Bolthole Index

Gregg County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Clarksville City, Texas

Clarksville City, Texas requires a city building permit before anyone builds on land inside the city limits1. The city also zones its land by district2. Septic systems inside the city are inspected by the Gregg County health officer3, and Gregg County Health Department handles OSSF permits4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside city limits; fee set in the city's fee schedule1
Zoning
Yes, the city divides its land into zoning districts25
Septic
Gregg County Health Department; city code names the county health officer for inspections34
Minimum lot size
Depends on the district; SF-12 is 12,000 square feet, SF-8 is 8,000, SF-5.5 is 5,5006
Subdivision plats
Reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Clarksville City (building permits and zoning)

City building permits inside Clarksville City limits, under the city code

Septic permits

Gregg County Health Department (septic systems / OSSF permits)

On-site sewage facility (septic) permits, plan review and installation inspections

(903) 237-2621

405 East Marshall Avenue, Longview, Texas 75601

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

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Do you need a building permit in Clarksville City, Texas?

Yes. Clarksville City's code makes it unlawful to build, construct or erect any building on land inside the city limits without first getting a permit from the city and paying the fee in the code's fee schedule1. The city may issue or deny the permit on the terms and conditions stated in it8.

The fee amount sits in the city's fee schedule, and we could not confirm the dollar figure, so ask the city before you budget9. We also could not confirm whether the city requires inspections during construction or a certificate of occupancy, or whether it has an owner-builder exception; ask the city office before you pour a foundation.

Who issues building permits in Clarksville City?

The City of Clarksville City issues its own building permits under its city code1. Gregg County does not run a building department, so the county is the wrong office for a building permit inside the city limits10. We could not confirm a phone number for the city office, so start with the city's code on eCode360 and ask the city secretary or city hall for the current permit contact11.

The county's septic office is separate and covers the sewage side of a project; see below.

Does Clarksville City have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size?

Yes. Clarksville City divides its land into zoning districts, and use, height and area rules apply by district2. The base districts include Agriculture, SF-12, SF-8, SF-5.5, SF-PH, 2F, MF-1, MF-2, MH, LR, R/HC and LI5.

Minimum lot size depends on the district: SF-12 lots are at least 12,000 square feet, SF-8 lots 8,000 square feet, and SF-5.5 lots 5,500 square feet6. Check your parcel's district before you buy. We could not confirm the city's height limits, setbacks, minimum dwelling size, lot coverage or accessory-dwelling rules, so ask the city for the district schedule for your lot12. Plats of subdivisions go to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a recommendation7.

How do septic permits work inside Clarksville City?

Septic is a county matter even inside the city. The city's code says on-site sewage facilities are inspected by the Gregg County health officer, the city's designated representative3. The Gregg County Health Department handles OSSF permits for property in the county4, and a permit and approved plan are required before building or altering a system13.

For a conventional design the county checklist states a $350 fee and a minimum lot of ½ acre with community water or 1 acre with a water well14. A structure that discharges to an on-site system must follow the city-adopted state rules, and the city requires connection to an organized sewer where the stated availability rule applies15. Gregg County's soils matter too: only 5.3% of the county's soils rate "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system16. Call the17 before you design anything.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Clarksville City?

We could not confirm it. The city's code has an article on manufactured homes and recreational vehicles, and the zoning ordinance sets up a manufactured-home district, but we did not retrieve the rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, temporary camping or accessory dwellings5. Do not assume that unincorporated Gregg County's lack of county zoning carries into the city, because the city zones its own land2. Ask the City of Clarksville City in writing which district your lot is in and whether living in an RV or tiny home there is allowed11.

Building a home in Clarksville City: the steps, in order

  1. Find your lot's zoning district in the city's zoning ordinance and confirm the lot-size rule for that district6.
  2. If you are dividing land, plan on subdivision plat review by the Planning and Zoning Commission7.
  3. Apply for the septic permit with the Gregg County Health Department, where an approved plan comes before construction13.
  4. Get the city building permit and pay the fee in the city's fee schedule before any work starts1.
  5. Have the septic installation inspected before the system is covered; the county asks for at least 1 working day of notice18.
  6. If your driveway meets a state highway, apply to TxDOT with Form 105819.

What stays with Gregg County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits and inspections stay with the Gregg County Health Department, whether the lot is inside the city or not4. Land outside the city limits follows the county's rules instead of the city's; see the Gregg County page for unincorporated land.

Before you buy, confirm the lot's zoning district, whether the city sewer reaches the lot15, and the city's rules on wells and floodplain development, which we could not confirm. Property taxes are county-level: Gregg County's effective property tax rate is 1.2%20. Texas lets you do your own electrical work on a home you own and live in without a state license, but that does not waive local permits or inspections21.

