Bolthole Index

Denton County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and land rules in The Colony, Texas

The Colony, Texas requires building permits before new construction and covered additions, alterations or repairs; Building Inspections handles the city’s plan reviews and construction inspections.12 The Colony has its own zoning inside city limits.3 For a septic proposal, ask the city to identify the permitting authority: Denton County’s confirmed septic program covers unincorporated land, not an established citywide service area.4

At a glance

Building permits
Required before new construction and covered alterations or repairs1
Zoning
City zoning; district and Planned Development rules matter35
Construction inspections
City plan review before issuance, on-site inspections during construction2
RV storage
Maximum 1 RV per residential lot; storage excludes living or sleeping6
Camping
Camping inside city limits requires a proper camping permit7
Septic
Texas generally requires an OSSF permit and approved plan; ask the city to identify the local authority8

Who to call

Building permits

The Colony Building Inspections

Building permit applications, plan review, construction inspections and occupancy certification

972-624-3100

6053 Main Street

Online permits →

Zoning

The Colony Planning and Development Department

Zoning and development project review; building permit applications go to Building Inspections

972-624-3122

6053 Main Street

Online permits →

Floodplain permits

The Colony Engineering Department

Questions about floodplain development, well drilling and right-of-way application forms

972-624-3195

6053 Main Street

Septic permits

Denton County Public Health, Environmental Health Division

Septic permitting on unincorporated land; ask for an authority referral for a city address

940-349-2920

3900 Morse Street

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 The Colony means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in The Colony, Texas?

The Colony requires building permits before new construction and covered additions, alterations or repairs to buildings, structures, plumbing, electrical or mechanical systems.1 The city reviews construction plans before issuing building permits and inspects permitted work during construction.2 Roof replacement, siding replacement and foundation repair also require city building permits under the update effective in October 2025.9 Before choosing a construction start date, ask Building Inspections which adopted code edition and amendments apply to your plans.10

Who issues building permits in The Colony, and how do you apply?

The Colony Building Inspections is the city office for building permit issuance, inspection and occupancy certification; call 972-624-3100.9 Submit application documents in PDF format using the instructions on the Building Inspections page; other document formats are not accepted.9 The city collects a $50 application fee before processing and asks applicants to allow 10 to 15 business days for a plan review response.9 Planning and Development accepts development project applications, including site plans and plats, through its online portal, but does not process building permit applications.11 Use ETrakIt to schedule construction inspections and view inspection results.92

Does The Colony have zoning, and what should a land buyer check?

The Colony administers its own zoning inside city limits through Planning and Development.3 The city identifies 24 zoning districts, provides a zoning map and district land-use reference sheets, and notes that Planned Development districts may have separate adopted regulations.5 Ask Planning and Development to identify the parcel’s district and any Planned Development ordinance before selecting a house design.5 We could not confirm numeric city limits for lot coverage or building height, or a specific tiny-home or accessory-dwelling occupancy rule; ask Planning and Development to resolve those questions for the proposed parcel and use.3

How do septic permits work inside The Colony?

Texas generally requires an on-site sewage facility, or OSSF, permit and approved plan before construction, alteration, repair, extension or operation of a septic system.8 We could not confirm which office administers septic permitting inside The Colony; ask Building Inspections to identify the authority before commissioning a system design.9 Denton County Public Health’s Environmental Health Division administers the county septic program throughout unincorporated Denton County, so that statement alone does not establish authority over a city address.4 Texas allows a conditional 10-acre exemption, but acreage alone is insufficient: site evaluation, setback, single-dwelling, on-site disposal and pollution safeguards must all be satisfied, and local requirements may be stricter.8

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on land in The Colony?

The Colony’s residential RV rule permits storage of no more than 1 recreational vehicle per lot, but defines storage as excluding living or sleeping in the vehicle.6 Residential RV storage must use a permanent hard-surfaced area in the allowed side yard, rear yard or designated front entry driveway.6 A stored RV therefore should not be treated as approved temporary housing while a home is built.6 Camping within The Colony requires a proper camping permit; that requirement does not establish a general right to residential RV occupancy.7 We could not confirm a specific tiny-home occupancy rule; ask Planning and Development about the proposed use and Building Inspections about construction approval.31

Building a home in The Colony: what are the steps before construction?

