Bolthole Index

Hood County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Granbury, Texas

Granbury, Texas requires construction permits for new and remodel work inside city limits, issued by the city's Building Inspections, Permits & Code Enforcement division1. The city also adopts and enforces its own zoning ordinance2. Septic rules inside the city come from a city ordinance built on state rules3. Land outside city limits in unincorporated Hood County needs no county building permit4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for new and remodel construction inside city limits; issued by the City of Granbury1
Zoning
Yes, the City of Granbury has its own zoning ordinance and districts25
Building code
2024 International Building Code and International Residential Code, with regional amendments6
Septic
City ordinance applies to the incorporated area; confirm the issuing office with the city3
Owner-builder
Homeowners may do their own work on their homestead with a homeowners permit and inspection7
R-12 minimum lot
12,000 sq ft, with a 1,100 sq ft minimum dwelling89

Who to call

Building permits

City of Granbury Building Inspections, Permits & Code Enforcement

Construction permits, plan review and building inspections inside Granbury city limits

682-279-8234

[email protected]

116 W. Bridge St. Granbury , TX 76048

Septic permits

Hood County Environmental Health Department

County on-site sewage facility (septic) permits; ask whether a property inside Granbury falls under the city's own septic ordinance

817-579-3288

[email protected]

5417 Acton Hwy, Granbury, TX

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

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Does Granbury, Texas have zoning, and what does it mean for lots and homes?

Yes. Land inside Granbury city limits is subject to the City of Granbury zoning ordinance and its district regulations2. The city divides itself into zoning districts, and each district has its own use, height and area rules5.

In the R-12 Single-Family Residential District, lots need at least 12,000 square feet8 and homes need at least 1,100 square feet of dwelling area9. Building height in R-12 is capped at 35 feet10, and buildings may cover at most 40 percent of the lot11. R-12 setbacks are 20 feet in front, 30 feet in back and 15 feet on a street side12.

HUD-Code manufactured homes are permitted in Granbury's MH manufactured housing district; the city's use table shows a specific-use-permit designation in IH and prohibits them in the other districts displayed13. We could not confirm city rules for living in an RV, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or agricultural uses inside city limits; ask the City of Granbury before you buy14.

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

Yes. Construction permits are required for new and remodel work inside Granbury city limits, and the city's Building Inspections, Permits & Code Enforcement division reviews plans and issues the permits115. Granbury has adopted the 2024 edition of the International Building Code and the 2024 International Residential Code, both with regional amendments6.

Applicants register, apply, upload documents, request inspections and track status through the city's OpenGov portal16. Inspection requests received by 4:30 p.m. are scheduled for the following business day17.

A homeowner may do their own work on a homestead, but must apply for a homeowners permit, pay the fees, follow the adopted codes and pass an inspection7. A building also needs a certificate of occupancy confirming it complies with building codes and zoning before it is legally occupied18. Short-term rentals need a separate city permit14.

How do septic permits work inside Granbury?

The City of Granbury has its own on-site sewage facilities article, which adopts and enforces Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 366 and TCEQ rules, and it applies to the incorporated area of the city3. Hood County's septic order, administered by the Hood County Environmental Health Department, covers the rest of the county except areas regulated under an existing order, ordinance or resolution19. We could not confirm which office issues septic permits for a given address inside the city, so call the city's building division and Hood County Environmental Health before you plan a system1520.

Inside Granbury, an existing home on a septic system must connect to centralized sewer when a connection is available within 300 feet of the property or a public-health nuisance has been created21. Check sewer availability before counting on a septic field.

How do you build a home in Granbury, step by step?

  1. Confirm the lot is inside Granbury city limits, then find its zoning district and what that district allows5.
  2. Ask whether public sewer is within 300 feet, and if not, which office permits a septic system at that address2120.
  3. Register on the city's OpenGov portal and apply for the construction permit with plans161.
  4. Build to the adopted 2024 codes and request inspections through OpenGov617.
  5. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in18.

What stays with Hood County, and what to check before you buy in Granbury?

