Aubrey, TX Building Permits, Zoning & Septic Rules

The City of Aubrey, Texas has its own zoning ordinance and requires a permit before any building or structure is erected, moved, added to, enclosed or structurally altered¹². Single-family permits come from the city's administrative official³. Septic permits inside city limits are unconfirmed; Denton County Environmental Health permits septic systems on unincorporated land⁴.

At a glance

Building permit: Required inside Aubrey for erecting, moving, adding to, enclosing or structurally altering a building²
Zoning: Aubrey has its own zoning ordinance and map¹
RV as a dwelling: Temporary only, by city permit, for up to 14 days⁵
Minimum home size: 2,000 sq ft in AG-R; 1,500 sq ft in SF10⁶⁷
Minimum lot size: 1 acre in AG-R; 10,000 sq ft in SF10⁸⁹
Driveways: Permit issued by the city's administrative official¹⁰

Who to call

Building permits

City of Aubrey Development Services, Building Permits and Inspections

Building permit applications, plan review and inspection scheduling inside Aubrey city limits

940-440-9343

[email protected]

Planning & zoning

City of Aubrey Development Services

Subdivision plats, site plans, rezoning applications and variances inside Aubrey

940-440-9343

510 Rockhill Rd. Aubrey, TX 76227

Septic permits

Denton County Public Health, Environmental Health Division

On-site sewage facility (septic) permits and inspections on unincorporated Denton County land

940-349-2920

3900 Morse Street, Denton, TX 76208

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Aubrey, Texas have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The City of Aubrey adopted a comprehensive zoning plan and zoning map that divides the city into districts¹. The districts are AG-R, SF1, SF10, SF75, SFAC, MF, GR, SC, C, IND, MH, PD and FP¹¹.

Rules differ by district. In AG-R, the agricultural residential district, a lot needs at least 1 acre, 150 feet of width and 225 feet of depth⁸, and a structure must be at least 2,000 square feet⁶. Setbacks in AG-R are 45 feet in front, 30 feet at the side and 50 feet at the rear¹². In SF10, lots need 10,000 square feet⁹, structures 1,500 square feet⁷, with setbacks of 25 feet front, 8 feet side and 25 feet rear¹³.

Aubrey's zoning applies only inside city limits. Land outside the city is unincorporated Denton County, where different rules apply; see the Denton County page.

Do you need a building permit in Aubrey, and who issues it?

Yes. Inside Aubrey, no building or other structure may be erected, moved, added to, enclosed or structurally altered without a permit². Fences, driveways and room additions also need a permit issued by the city's administrative official¹⁰.

Single-family permits are issued by the administrative official. Multifamily, commercial or industrial permits need prior approval from the planning and zoning commission³.

Applications go by email to the city's permitting address as one complete PDF, and plan review typically takes 10–14 business days once the application is complete¹⁴. The city's Building Permits Office has moved to 510 Rockhill Rd. in Aubrey¹⁵. Whether Aubrey has adopted a residential building code, and what its permit fees are, we could not confirm; ask the Building Permits and Inspections office.

How do septic permits work inside Aubrey?

We could not confirm who permits septic systems inside Aubrey city limits. Denton County Public Health's Environmental Health Division administers the county's on-site sewage facility order throughout the unincorporated parts of Denton County⁴¹⁶, and incorporated cities may have separate permitting authorities⁴.

Before buying a lot in Aubrey that is not on city sewer, call Aubrey Development Services and the Denton County Environmental Health Division to learn which one permits the system and whether sewer connection is required.

Can you live in an RV on your land in Aubrey, Texas?

Only temporarily. An RV may be used as a temporary dwelling on private property in Aubrey only with a temporary recreational vehicle permit from the city, for a period not to exceed 14 days⁵.

The permit needs the property owner's written consent, can be granted up to four times per calendar year per lot, and must be displayed in the RV window⁵. The RV must sit on the driveway outside the right-of-way or in a side or rear yard, and may not discharge gray water or toilet waste on the ground⁵. RVs at legally operating RV parks are exempt⁵.

That makes living in an RV while you build impractical inside city limits. We could not confirm Aubrey's rules on tiny homes or accessory dwellings.

Building a home in Aubrey: the steps, in order

Confirm your lot's zoning district (AG-R, SF1, SF10 or another) with Development Services, since lot size, home size and setbacks depend on it¹¹.
If you are dividing land, subdivision of land inside Aubrey is regulated by the city's subdivision ordinance¹⁷.
Submit the residential building application and plans by email to the permitting address as one PDF¹⁴.
Get a driveway permit from the city's administrative official¹⁰.
Settle septic or sewer with the city and Denton County Environmental Health before you design the house¹⁶.
Schedule inspections by emailing the city's inspections address, listed on the Building Permits and Inspections page¹⁴.

What stays with Denton County, and what to check before you buy in Aubrey

Inside Aubrey, the city's own rules apply to zoning and building permits¹. Land outside city limits is governed by Denton County, which requires a Development Permit from its Development Services Department for any development in unincorporated Denton County¹⁸. See the Denton County page for that answer.

Check whether the lot lies in Aubrey's FP floodplain district¹¹; we could not confirm its rules. Denton County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%¹⁹, and only 10.3% of its soils are rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system²⁰.

Watch-outs

Aubrey's Building Permits Office has moved to 510 Rockhill Rd., so older listings with a different address may be out of date¹⁵.
Septic permitting inside Aubrey city limits is unconfirmed, because incorporated cities may have separate permitting authorities from the county⁴; ask Aubrey Development Services before you buy.
An RV may serve as a dwelling only for up to 14 days per temporary permit inside city limits⁵.

Sources

Written October 14, 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.

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

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Aubrey, Texas