Bolthole Index

Hansford County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Spearman, Texas

The City of Spearman, Texas (Hansford County) zones land inside city limits and requires a zoning clearance permit for new construction and land-use changes12. The city has adopted the International Building Code3. Septic permits are not a city function: Hansford County appears to be served by the TCEQ regional office, which we could not confirm for lots inside Spearman4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, the City of Spearman zones land inside city limits1
Zoning clearance permit
Applied for with the city manager or agent, who issues or denies it within 10 business days2
Building code
International Building Code, 2003 edition, adopted by the city3
Septic
A permit is required; the permitting authority inside Spearman is unconfirmed, and the TCEQ regional office appears to serve Hansford County54
RV living
Only in a travel-trailer park of at least 10 spaces, in commercial, industrial or general residential zones6
Manufactured homes
Permitted in the R-M Manufactured Home Residential District7
Single-family lots (R-S)
At least 6,000 square feet of lot area, 25-foot front setback89
Water and sewer taps
$400 for a 3/4 inch water tap, $600 for a standard sewer tap10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Spearman, city manager/agent (zoning clearance permits)

Zoning clearance permits inside Spearman city limits

Septic permits

TCEQ On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Program

Septic (OSSF) permits where no local authorized agent exists; Hansford County appears to fall under the Region 1 (Amarillo) office

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

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Does Spearman, Texas have zoning, and what does it mean for lots and setbacks?

Yes. The City of Spearman applies its zoning ordinance to land inside the corporate limits, and land annexed later is treated as A-G General Agricultural District until the city reclassifies it1.

Districts set the numbers. In the R-S Single-Family Residential District, a lot needs at least 6,000 square feet and 50 feet of frontage8. Structures need a front setback of at least 25 feet9, coverage by improvements is capped at 40 percent11, and height is capped at 35 feet12. We did not find a minimum dwelling floor area in the R-S table.

These rules apply only inside Spearman. Unincorporated Hansford County has no county zoning ordinance, so none of these district rules follow a parcel outside city limits13.

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

New construction and changes of use inside Spearman need a zoning clearance permit. The owner or proposed occupant applies to the city manager/agent, and the application must say what the use will be214. The city manager/agent has 10 business days to issue or deny it14.

Spearman has adopted the International Building Code, 2003 edition, by reference3. We could not confirm whether the city requires a separate general building permit or inspection for a house, or a certificate of occupancy, so ask City Hall before you pour a foundation.

The published fees we found are for utility service: a 3/4 inch water tap is $400 and a standard sewer tap is $60010. These are not building-permit fees. Development in a special flood hazard area inside the city also needs a development permit15.

How do septic permits work in Spearman?

A permit is required to construct, install, alter, extend or repair a septic system (an OSSF) in Texas5. The city's code does not make septic a city permit, and we could not confirm who permits septic on a lot inside Spearman.

For Hansford County, our review found no local authorized agent, so the TCEQ regional office in Amarillo appears to be the permitting authority416. Call the TCEQ OSSF program to confirm before you buy.

One exemption matters for large tracts: a single-family home on a tract of at least 10 acres can skip a permit only if every listed condition is met, including a licensed site evaluation17. Lots inside city limits are rarely that big, and the city may have a sewer line you must tap instead.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Spearman?

RV living is limited to travel-trailer parks. A park is allowed in the Commercial District, the Light and Heavy Industrial districts, and General Residential zoned areas, and it must have at least 10 spaces of at least 1,250 square feet each6. Each trailer lot needs connections to public utilities18.

So a single RV parked on an ordinary residential lot is not an allowed use under the rules we found. Manufactured homes are permitted in the R-M Manufactured Home Residential District7.

We found no Spearman provision on tiny homes, accessory dwellings or temporary camping. Ask the city manager's office before assuming any of those are allowed.

Building a home in Spearman: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district with the city manager/agent1.
  2. Apply for a zoning clearance permit with a plot plan; the city decides within 10 business days214.
  3. Ask City Hall which building-code permits and inspections apply under the adopted International Building Code3.
  4. Arrange water and sewer taps if city lines reach the lot10.
  5. If no sewer is available, contact the TCEQ OSSF program for a septic permit5.
  6. If the lot touches a state highway, a TxDOT driveway permit is required before work in the right of way begins19.

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

Land outside Spearman is a different case. Hansford County's page covers unincorporated land, where no county zoning ordinance exists13.

Water wells in Hansford County fall under the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District; wells that cannot produce more than 17.5 gallons per minute are exempt from permitting but must be registered20.

On the numbers, Hansford County's effective property tax rate is 1.6 percent21 and the typical home is valued around $139,46022. About 34 percent of county soils are rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so a site evaluation is still wise23.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm whether Spearman requires a general building permit, inspections or a certificate of occupancy for a house; ask the city manager's office before you build2.
  • The septic permitting authority for lots inside Spearman is unconfirmed; the TCEQ regional office appears to serve Hansford County, so confirm with the TCEQ OSSF program4.
  • Inside Spearman, the building code adopted by reference is the 2003 edition, so ask which edition is applied to a new house3.
  • A county driveway or private road onto a state highway needs a TxDOT permit regardless of city or county rules24.