City rules stop at the city limits. For land outside Granbury, read Hood County's page: unincorporated Hood County requires no county building permit, but a septic permit, a Road Access Permit and, if needed, a water well permit are required, and a floodplain development permit may be needed in a Special Flood Hazard Area4. Hood County's FAQ also notes that a city's extra regulations may apply in its extraterritorial jurisdiction22.

Water wells are handled by the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, which requires a new well to be registered before drilling23. Hood County's effective property tax rate is 1.2 percent24.

Watch-outs

  • Septic authority inside Granbury is unconfirmed: the city adopts its own septic rules, but we could not confirm whether the city or Hood County Environmental Health issues the permit for a given address, so ask both before buying3.
  • RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings and agricultural uses inside Granbury city limits were not confirmed; ask the City of Granbury zoning staff before you plan on any of them2.
  • Lot size, setbacks and minimum home size differ by zoning district, so confirm the district for any lot you are considering5.

Sources

  1. Building Inspections, Permits & Code Enforcement | Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  2. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  3. ARTICLE 13.09: ON-SITE SEWAGE FACILITIES - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  4. hoodcounty.texas.gov, quoted and re-checked
  5. Article 5: Districts - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  6. ARTICLE 3.04: BUILDING CODE - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  7. ARTICLE 3.04: BUILDING CODE - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article 5: Districts - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  9. Article 5: Districts - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  10. Article 5: Districts - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  11. Article 5: Districts - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article 5: Districts - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  13. Article 4: Permitted Uses - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  14. ARTICLE 4.16: BED AND BREAKFAST, HOSTED AND SHORT-TERM RENTALS - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  15. City of Granbury Building Inspections, Permits & Code Enforcement (granbury.org)
  16. Building Inspections, Permits & Code Enforcement | Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  17. Building Inspections, Permits & Code Enforcement | Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  18. City of Granbury – Required Building Inspections (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  19. On-Site Sewage Facilities Order for Hood County, Texas, quoted and re-checked
  20. Hood County Environmental Health Department (hoodcounty.texas.gov)
  21. ARTICLE 13.07: WATER AND SEWER EXTENSIONS - City of Granbury, TX (Granbury), quoted and re-checked
  22. FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  23. uppertrinitygcd.com, quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Granbury

Granbury’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New and remodel construction inside Granbury city limits.

    • Plans are reviewed and permits are issued by the Building Inspections, Permits, & Code Enforcement Department.
    “Construction permits are required, and both plans reviewed, and permits are issued by the division.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    A bona fide homeowner working personally in the homeowner's homestead or own premises inside Granbury city limits.

    • The owner must obtain a homeowners permit, pay required fees, comply with adopted codes, apply for an inspection, and receive certification of approval.
    “Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit any bona fide homeowner of a property that is their homestead from personally doing work within his home, or on his own premises, provided that the owner shall apply for and secure a homeowners permit; pay the required fees; do the work in accordance with the adopted codes in this chapter; apply for an inspection and receive certification of approval.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings inside Granbury city limits.

    • The International Building Code is amended by NCTCOG 2024 regional amendments option B.
    • The International Residential Code has NCTCOG 2024 regional amendments.

    International Building Code edition: 2024 · International Residential Code edition: 2024

    “The City Council adopts the International Building Code, 2024 edition, published by the International Code Council, a copy of which is located on the City of Granbury Building Department website.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    New and remodel construction inside Granbury city limits.

    • Inspection requests must be submitted through OpenGov; requests received by 4:30 p.m. are scheduled for the following business day.
    “Building Inspections is responsible for the inspection of buildings and structures during construction to ensure compliance with approved plans and all governing building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, municipal and state codes.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    A building or structure to be legally occupied for its intended use inside Granbury city limits.

    • The certificate concerns compliance with applicable building codes, zoning laws, and safety regulations.
    “Certificate of Occupancy – official document issued by the local building or code enforcement authority certifying that a building or structure complies with all applicable building codes, zoning laws, and safety regulations. It authorizes the building to be legally occupied for its intended use.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Granbury city limits.

    • Land use is subject to the City's zoning ordinance and district regulations.
    “CITY OF GRANBURY ZONING ORDINANCE November 20, 2001; Ordinance #01-819”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Granbury city limits.

