Bolthole Index

Harris County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Nassau Bay, Texas

Nassau Bay, Texas requires city building permits for construction, alterations and repairs, and changes in use or occupancy.1 Nassau Bay retains its own zoning ordinance, and the city says all development in its floodplain, which encompasses all of Nassau Bay, requires a permit.23 For a property in Harris County inside Nassau Bay city limits, we could not confirm the local septic permitting authority; ask the city Building Department and Harris County Water Quality Permitting Group before planning an on-site system.45

At a glance

Building permits
City approval required before construction starts.1
Zoning
Nassau Bay retains its own zoning ordinance.2
Floodplain development
City says the floodplain encompasses all Nassau Bay; development requires a permit.3
Septic
Texas generally requires an OSSF permit and approved plan; city-specific authority unconfirmed.6
RV and tiny-home living
City-specific occupancy permission unconfirmed; ask the Building Department.4
Manufactured homes
Prohibited under the cited special-flood-hazard standards.7

Who to call

Building permits

Nassau Bay Building Department

City building-permit applications; starting contact for construction and proposed occupancy.

281-336-6292

[email protected]

1800 Space Park Dr. Ste 200 Nassau Bay, TX 77058

Zoning

Nassau Bay Building Department & Floodplain Management

City zoning, plan checking and floodplain management.

281-336-6292

Septic permits

Harris County Water Quality Permitting Group

County septic contact to ask whether its OSSF jurisdiction covers the Nassau Bay address; city-limit authority remains unconfirmed.

(713) 274-3900

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

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Do you need a building permit in Nassau Bay, TX?

Nassau Bay requires building permits for construction, changes in use or occupancy, alterations and repairs, roofing, exterior doors or windows, and mechanical, electrical, plumbing and irrigation systems.1 Nassau Bay permit applications must be reviewed and approved before work starts; starting construction or installing equipment without a permit doubles the permit fees.8 Nassau Bay applies its adopted building codes alongside its retained flood-damage, zoning and sign ordinances and any more restrictive adopted standards.9

Who issues building permits in Nassau Bay, and how do you apply?

The Nassau Bay Building Department is the city contact for building-permit applications at 281-336-6292 or [email protected], with its office at 1800 Space Park Dr. Ste 200 Nassau Bay, TX 77058.4 Nassau Bay conducts permitting through its MyGov Public Portal, linked from the Building Department page.4 Nassau Bay contracts with SAFEbuilt for plan reviews and inspections, while commercial projects may also need Fire Marshal permits and plan reviews.10 Nassau Bay calculates permit fees when staff review and approve the application.8

Does Nassau Bay have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Nassau Bay retains its own zoning ordinance; the city Building Department also lists zoning and plan checking among its responsibilities.211 We could not confirm Nassau Bay permission for full-time RV occupancy, tiny-home occupancy, an independent accessory dwelling, or temporary camping; ask the Building Department about the proposed use and parcel before buying a unit.11 Nassau Bay prohibits manufactured homes under the cited special-flood-hazard standards, so that provision must be considered separately from an unanswered tiny-home question.7 For land outside city limits, consult the Harris County guide for the county’s unincorporated-area zoning answer.12

How do septic permits work inside Nassau Bay?

Texas generally requires a permit and approved plan to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate an on-site sewage facility, commonly called a septic system.6 We could not confirm which local authority issues septic permits inside Nassau Bay; ask the city Building Department and Harris County Water Quality Permitting Group to establish jurisdiction for the exact address.45 Texas allows a conditional septic permitting exemption for a single-family dwelling on at least 10 acres, but the exemption also requires a site evaluation, compliance with state standards, on-site disposal, no nuisance or groundwater pollution, no other dwelling, and all system parts at least 100 feet from property lines; local requirements may be stricter.6

What floodplain requirements affect building in Nassau Bay?

Nassau Bay says all development in the floodplain, which encompasses all of Nassau Bay, requires a city permit; development includes new construction, filling, grading and paving.3 Nassau Bay repairs or improvements costing at least 50% of the building’s market value require building permits and elevation certificates and must meet new-construction standards.3 Nassau Bay requires new construction and substantially improved structures, including equipment serving the building, to be at least 24 inches above base flood elevation.3 Bring the proposed scope to the city Building Department, whose responsibilities include floodplain management and plan checking.11

Building a home in Nassau Bay: what are the steps in order?

  1. Ask the Nassau Bay Building Department about the proposed use, zoning and floodplain requirements for the parcel.11
  2. Prepare Nassau Bay’s residential application materials: REScheck, plot/site plan, survey, architectural and structural plans including electrical and plumbing plans, and an elevation certificate if the site is in a regulated flood zone.13
  3. Submit the Nassau Bay building-permit application through MyGov and pay the upfront plan-review fees through the portal.138
  4. Obtain staff approval before starting construction or installing equipment, then coordinate the required city plan reviews and inspections performed by SAFEbuilt.110

Watch-outs

  • Nassau Bay floodplain permitting covers filling, grading and paving as well as new buildings.3
  • We could not confirm a Nassau Bay owner-builder exemption, agricultural building-permit exemption, or private-well rule; ask the Building Department before relying on an exemption or planning off-grid water.4
  • Nassau Bay short-term rentals require a current valid short-term rental permit; that approval is separate from the general construction application.1413