  1. Ask Planning and Development to confirm the parcel’s zoning district, allowed use and any separate Planned Development requirements.5
  2. Ask Engineering whether the project needs floodplain development, well drilling or right-of-way applications; the city publishes forms for those topics.12
  3. Resolve wastewater approval before finalizing the home layout; Texas generally requires an OSSF permit and approved plan for septic work.8
  4. Submit the building permit application and supporting PDFs to Building Inspections, pay the application fee and obtain the building permit before starting covered work.91
  5. Schedule city construction inspections through ETrakIt.9

For land outside city limits, read the Denton County guide: unincorporated development requires a county Development Permit.13

Watch-outs

  • The Colony requires building permits for roof replacement, siding replacement and foundation repair under its October 2025 update.9
  • RV storage in The Colony excludes living or sleeping in the vehicle.6
  • We could not confirm an owner-builder exemption inside The Colony; ask Building Inspections before assuming that doing the work yourself changes the building permit requirement.1

Sources

  1. Building Inspections/Permits (The Colony), quoted and re-checked
  2. Building Inspections/Permits (The Colony), quoted and re-checked
  3. Zoning Districts and Land Use (The Colony), quoted and re-checked
  4. Environmental Health Division | Denton County, TX, quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning Districts and Land Use (The Colony), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 6-272. Storage of recreational vehicles—By zoning districts (The Colony), quoted and re-checked
  7. Sec. 13-4. Camping in city (The Colony), quoted and re-checked
  8. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. The Colony Building Inspections (thecolonytx.gov)
  10. Building Inspections/Permits (The Colony), quoted and re-checked
  11. The Colony Planning and Development Department (thecolonytx.gov)
  12. The Colony Engineering Department (thecolonytx.gov)
  13. Development Services, 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 The Colony

The Colony’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New construction and additions, alterations, or repairs to buildings, structures, plumbing, electrical, or mechanical systems inside The Colony city limits.

    • Permits must be obtained before beginning the covered work.
    “Permits are required prior to beginning any new construction, as well as for additions, alterations, or repairs to existing buildings, structures, plumbing, electrical, or mechanical systems.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction documents submitted in The Colony city limits.

    • The city states the 2024 ICC codes and 2023 NEC became effective July 17, 2025.
    • Construction documents submitted after July 16, 2025 are subjected to the new adopted codes.
    • The adopted-code page states the broader code list became effective September 1, 2025.
    “Effective Sep. 1, 2025, the City of The Colony has adopted the following codes:”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside The Colony city limits.

    • Inspections occur during construction.
    • Inspection results are available through ETrakIt.
    “Code enforcement is carried out through in-depth plan reviews before permits are issued, followed by on-site inspections during construction.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside The Colony city limits.

    • The city administers zoning through its Zoning Ordinance and Planning and Development Department.
    “The City of The Colony is divided into twenty-four (24) zoning districts which are further subdivided into subdistricts where appropriate.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside The Colony city limits.

    • The city page identifies twenty-four zoning districts and provides district reference sheets, a zoning map, and land-use materials.
    • Planned Development districts may have separate adopted regulations.

    number of zoning districts: 24 districts (subdistricts may further subdivide districts)

    “The City of The Colony is divided into twenty-four (24) zoning districts which are further subdivided into subdistricts where appropriate.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational-vehicle storage and occupancy on residential or nonresidential lots inside The Colony city limits.

    • Residential zoning districts permit no more than one recreational vehicle per lot.
    • Residential storage must be on a permanent hard-surfaced area and in the side or rear yard upon an improved surface or on a designated front entry driveway.
    • The code defines storage as not occupied for living or sleeping purposes.
    • Recreational-vehicle parks are permitted only in zoning districts allowed by the comprehensive zoning ordinance.

    maximum recreational vehicles per residential lot: 1 vehicle

    “Storage of recreational vehicles shall mean a recreational vehicle as defined above that is parked, stored, or otherwise maintained on a lot or property, as permitted herein, that: (1) Is not occupied for living or sleeping purposes;”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping inside The Colony city limits.

    • A proper permit under section 14-6(10) is required.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person, family or other group of persons to camp within the city without a proper permit as provided in section 14-6 (10).”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask The Colony or Denton County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from construction permitting inside The Colony city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside The Colony city limits.
  • Building height — Building height inside The Colony city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside The Colony city limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory-dwelling occupancy inside The Colony city limits.
8 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access

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

← All of Denton County: county rules, score and offices