Bolthole Index

Grayson County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Gunter, Texas

Gunter, Texas requires a city building permit before anyone builds a building or installs a fence anywhere in the city1. Gunter also has its own zoning ordinance, so lot size, setbacks and home size depend on the zoning district2. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside Gunter city limits; ask Grayson County's septic office and the city. Grayson County's no-permit rule for houses covers only unincorporated land3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required in Gunter for buildings and fences, issued before construction1
Zoning
Yes, the City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance applies inside city limits2
Building code
2021 International Residential Code, as amended4
Septic
Authority inside city limits not confirmed; Grayson County runs the septic program in the county5
Minimum home size
1,800 sq ft in SF-1; 1,000 sq ft in Agricultural (excluding garage)67
Minimum lot size
9,000 sq ft in SF-1; 87,120 sq ft in Agricultural89
Flood development
Permit required in special flood hazard areas10

Who to call

Planning & zoning

City of Gunter Development Services

Building permit applications, planning and development forms inside Gunter city limits

903-433-5185

105 N. 4th Street, Gunter, TX 75058

Online permits →

Septic permits

Grayson County On-Site Sewage Facilities (Designated Representative)

Septic (OSSF) permits in Grayson County as a TCEQ authorized agent; whether this office covers addresses inside Gunter city limits is unconfirmed

903-813-4247

Grayson County Courthouse, 100 W. Houston, Ste. G-3, Sherman, Texas 75090

Planning & zoning

Grayson County Development Services Supervisor

Development certificates, driveway and culvert applications, floodplain determinations and platting for unincorporated Grayson County, not for land inside Gunter

903-813-4524

Grayson County Courthouse, 100 W. Houston, Ste. 3rd. Floor, Sherman, Texas 75090

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Gunter, Texas?

Yes. The City of Gunter makes it unlawful to build or erect any building, or to install a fence, anywhere in the city without first applying for a building permit and receiving approval1. Applications go on the city's form with two complete sets of plans and two plat plans, and the permit issues only after plan review is complete and all fees are paid1112.

The city has adopted the 2021 International Residential Code, as amended4. After the permit issues and before a certificate of occupancy, the Building Inspector conducts foundation, plumbing, electrical and framing inspections13.

This differs from the land just outside the city. Grayson County does not issue building permits for single-family houses in unincorporated areas3, but that rule does not follow you inside Gunter's limits.

Who issues building permits in Gunter, and how do you reach them?

Gunter's Development Services department handles development in the city14. Its office is at 105 N. 4th Street, Gunter, TX 75058, with phone 903-433-518514. The city also runs a Development Portal with residential and commercial permit forms14.

Construction permit, inspection, water and tap fees are set by the city council by resolution, so ask Development Services for the current amounts before you budget11. Do not call the county planning counter in Sherman for a permit on a Gunter address: that office serves unincorporated Grayson County15.

Does Gunter have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size, setbacks and home size?

Yes. Gunter has its own zoning ordinance, and the city divides itself into districts216. The rules differ by district.

In the Agricultural district, the minimum lot is 87,120 square feet, the minimum dwelling is 1,000 square feet excluding garage, and setbacks are 35 feet front, 15 feet side and 30 feet rear9717. Maximum building height there is 35 feet18.

In the SF-1 Single-Family district, the minimum lot is 9,000 square feet, the minimum dwelling is 1,800 square feet excluding garage, and setbacks are 30 feet front, 10 feet side and 25 feet rear8619. Lot coverage in SF-1 is capped at 40 percent20.

An accessory dwelling unit in Gunter cannot be rented or sublet as a short-term or long-term rental21.

How do septic permits work in Gunter, Texas?

We could not confirm which office administers septic systems inside Gunter city limits; no city provision we reviewed names one. In Grayson County generally, a septic permit is required for any new or replacement septic system, and the county's septic program acts as an authorized agent of TCEQ225. Texas requires a permit to construct, install, alter, extend or repair an on-site sewage facility statewide23.