    • District use, height, and area regulations apply to each district.
    “The City of Granbury, Texas is hereby divided into the following zoning districts. The use, height and area regulations as set out herein apply to each district.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-site sewage facilities in Granbury's incorporated area.

    • The City adopts and enforces Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 366 and TCEQ rules.
    “The rules adopted by this article shall apply to all of the incorporated area of the city.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Existing residential or commercial structures inside Granbury city limits that use on-site sewage.

    • Connection is required when centralized-sewer connection availability is within 300 feet of the property or a public-health nuisance has been created.
    • The assistant director of public works may except land-locked property or property that cannot reasonably connect to a public sewer line.

    centralized sewer availability distance: <= 300 ft (Existing residential or commercial structure using an on-site sewage system)

    “Existing residential structures and commercial structures utilizing on-site sewage systems shall be connected to a centralized sewage system when the availability of the connection is within 300 feet of property on which the on-site sewage system is located; or when a public health nuisance has been created by use of an existing on-site sewage system.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Granbury city limits.

    • A City application and permit are required, and the application must satisfy Article 4.16, Chapter 11, and the City's zoning ordinance.
    “Upon application to the city, a short-term rental permit shall be approved by the city manager, or designee, if the application satisfies all the conditions of this article, chapter 11 of this code , and the city's zoning ordinance.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Permit applicants inside Granbury city limits.

    • Applicants may register, apply, submit documents, request inspections, and track application status through OpenGov.
    “Through this portal, anyone needing a permit including contractors, developers, and property owners can easily register, apply for permits, submit documents, request inspections, and track application status entirely online.”

Rules another office applies inside Granbury

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-12 Single-Family Residential District inside Granbury city limits.

    minimum dwelling area: >= 1100 sq ft (R-12 District)

    “Height and Area Regulations R-12 District Max. Height Not to exceed 35 ft. Side Yard Interior Lot 5 ft. min. one side & 15 ft. min. total both sides Street Side 15 ft. minimum Rear Yard 30 ft. minimum Front Yard 20 ft. minimum Lot Size 12,000 sq. ft. minimum Lot Depth 120 ft. minimum Lot Width 90 ft. minimum Dwelling Area 1,100 sq. ft. minimum Building Coverage 40% of lot area max.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-12 Single-Family Residential District inside Granbury city limits.

    minimum lot size: >= 12000 sq ft (R-12 District)

    “Lot Size 12,000 sq. ft. minimum Lot Depth 120 ft. minimum Lot Width 90 ft. minimum Dwelling Area 1,100 sq. ft. minimum”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-12 Single-Family Residential District inside Granbury city limits.

    • Interior side yard is 5 feet minimum on one side and 15 feet minimum total for both sides.

    front yard: >= 20 ft (R-12 District) · rear yard: >= 30 ft (R-12 District) · street-side yard: >= 15 ft (R-12 District)

    “Side Yard Interior Lot 5 ft. min. one side & 15 ft. min. total both sides Street Side 15 ft. minimum Rear Yard 30 ft. minimum Front Yard 20 ft. minimum”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-12 Single-Family Residential District inside Granbury city limits.

    maximum building coverage: <= 40 percent of lot area (R-12 District)

    “Dwelling Area 1,100 sq. ft. minimum Building Coverage 40% of lot area max. Impervious Coverage 60% of lot area max.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-12 Single-Family Residential District inside Granbury city limits.

    • Certain specified features and institutional structures may receive additional height under § 5.4.D.

    maximum height: <= 35 ft (R-12 District)

    “Height and Area Regulations R-12 District Max. Height Not to exceed 35 ft. Side Yard Interior Lot 5 ft. min. one side & 15 ft. min. total both sides Street Side 15 ft. minimum Rear Yard 30 ft. minimum Front Yard 20 ft. minimum”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    HUD-Code manufactured homes in the MH HUD-Code Manufactured Housing District inside Granbury city limits.

    • The City use table identifies manufactured homes as permitted in MH; the table shows a specific-use-permit designation in IH and prohibition in the other displayed districts.
    “Manufactured Home (HUD-Code) | S | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | P | x | x | x | x | x | 1”

Still unanswered

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

  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Granbury city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Granbury city limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Granbury city limits.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural activities or development inside Granbury city limits.

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

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