Sources

  1. Exhibit 14A, Article I — Zoning jurisdiction (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  2. ecode360.com (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  3. City of Spearman Code, Article 3.02 Building Code (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  4. TCEQ Getting a Permit for an OSSF (2026 county census)
  5. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System, quoted and re-checked
  6. Exhibit 14A, Article VI — Specific District Regulations (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  7. Exhibit 14A, Article VI — Specific District Regulations (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  8. Exhibit 14A, Article VI — Specific District Regulations (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  9. Exhibit 14A, Article VI — Specific District Regulations (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Spearman Code, Article 13.02 Water, Sewer and Gas Systems (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  11. Exhibit 14A, Article VI — Specific District Regulations (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  12. Exhibit 14A, Article VI — Specific District Regulations (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  13. Texas law on county zoning and building authority
  14. City of Spearman, city manager/agent (zoning clearance permits) (ecode360.com)
  15. City of Spearman Code, Article 3.07 Flood Damage Prevention (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  16. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Exhibit 14A, Article VI — Specific District Regulations (Spearman), quoted and re-checked
  19. Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Permit Information, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  23. 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
  24. Access Management Manual — Permits, 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 Spearman

Spearman’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings inside Spearman city limits.

    • The city also adopts the 2003 International Residential Code for residential construction.

    International Building Code edition: 2003

    “There is hereby adopted by reference the International Building Code, 2003 edition, published by the International Code Council, Inc., which code is in full force and effect in the city as if set out fully in this article.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Spearman city corporate limits.

    • Territory annexed after the ordinance effective date is designated A-G General Agricultural District until altered or reclassified.
    “This ordinance shall be in full force and effect in the corporate limits of the City of Spearman, Texas. Territory annexed to the corporate limits of the City of Spearman, Texas, subsequent to the effective date of this ordinance shall immediately be subject to the provisions of this ordinance and shall be deemed to be designated as A-G General Agricultural District until altered or reclassified in the manner provided by law.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in areas of special flood hazard within Spearman city jurisdiction.

    • No structure or land may be located, altered, or have its use changed without full compliance with the article and other applicable regulations.
    “This article shall apply to all areas of special flood hazard within the jurisdiction of the city. [...] A development permit shall be required to ensure conformance with the provisions of this article.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Published municipal water and sewer tap fees for service inside Spearman city limits.

    • This claim concerns utility taps, not a general building-permit fee.

    water tap fee, 3/4 inch: 400 USD · standard sewer tap fee: 600 USD

    “Water tap fees. [...] 3/4 inch: $400.00. [...] Tap fees. [...] Standard tap: $600.00.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Zoning-clearance process for new construction and land-use changes inside Spearman city limits.

    • Application is by the owner or proposed occupant; a plot plan and other necessary information must accompany the application.

    city-manager decision time: <= 10 business days (under the zoning-ordinance terms)

    “An application for a zoning clearance permit shall be made to the city manager/agent by the owner or proposed occupant of the building or land to be occupied or used, and said application shall state the character and nature of the use to be conducted thereon. Within 10 business days, the city manager/agent shall issue or deny said zoning clearance permit in accordance with the terms of this ordinance.”

Rules another office applies inside Spearman

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-S Single-Family Residential District.

    • For uses other than single-family residences, at least 12,000 square feet is required; wedge-shaped lots meeting minimum lot size may have 30-foot frontage subject to the stated 50-foot front-building-line condition.

    minimum lot area: >= 6000 square feet (single-family residential use) · minimum lot frontage: >= 50 feet

    “All lots shall have not less than six thousand (6,000) square feet of lot area, and not more than one (1) principal building shall be placed on any one (1) lot, except that not less than twelve thousand (12,000) square feet shall be required for uses other than single-family residences.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-S Single-Family Residential District.

    • One-story dwellings have a five-foot interior side yard; more-than-one-story buildings require at least ten feet at interior side lot lines; accessory buildings cannot be closer than ten feet to the rear lot line.

    front setback: >= 25 feet · rear setback: >= 20 percent of lot depth (principal building)

    “All structures shall have not less than a twenty-five (25) foot front yard setback. [...] A rear yard of twenty percent (20%) of the depth of the lot shall be provided for the principal building, Unattached building of accessory use may be located in the rear yard of a main building; provided, however, that no accessory building shall be located closer than ten (10) feet to the rear lot line.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-S Single-Family Residential District.

    • Paved areas are not considered improvements for this provision.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 40 percent

    “Not more than forty percent (40%) of the lot area shall be covered with improvements. Paved areas are not considered improvements within the meaning of this provision.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Structures in the R-S Single-Family Residential District.

    • Measured above the mean elevation of the lot.

    maximum height: <= 35 feet

    “No improvement or structure shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height above the mean elevation of the lot.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Travel-trailer parks in Commercial, Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial, and General Residential zoned areas of Spearman.

    • Travel-trailer parks require compliance with § 603.8, including a zoning clearance permit and public-utility connections for every lot.

    minimum travel-trailer spaces: >= 10 spaces · minimum space area: >= 1250 square feet per space

    “Upon compliance with the provisions as set forth herein, a Travel Trailer park may be allowed within the Commercial District, Light and Heavy Industrial, and General Residential zoned areas of Spearman.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes in the R-M Manufactured Home Residential District inside Spearman city limits.

    • Manufactured homes must meet R-M area regulations; homes must have underskirting of metal, wood, Masonite, or masonry product.

    minimum lot area: >= 6000 square feet (manufactured homes) · maximum height: <= 35 feet

    “Within the R-M, Manufactured Home Residential District, the following uses are permitted: [...] Manufactured homes.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Each travel-trailer lot in travel-trailer parks allowed in Commercial, Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial, and General Residential zoned areas of Spearman.

    • A detailed site plan, zoning clearance permit, minimum ten spaces of 1,250 feet per space, specified yards, screening, and parking are required.
    “The proposed site shall provide connections for each Travel Trailer lot to all public utilities.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — General residential construction inside Spearman city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built dwellings inside Spearman city limits.
  • Inspections — Residential building inspections inside Spearman city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Spearman city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in the R-S Single-Family Residential District.
11 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Spearman publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Hansford County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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