If Gunter's public sewer is not available at your lot, call Grayson County's septic office24 and Gunter Development Services14 before you buy, and ask who permits the system at your address. Grayson County requires hookup to a public sewage system for parcels within 100 feet of one unless written approval says otherwise25.

Farmland-type soils here are rarely rated well for conventional drain fields: about 7% of Grayson County soils are rated not limited, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system26.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Gunter?

We could not confirm a Gunter rule for tiny-home occupancy; no code provision we reviewed classifies or regulates it. The city's zoning ordinance and building permit requirement apply to buildings of any type inside city limits12, so call Gunter Development Services before you place a tiny home or RV for living14.

Grayson County's Lake Ray Roberts RV park limit of 14 days per month applies in that county zoning district, not as a Gunter rule27.

Building a home in Gunter: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district for your lot with Gunter Development Services, then check its minimum lot, home size and setbacks1614.
  2. Ask Development Services and Grayson County's septic office who permits septic at your address if no public sewer reaches the lot24.
  3. Submit the city's building permit form with two sets of plans and two plat plans12.
  4. Pay the fees the city sets, which are due before the permit issues11.
  5. Build to the 2021 International Residential Code, as amended4.
  6. Schedule the foundation, plumbing, electrical and framing inspections before you seek a certificate of occupancy13.

What stays with Grayson County, and what should you check before buying in Gunter?

Land outside Gunter city limits falls under Grayson County, where there is no county zoning outside the Lake Ray Roberts and North Texas Regional Airport districts28. See the Grayson County page for the unincorporated rules.

Within Gunter, check flood status: development in special flood hazard areas needs a floodplain development permit10. A driveway built with permitted work must not interfere with street or alley drainage or create a public hazard, as the City Manager determines29. A driveway onto a state highway needs a separate TxDOT permit30.

Grayson County's effective property tax rate is 1.3 percent31.

Watch-outs

  • Grayson County does not require building permits for single-family houses, but that applies to unincorporated land32; we could not confirm an owner-builder exemption inside Gunter, so ask Development Services before you start14.
  • Private wells and off-grid sanitation inside Gunter city limits are unconfirmed; ask Development Services and the county septic office before you buy1424.
  • Gunter has an Agricultural zoning district, but we could not confirm a farm-building exemption from the city building permit requirement, so assume the permit applies161.

Sources

  1. Article 3.02 Administration and Enforcement — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  2. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  3. Grayson County Development Services (2026 county census)
  4. Article 3.03 Technical and Construction Codes and Standards — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  5. Grayson County TX - OSSF Permitting Requirements (2026 county census)
  6. Appendix I: District Regulations — City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  7. Appendix I: District Regulations — City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  8. Appendix I: District Regulations — City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  9. Appendix I: District Regulations — City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  10. Article 3.05 Flood Damage Prevention — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  11. Article 3.02 Building Permit Submittal Requirements and Fees — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article 3.02 Building Permit Submittal Requirements and Fees — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  13. Exhibit 14A §38 Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  14. City of Gunter Development Services (guntertx.gov)
  15. Grayson County Development Services Supervisor (co.grayson.tx.us)
  16. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  17. Appendix I: District Regulations — City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  18. Appendix I: District Regulations — City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  19. Appendix I: District Regulations — City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  20. Appendix I: District Regulations — City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  21. Exhibit 14A §§15 and 30 — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  22. Development Services | Grayson County Tx., quoted and re-checked
  23. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Grayson County On-Site Sewage Facilities (Designated Representative) (co.grayson.tx.us)
  25. An Order Entitled On-Site Sewage Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  26. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Lake Ray Roberts Land Use Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  28. Development Services | Grayson County Tx., quoted and re-checked
  29. Article 3.02 Administration and Enforcement — City of Gunter, TX (Gunter), quoted and re-checked
  30. Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  31. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  32. Grayson County Development Services, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Gunter

Gunter’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings and fences in any section of Gunter.

    • Application must be approved and the permit issued before construction or erection.
    “It shall be hereafter be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to build or erect any building of any type of construction, in any section of the city, or to install or erect any fence in any section of the city, without first making application for a building permit and receiving approval of the application and the permit is issued.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures within Gunter corporate limits.

