Bolthole Index

Denton County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and septic in Town of Hickory Creek, Texas

Town of Hickory Creek, Texas handles residential building permits and construction inspections through its Permitting Department.1 Hickory Creek zoning sets district-specific lot and home sizes, including a 1-acre minimum lot in SF-1.2 For land inside town limits in Denton County, start septic applications with the town’s OSSF permitting office rather than assuming the county’s unincorporated-area program applies.3

At a glance

Building permits
Town Permitting Department handles construction plan review, building permits and inspections1
Building codes
2021 International Building Codes and 2023 National Electric Code4
Zoning and lot size
SF-1: minimum 1-acre lot; SF-3: 9,000 square feet, with named existing-plat exceptions25
Minimum home size
SF-1: 2,500 square feet; SF-2: 2,000 square feet, excluding porches, garages and accessory buildings67
New residential fee
$3.50 per square foot under roof; $1,000 minimum8
Septic applications
Town OSSF application requires site evaluation and approval before construction3
Before moving in
Certificate of occupancy required before occupying a residential structure9

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Hickory Creek Permitting Department

Building plan review, building permits and construction inspections; contact for parcel zoning questions

940-279-7047

[email protected]

1075 Ronald Reagan Avenue, Hickory Creek, TX 75065

Online permits →

Building permits

Town of Hickory Creek Residential Building Permit Application

Residential application requirements, final inspection and occupancy approval

Online permits →

Septic permits

Town of Hickory Creek OSSF Permitting

Town OSSF application and plan-review checklist; designated-representative evaluation and inspection

(940) 497-2528

1075 Ronald Reagan Avenue Hickory Creek, Texas 75065

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 Town of Hickory Creek means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Town of Hickory Creek, TX?

Hickory Creek’s Permitting Department coordinates construction plan review, building permits and inspections under the town’s ordinances and adopted codes.1 The town identifies its adopted editions as the 2021 International Building Codes and 2023 National Electric Code.4

Hickory Creek’s published new-residential building permit fee is $3.50 per square foot under roof, with a $1,000 minimum; the fee schedule says building permits are valid for 180 days from issue.8 A residential building permit is not the final permission to move in: Hickory Creek requires a certificate of occupancy before any residential structure is occupied.9

Who issues building permits in Town of Hickory Creek?

Contact the Town of Hickory Creek Permitting Department at 940-279-7047 for construction plan review, building permits and inspections.1 The town accepts building permit submissions by email at [email protected] and publishes a residential building permit application online.1

Before submitting a Hickory Creek residential application, obtain approvals from affected property or easement holders on or adjacent to the property, including applicable utilities, the Corps of Engineers, the town and HOAs, and submit those approvals with the application and site plan.10 The residential application also requires final inspection for all building permits.11

Does Town of Hickory Creek have zoning and minimum home sizes?

Hickory Creek’s zoning requirements depend on the parcel’s district: SF-1 requires at least a 1-acre lot and a main building of at least 2,500 square feet, excluding porches, garages and accessory buildings.26 In SF-2, the minimum main-building floor area is 2,000 square feet with the same exclusions.7

SF-3 requires at least 9,000 square feet of lot area, except for lots already platted in Harbor Grove, Lakewood Gardens, Royal Oaks and Hickory Hills Additions.5 Use the zoning map linked by Hickory Creek’s Permitting Department to identify the parcel’s district before matching a proposed home to these standards.1

How do septic permits work inside Town of Hickory Creek?

Hickory Creek publishes its own OSSF application and plan-review checklist; contact Town Hall at (940) 497-2528 about that septic application.3 The checklist requires a site evaluation covering soil, topography and vegetation, including flood hazards, slope and lot dimensions.3 The town’s application authorizes its designated representative to evaluate the lot and inspect the sewage facility, and says an operating permit follows receipt of notice of approval.3

Texas generally requires an approved plan and septic permit to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate an OSSF, and local programs may be stricter than state minimums.12 Hickory Creek’s application says construction cannot begin until the application is approved and a septic permit is issued.3

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Town of Hickory Creek?

