obtaining a Development Permit (2026 county census)

Written October 11, 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 Richardson

Richardson’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Richardson city limits; Richardson administers its own Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.

    • District-specific zoning regulations and special planned-development ordinances may modify general standards.
    “ARTICLE XIII. - D-1400-M DUPLEX DISTRICT REGULATIONS”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Use of recreational vehicles as living quarters inside Richardson city limits.

    • Under emergency conditions, recreational vehicles may be used as temporary shelters if approved by the city manager or designee.
    “Recreational vehicles may not be used as living quarters. Under emergency conditions, recreational vehicles may be used as temporary shelters if approved by the city manager or designee.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    All subdivision proposals inside Richardson city limits, including manufactured-home parks and subdivisions.

    • Proposals must be consistent with sections 9-4 through 9-6.
    • Development permit requirements of sections 9-43 and 9-44 and the flood-hazard-reduction article apply.
    • Proposals greater than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is lesser, must generate base-flood-elevation data if not otherwise provided.
    • Adequate drainage and public utilities must be provided to reduce flood exposure.

    threshold for required base flood elevation data: 50 lots or five acres, whichever is lesser (if not otherwise provided pursuant to section 9-8 or subsection 9-42(8))

    “All proposals for the development of subdivisions, including manufactured home parks and subdivisions, shall meet development permit requirements of sections 9-43 and 9-44 and the provisions of this article.”

Rules another office applies inside Richardson

Richardson does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    D-1400-M Duplex District inside Richardson city limits.

    • Planned Development Districts may have separate minimum lot-area requirements set by the establishing ordinance.

    minimum lot area: >= 12000 square feet

    “The minimum area of the lot shall be 12,000 square feet.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    PD Planned Development Districts inside Richardson city limits.

    • Each PD application must specify maximum height for each tract; the approved ordinance controls.

    maximum building height: district-specific (set by the PD application and ordinance establishing the district)

    “The application for a planned development shall contain an element which specifies the maximum height of structures on each tract of land.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Dwelling units in the D-1400-M Duplex District inside Richardson city limits.

    • Two off-street parking spaces must be accessible from a driveway constructed of an approved parking surface.
    • The garage must be behind the front building line.
    • Additional maneuvering and side-street-entry rules apply.

    required enclosed off-street parking spaces: 2 spaces per dwelling unit

    “Two off-street parking spaces, accessible from a driveway constructed of an approved parking surface, shall be provided on the lot in an enclosed garage structure behind the front building line to accommodate two motor vehicles for each dwelling unit.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential and other construction inside Richardson city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from contractor or permit requirements inside Richardson city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption inside Richardson city limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Richardson city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Richardson city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Richardson publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Dallas County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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