Sources

  1. Building Department (Nassau Bay), quoted and re-checked
  2. Applicable Codes (Nassau Bay), quoted and re-checked
  3. Development Requirements (Nassau Bay), quoted and re-checked
  4. Nassau Bay Building Department (nassaubay.com)
  5. Harris County Water Quality Permitting Group (oce.harriscountytx.gov)
  6. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Section 8.5-32. Specific standards (Nassau Bay), quoted and re-checked
  8. Permitting Procedure (Nassau Bay), quoted and re-checked
  9. Applicable Codes (Nassau Bay), quoted and re-checked
  10. Permits, Inspections, and HOA Requirements (Nassau Bay), quoted and re-checked
  11. Nassau Bay Building Department & Floodplain Management (nassaubay.com)
  12. Texas law on county zoning and building authority
  13. Permitting Procedure (Nassau Bay), quoted and re-checked
  14. Ordinance No. 2020-806 (Nassau Bay), 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 Nassau Bay

Nassau Bay’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, occupancy changes, alterations, repairs, roofing, exterior doors/windows, and building systems inside Nassau Bay.

    • Permit applications must be reviewed and approved before work starts.
    • Unauthorized construction or equipment installation doubles permit fees.
    “A permit is required for: ✔ Construction”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building permit applications in Nassau Bay received on or after April 10, 2023.

    • The city lists 2021 ICC building codes and the 2020 NEC; the city's Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, Zoning Ordinance, Sign Ordinance, and more restrictive standards remain in effect.
    “approved the adoption of the 2021 International Code Council (ICC) Building Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction projects requiring city plan review or inspection inside Nassau Bay.

    • The city contracts with SAFEbuilt for plan reviews and inspections.
    • Commercial projects may require additional Fire Marshal permits and plan reviews.
    “The City of Nassau Bay contracts with SAFEbuilt to conduct all Plan Reviews and Inspections.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Short-term rental units and other uses for which the Nassau Bay code requires an occupancy approval.

    • For short-term rentals, the certificate is issued after inspection and before the permit is granted.
    • The general permit page separately identifies change in use or occupancy as requiring a permit.
    “A Certificate of Occupancy will be issued upon completion of the inspection.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Nassau Bay city limits.

    “The City Council also affirmed the retention of the City's Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance, the Zoning Ordinance, the Sign Ordinance, and any other standard adopted by ordinance that is more restrictive than the above codes.”
  • Manufactured homesProhibited

    Manufactured homes in Nassau Bay areas of special flood hazard governed by Section 8.5-32.

    • The quoted prohibition is within the flood-hazard-reduction standards and is scoped to areas of special flood hazard covered by that section.
    “Manufactured Homes shall not be placed on any lot, parcel or tract of land in the city.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    All development in Nassau Bay's floodplain, which the city states encompasses all of Nassau Bay.

    • Development includes new construction, filling, grading, and paving.
    • Repairs or improvements equal to or exceeding 50% of building market value require permits and elevation certificates and are held to new-construction standards.
    • New construction and substantially improved structures must be at least 24 inches above base flood elevation, including equipment servicing the building.

    substantial improvement/damage threshold: >= 50 percent of building market value · elevation above base flood elevation: >= 24 inches

    “All development in the floodplain, which encompasses all of Nassau Bay, requires a permit per the Nassau Bay Code of Ordinances.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rental units inside Nassau Bay.

    • Each individual unit with cooking, sleeping, and bathing facilities requires a separate permit.
    • The application requires owner/operator information, parking and floor-plan materials, a certificate of occupancy after inspection, a responsible 24-hour contact, hotel-occupancy-tax compliance, and continuing compliance with the ordinance.
    • Commercial general liability coverage must be $500,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate; the permit is suspended until updated insurance proof is provided if coverage changes.
    • The permit expires on the last day of the calendar year and renewal is due at least 30 calendar days before expiration.

    annual permit fee: 300 USD (2021 waiver period and later renewals as stated in the ordinance) · commercial general liability coverage: $500,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate

    “No short-term rental shall operate within the City of Nassau Bay without a current valid short-term rental permit.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Nassau Bay permit applications.

    • Fees are calculated when the application is reviewed and approved.
    • Fees are doubled if construction or equipment installation begins before the permit is obtained.
    • Upfront plan-review fees are submitted through the MyGov Public Portal.
    “Permit applications must be reviewed and approved by department staff, and all fees are calculated at that time. Should any construction or installation of equipment begin without obtaining a permit, permit fees will be doubled.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Residential and commercial construction permit applications inside Nassau Bay.

    • Applications are submitted through MyGov.
    • New residential construction requires an elevation certificate when in a regulated flood zone, REScheck, plot/site plan, survey, and architectural/structural plans including electrical and plumbing plans.
    • Commercial construction additionally requires Planning Commission approval, COMcheck, and Texas Accessibility Standards registration if valuation exceeds $50,000.

    Texas Accessibility Standards threshold: > 50000 USD (commercial projects)

    “All permit applications may be submitted through the city's MyGov Public Portal.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders performing construction inside Nassau Bay.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Nassau Bay.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Nassau Bay.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Nassau Bay.
  • Who permits septic — On-site sewage facilities inside Nassau Bay city limits.
6 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 Nassau Bay publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Harris County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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