We could not confirm a general Hickory Creek rule for living in an RV on a private residential lot; ask the town’s Permitting Department about the parcel and proposed occupancy before buying.1 The confirmed RV restriction is narrower: short-term rental occupants and owners may not allow RV parking or occupancy on the rental premises or on a residential street within 100 feet of the rental property boundary.13

We could not confirm how Hickory Creek classifies tiny homes; SF-1 and SF-2 nevertheless have minimum main-building floor areas that a proposed small dwelling must address in those districts.67 Mobile homes in the GMH Garth Addition district require at least 1,200 square feet of heated/air-conditioned floor area, excluding accessory buildings, and a lot of at least 1 acre.14

What are the steps before building a home in Town of Hickory Creek?

  1. Identify the Hickory Creek parcel’s zoning district using the town’s linked zoning map, then ask the Permitting Department to review the proposed home against that district.1
  2. Obtain affected property and easement-holder approvals and submit them with the residential application and site plan.10
  3. If proposing septic, submit the town’s OSSF application and site evaluation and obtain approval before septic construction.3
  4. Complete the required building final inspection and obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in.11

Hickory Creek’s residential application directs applicants to check restrictive covenants and HOA requirements, which the town does not regulate or enforce.11 For land outside town limits, use the Denton County guide: development involving buildings or other structures in unincorporated Denton County requires county development approval.15

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm a Hickory Creek owner-builder exemption or a townwide water/sewer connection rule; ask the Permitting Department before committing to an owner-built or off-grid home.1
  • Hickory Creek subdivision proposals, including manufactured-home parks and subdivisions, must meet the town’s referenced floodplain development permit requirements.16
  • Hickory Creek’s district home-size limits are not a confirmed townwide classification or permission for tiny-home occupancy.67

Sources

  1. Town of Hickory Creek Permitting Department (hickorycreek-tx.gov)
  2. SF-1 Residential District, Section 3 (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Hickory Creek OSSF Permitting (hickorycreek-tx.gov)
  4. Permitting | Hickory Creek (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  5. SF-3 Residential District, Section 3 (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  6. SF-1 Residential District, Section 3 (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  7. SF-2 Residential District, Section 3 (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Hickory Creek Master Application and Fee Schedule (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  9. Residential Building Permit | Hickory Creek (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  10. Residential Building Permit | Hickory Creek (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Hickory Creek Residential Building Permit Application (hickorycreek-tx.gov)
  12. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Short-Term Rentals, Parking restrictions (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  14. GMH Garth Addition Mobile Home Single-Family Residential, Section 2 (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked
  15. Development Services, quoted and re-checked
  16. Flood Damage Prevention, Standards for subdivision proposals (Town of Hickory Creek), quoted and re-checked

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 Town of Hickory Creek

Town of Hickory Creek’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction projects inside Hickory Creek town limits.

    • The town identifies the adopted editions as 2021 International Building Codes and 2023 National Electric Code.
    “The Town of Hickory Creek has adopted the 2021 edition of the International Building Codes and the 2023 National Electric Code.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Residential structures inside Hickory Creek town limits.

    • Required before occupation.
    “I understand a certificate of occupancy must be issued before any residential structure is occupied.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile homes in the GMH Garth Addition Mobile Home Single-Family Residential district inside Hickory Creek town limits.

    • Minimum mobile-home floor area is 1,200 square feet exclusive of accessory buildings and including only H/AC space.
    • Every lot must be at least one acre.

    minimum mobile home floor area: >= 1200 square feet (exclusive of accessory buildings; includes only H/AC space) · minimum lot area: >= 1 acre

    “Every lot shall have an area of not less than one acre. G. Mobile Home. The minimum floor area of the mobile home placed on any lot in this district after the date of this ordinance, shall not be in the aggregate less than 1,200 square feet, exclusive of accessory buildings as defined in the code but including only the H/AC space.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision development inside Hickory Creek town limits.

