Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Houston, Texas

Houston’s own rules

• SetbacksSpecified

  Platted building lines for lots restricted to single-family residential use along collector streets inside Houston city (Chapter 42 platting rule, not a zoning district)

  • Except as otherwise required or authorized by Chapter 42
  • Local streets: 20 feet front and 10 feet back/side, or 10 feet if plat has typical lot layout and plat notations; 20 feet for street-facing garage or carport
  • No front building line where plat restricts access to a public alley (corner lots excepted)

  collector street front building line: 25 feet · collector street back and side building line: 10 feet

  “the building line requirement for a lot restricted to single-family residential use shall be 25 feet along the front of a lot and ten feet along the back and sides of a lot adjacent to a collector street that is not an alley.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Courtyard style developments inside Houston city only; no general height limit found

  • Applies only to platted courtyard style developments
  • Measured from average grade to the highest roof surface

  maximum building height: <= 30 feet

  “no building on the site may exceed 30 feet in height, as measured from average grade to the highest roof surface.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RV occupancy inside Houston city limits

  • Occupancy only where specifically authorized by Chapter 29, Div. 4
  • Outside licensed manufactured home or RV parks, RVs may be parked or stored only if unoccupied and with no utilities connected
  • Motor home/truck camper/travel trailer in a licensed park: up to six months in any consecutive 12 months if self-contained with at least 120 sq ft; non-self-contained up to 30 days with at least 84 sq ft
  • Travel trailers meeting permanent-living-quarters standards in a licensed park may be occupied without time limit after inspection and certificate of compliance

  “a motor home, a truck camper or a travel trailer may be placed in a manufactured home park or a recreational vehicle park for a period of time not to exceed six months within any consecutive twelve-month period”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping inside Houston city limits (city parks and RV camping outside parks)

  • In city parks camping is unlawful except in areas designated for overnight camping
  • RVs outside licensed parks may not be occupied for temporary use
  • Tent camping on private land not addressed in the sections read

  “it shall be unlawful for any person to camp in any area of the parks.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sewage disposal for dwellings inside Houston city

  • Approved septic system only where public sanitary sewer service is not available
  • Approval authority not identified in the section read

  “provide and maintain in good operating condition one or more connections to discharge sewage from the building into a public sanitary sewer system, where service is available, or into an approved septic system where public sanitary sewer service is not available;”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Non-vacant dwelling units inside Houston city (property maintenance standard)

  • Sewer connection to public sanitary sewer where service is available; otherwise approved septic system
  • No distance rule found in the section read
  • Potable water supply connections also required

  “in each non-vacant dwelling unit and congregate living facility, provide and maintain in good operating condition one or more connections to discharge sewage from the building into a public sanitary sewer system, where service is available, or into an approved septic system where public sanitary sewer service is not available;”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and platting inside Houston city (Chapter 42)

  • Minimum lot width 15 feet allowed if all lots take access from shared driveway/permanent access easement and average width is at least 18 feet
  • Special minimum lot size areas/blocks can be designated by application

  minimum lot width: >= 20 feet (unless otherwise allowed by Chapter 42)

  “the minimum width of any lot along a street or shared driveway shall be 20 feet unless otherwise allowed by this ordinance.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Plats for manufactured home parks and subdivisions inside Houston city; general floodplain permit rules in Chapter 19 not read

  • Plat must comply with section 19-13 and Article IV of Chapter 19

  “no plat shall be issued for a manufactured home park or subdivision unless it complies with the provisions of section 19-13 and the provisions of this article.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Houston city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Houston city
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Houston city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Houston city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Houston city

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.