Watch-outs

  • The city's building permit fee is set in a fee schedule we could not read, so ask the city for the current amount before you budget9.
  • We could not confirm whether Clarksville City requires construction inspections or a certificate of occupancy; ask the city office before work begins11.
  • Unincorporated Gregg County has no county zoning, but that does not apply inside Clarksville City, which zones its own land2.
  • A holding tank is allowed only where other sewage-disposal methods are not feasible, so do not plan an off-grid cabin around one without asking the county health department22.

Sources

  1. Clarksville City Code, Division 1 Generally (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  2. Clarksville City Zoning Ordinance, Part III Zoning Districts (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  3. Clarksville City Code, Article 13.07 On-Site Sewage Facilities (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  4. Septic Systems / Gregg County, quoted and re-checked
  5. Clarksville City Zoning Ordinance, Part III Zoning Districts (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  6. Clarksville City Zoning Ordinance, Part III Zoning Districts (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  7. Clarksville City Zoning Ordinance, Part II Administration (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  8. Clarksville City Code, Division 1 Generally (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  9. Clarksville City Code, Division 1 Generally (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  10. Gregg County Services Overview (2026 county census)
  11. City of Clarksville City (building permits and zoning) (ecode360.com)
  12. Clarksville City Zoning Ordinance, Part III Zoning Districts (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  13. How to Obtain a GCHD Permit for an On-Site Sewage Facility, quoted and re-checked
  14. Gregg County Health Department OSSF Permit Checklist, quoted and re-checked
  15. Clarksville City Code, Article 13.07 On-Site Sewage Facilities (Clarksville City), quoted and re-checked
  16. 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
  17. Gregg County Health Department (septic systems / OSSF permits) (greggcounty.texas.gov)
  18. Gregg County Health Department OSSF Permit Checklist, quoted and re-checked
  19. Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Exemptions to Electrician Licensing (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Chapter 285 – On-Site Sewage Facilities, 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 Clarksville City

Clarksville City’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Any person building, constructing, or erecting a building on land within Clarksville City limits.

    • A city building permit must be obtained before work.
    • Applicant must pay the appendix A fee-schedule amount.
    • Permit may be issued or denied on its stated terms and conditions.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person to build, construct or erect any building upon any land within the city limits without first having obtained a permit from the city for the purpose of building, constructing and erecting such building upon a designated lot or tract of land, and paying to the city the amount for the issuance of said permit as set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Clarksville City city limits.

    • Uses, height, and area regulations apply by zoning district.
    “The City of Clarksville City, Texas is hereby divided into the following zoning districts.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Clarksville City city limits.

    • The zoning ordinance lists base districts including Agriculture, SF-12, SF-8, SF-5.5, SF-PH, 2F, MF-1, MF-2, MH, LR, R/HC, and LI.
    “The City of Clarksville City, Texas is hereby divided into the following zoning districts. The use, height and area regulations as set out herein apply to each district. The districts established herein shall be known as:”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Zoned lots inside Clarksville City city limits.

    • The cited district list expressly labels SF-12, SF-8, and SF-5.5 by minimum lot size; other district standards may differ.

    SF-12 minimum lot size: 12000 square feet · SF-8 minimum lot size: 8000 square feet · SF-5.5 minimum lot size: 5500 square feet

    “SF-12 | Single-Family Estate Residential-12 (minimum 12,000-square-foot lots)”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Zoned structures inside Clarksville City city limits.

    • Height regulations apply by district; the numerical district schedules were not retrieved.
    “The City of Clarksville City, Texas is hereby divided into the following zoning districts. The use, height and area regulations as set out herein apply to each district.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Proposed, new, and existing on-site sewage facilities inside Clarksville City city limits.

    • Inspections are made by the designated representative, the Gregg County health officer.
    “To make statutorily mandated inspections”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    On-site sewage facilities inside Clarksville City city limits.

    • Structures discharging sewage to an OSSF must comply with city-adopted state rules.
    • Connection to an organized disposal system is required under the stated 300-foot availability rule unless an exception applies.
    “Any structure discharging sewage into an on-site sewage facility within the jurisdictional area of the city must comply with the rules adopted in section 13.07.004.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision plats within Clarksville City city limits.

    • The Planning and Zoning Commission makes recommendations regarding approval of submitted subdivision plats.
    “recommendations regarding the approval of plats of subdivisions”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    City building permits within Clarksville City city limits.

    • The building-permit payment is the amount in appendix A's fee schedule; the numerical schedule was not retrieved.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person to build, construct or erect any building upon any land within the city limits without first having obtained a permit from the city for the purpose of building, constructing and erecting such building upon a designated lot or tract of land, and paying to the city the amount for the issuance of said permit as set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permit applications inside Clarksville City city limits.

    • A city permit is required before building work.
    • The city may deny or issue permits on the terms and conditions stated in them.
    “The city, its agents and representatives are hereby authorized to deny the issuance of such permits as well as authorized and empowered to issue the same upon the terms and conditions expressly provided in said permits.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Clarksville City or Gregg County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built structures inside Clarksville City city limits.
  • Inspections — Building construction inside Clarksville City city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Clarksville City city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Clarksville City city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Clarksville City city limits.
11 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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

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