    • The 2021 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Plumbing, Energy Conservation, Performance, Wildlife-Urban Interface, Private Sewage Disposal, and Solar Energy codes are adopted subject to conflicts with city ordinances; specified 2015 editions are adopted for other listed codes.

    International Residential Code edition: 2021 edition (As amended; except where conflicting with a city ordinance.)

    “The International Residential Code, being in particular the 2021 edition and appendices, as amended, except as it may be in conflict with the provisions of any ordinance of the city.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permanent structures constructed, altered, or located inside Gunter city limits.

    • Foundation, plumbing, electrical, and framing inspection occur after permit issuance and before a certificate of occupancy.
    “After issuance of a Building Permit and prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, the Building Inspector shall conduct a foundation, plumbing, electrical and framing inspection.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Gunter city limits.

    • Use and development must conform to the applicable zoning district.
    “This ordinance shall be known and may be cited as "The City of Gunter Zoning Ordinance."”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Gunter city limits.

    • The ordinance establishes agricultural, single-family, multifamily, manufactured-home, commercial, industrial, planned-development, floodplain, and overlay districts.
    “The City of Gunter, Texas, is hereby divided into zoning districts as listed in the [this] section.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Agricultural (A) District inside Gunter.

    minimum dwelling size excluding garage: >= 1000 square feet

    “Min. size dwelling (excluding garage) 1,000 2,400 1,800 1,700 1,300 1,300 650 650”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Agricultural (A) District inside Gunter.

    minimum lot area: >= 87120 square feet

    “Lot area (square feet) 87,120 43,560 9,000 7,200 6,000 3,000 43,560 43,560”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Agricultural (A) District inside Gunter.

    front yard: >= 35 feet · side yard: >= 15 feet · rear yard: >= 30 feet

    “Side yard width (feet) 15 15 10 10 8 8 20 20 Rear yard (feet) 30 30 25 25 20 20 10 10 Front yard (feet) 35 35 30 25 20 20 30 30”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    SF-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Gunter.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 40 percent

    “Maximum lot coverage 10% 10% 40% 45% 60% 60%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Agricultural (A) District inside Gunter.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet

    “Maximum height (feet) 35 35 35 35 30 30 35 35”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Driveways constructed with permitted work inside Gunter city limits.

    • The City Manager must determine that a driveway, culvert, or sidewalk does not interfere with street or alley drainage and does not create a public hazard.
    “He shall determine that any driveway, culvert or sidewalk that will be constructed will not in any way interfere with the drainage of a street or alley, and will not cause a hazard to the public.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Areas of special flood hazard within Gunter city jurisdiction.

    • Floodplain development permit is required; permit fee is set by the master fee schedule; stricter overlapping restriction controls.
    “A floodplain development permit shall be required to ensure conformance with the provisions of this article. There shall be a fee charged for all permits issued under this article as adopted and set forth in the master fee schedule of this code.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units inside Gunter city limits.

    • This finding is limited to ADUs; it does not establish the status of rentals in primary dwellings or other lodging uses.
    “An ADU may not be sold separately from sale of the entire property, including the primary residential structure, and shall not be subdivided, rented or sublet as a short-term or long-term rental.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Construction permits inside Gunter city limits.

    • Construction permit, inspection, water, and tap fees are established by City Council resolution; all project fees must be paid after plan review and before permit issuance.
    “An application for a construction permit within the city shall be made on the form provided by the city, and submitted with two complete set of plans for the project, two plat plans, and the construction permit, inspection, and water and tap fees established by the city council by resolution.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Construction permits inside Gunter city limits.

    • Use the city form; submit two complete sets of project plans and two plat plans; permit issues after plan review and fee payment.
    “The construction permit will [be] issued after the plan review is complete, and the city has received payment of all fees for the project.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Gunter city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Gunter city limits.
  • Who permits septic — On-site sewage facilities inside Gunter city limits.
  • Septic permit — On-site sewage facilities inside Gunter city limits.
  • Septic inspection — On-site sewage facilities inside Gunter city limits.
4 more unanswered
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption

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

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