    • Subdivision proposals and manufactured-home parks/subdivisions must meet the referenced floodplain permit requirements and standards.
    “All proposals for the development of subdivisions including the placement of manufactured home parks and subdivisions shall meet floodplain development permit requirements of section 3.07.038, section 3.07.045, and the provisions of sections 3.07.047-3.07.050 of this division.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Subdivision development, including manufactured-home parks and subdivisions, inside Hickory Creek town limits.

    • Applies to all development subdivision proposals including manufactured-home parks and subdivisions.
    “All proposals for the development of subdivisions including the placement of manufactured home parks and subdivisions shall meet floodplain development permit requirements of section 3.07.038, section 3.07.045, and the provisions of sections 3.07.047-3.07.050 of this division.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Hickory Creek town limits.

    • Occupants and owners may not allow motor-home, recreational-vehicle, boat, commercial-vehicle, or other prohibited motor-vehicle parking/occupancy at the rental or on a residential street within 100 feet of its boundary.

    residential-street boundary distance: < 100 feet (short-term rental motor-vehicle prohibition)

    “It shall be unlawful for an occupant of a short-term rental, or an owner thereof to allow an occupant, to park or occupy a motor home, recreational vehicle, boat, commercial vehicle, or otherwise prohibited motor vehicle on the premises of a short-term rental or on a residential street within 100 feet of the boundary of a property containing a short-term rental.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Residential building permits inside Hickory Creek town limits.

    • Schedule was adopted June 24, 2024; permits are valid for 180 days from issue date.

    new residential permit fee: per 3.5 USD per square foot under roof (minimum $1,000) · minimum new residential permit fee: 1000 USD

    “Permits are valid for 180 days from issue date. Residential Permit Type: Method of Calculation Min. Fee New Residential $3.50 per square foot under roof $1,000”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Residential construction permit applications inside Hickory Creek town limits.

    • Affected property/easement-holder approvals must be obtained and submitted with the application and site plan before submission.
    • Town permits may be submitted by email.
    “Prior to submission, approvals from all affected property or easement holders on or adjacent to the property; including but not limited to utilities, Corps of Engineers, the Town, HOAs, etc.; must be obtained and submitted with the application and site plan.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Hickory Creek

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Main buildings in Hickory Creek SF-1 Residential District.

    • Excludes porches, garages, and accessory buildings.

    minimum main building floor area: >= 2500 square feet (exclusive of porches, garages and accessory buildings)

    “The minimum floor area of the main building shall not be in the aggregate less than 2,500 square feet, exclusive of porches, garages and accessory buildings.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Main buildings in Hickory Creek SF-2 Residential District.
      “The minimum floor area of the main building shall not be in the aggregate less than 2,000 square feet, exclusive of porches, garages and accessory buildings.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in Hickory Creek SF-3 Residential District.

    • Exception for lots already platted in Harbor Grove, Lakewood Gardens, Royal Oaks, and Hickory Hills Additions.

    minimum lot area: >= 9000 square feet (except for lots already platted in Harbor Grove, Lakewood Gardens, Royal Oaks and Hickory Hills Additions)

    “Every lot shall have an area of not less than 9,000 square feet, except for lots already platted in Harbor Grove, Lakewood Gardens, Royal Oaks and Hickory Hills Additions.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Single-family districts of three acres or less inside Hickory Creek town limits.

    • Applies to all Single-Family Districts of three acres or less.
    “Driveways. All Single-Family Districts of three acres or less shall have paved driveways.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Hickory Creek or Denton County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Hickory Creek town limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Hickory Creek town limits.
  • Septic inspection — On-site sewage facilities inside Hickory Creek town limits.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation proposed inside Hickory Creek town limits.
  • Mandatory utility hookup — New homes inside Hickory Creek town limits.

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 Town of Hickory Creek publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Denton County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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