Bolthole Index

Kaufman County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Terrell, Texas

Terrell, Texas requires building permits for construction and specified improvements inside city limits; cosmetic painting and flooring typically do not need a building permit.1 All land inside Terrell is zoned, with allowed uses set by district.2 Terrell also manages septic systems inside its corporate limits, so the Kaufman County septic office is not the starting point for an in-city project.3

At a glance

Building permits
City building permits required for construction and specified improvements; cosmetic work typically exempt1
Zoning
All land inside Terrell city limits is zoned; allowed uses vary by district2
Septic authority
City of Terrell manages OSSF inside corporate city limits3
RV living
On-site dwelling prohibited in Commercial, Office and Light Industrial districts; other districts unresolved4
Manufactured-home size
MH district: minimum dwelling floor area of 1,200 square feet5
Manufactured-home park spaces
MH district: minimum lot area of 7,500 square feet per unit in a manufactured-home park6
New water or sewer service
Municipal Development permit required if service does not exist on a new-home property7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Terrell Permit Desk

City building-permit applications and questions about permit submissions.

[email protected]

Online permits →

Zoning

City of Terrell Development Services

Property inquiries and liaison to the Planning and Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustment.

972-551-6606

400 Industrial Blvd

Septic permits

City of Terrell Municipal Development — OSSF

Septic installation and inspection inside Terrell city limits.

972-551-6606

[email protected]

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

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Do you need a building permit in Terrell, TX?

Terrell requires city building permits for new construction and specified remodeling or accessory work; painting and flooring typically do not require a building permit.1 The city’s listed work includes plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems, irrigation, pools or hot tubs, accessory buildings, demolition, driveways, patios and decks.1

For Terrell building-permit applications, use the Citizen Portal and upload the application form and a site plan when applicable.8 Ask the Permit Desk which application fits your project rather than treating a shed, driveway or utility alteration as cosmetic work.19 Terrell publishes a building-permit and development fee schedule, but we could not confirm a numeric fee for your project; request the applicable amount from the Permit Desk.109

Who handles building permits and zoning questions in Terrell?

Terrell’s Permit Desk lists [email protected] for building-permit questions, and Development Services lists 972-551-6606 for property and development inquiries.911 Terrell Development Services serves as liaison to the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and offers a Property Inquiry Form for questions about a parcel.11

Use that inquiry before committing to a use that may need rezoning: Terrell zoning districts have different allowed uses, and rezoning requires public hearings and approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.2 Development Services’ posted relocation notice gives the office location as 400 Industrial Blvd. in Terrell beginning June 2026.11 Building-permit review can take 14–21 business days depending on the required review process, so allow for review before scheduling construction.9

Does Terrell have zoning, lot-size rules and home-size minimums?

All land inside Terrell city limits is zoned, and each district has its own allowed uses; a county no-zoning answer does not describe an in-city Terrell parcel.2 Ask Development Services to identify the parcel’s district and confirm the proposed home, accessory structure and setbacks before choosing a design.112

In Terrell’s MH manufactured-home district, the minimum floor area is 1,200 square feet per dwelling unit.5 Within a manufactured-home park in the MH district, the stated minimum lot area is 7,500 square feet per unit.6 Those are MH-specific thresholds, not citywide minimums for every residential lot or house.56 If a Terrell tract has not been platted or needs a replat, the city’s site-plan process calls for a construction plat submitted for Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council approval.12

How do septic permits work inside Terrell?

The City of Terrell manages on-site sewage facilities inside its corporate limits, and the city’s septic application authorizes Municipal Development inspection for compliance.313 Contact the city OSSF office at [email protected] or 972-551-6606 before planning a septic installation.14 Texas generally requires a permit and approved plan to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate a septic system, and local programs may impose stricter requirements.15

Texas’s 10-acre exemption is conditional: the tract must serve only a single-family dwelling, receive a licensed site evaluation, keep every system component at least 100 feet from property lines, dispose of effluent on-site and avoid nuisance or groundwater pollution while meeting state design and installation standards.15 Ask Terrell’s OSSF office whether the exemption is available for your project.1514 Kaufman County’s soil rating shows just 3.4% rated not limited for conventional drain fields; that countywide figure supports getting a site evaluation, not concluding septic is impossible on a Terrell lot.16

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on land in Terrell?

Terrell prohibits RVs, travel trailers and motor homes used for on-site dwelling or permanent nonresidential purposes in the Commercial, Office and Light Industrial zoning districts.4 That district-specific rule does not settle RV occupancy in every Terrell residential district; ask Development Services about the parcel’s district and any proposed temporary occupancy while building.411

We could not confirm Terrell’s tiny-home occupancy or accessory-dwelling rules; take the proposed floor plan and use to Development Services before buying a small structure.11 The MH district’s manufactured-home floor-area minimum remains a separate, district-specific requirement.5 Terrell’s overnight camping prohibition concerns city parks and recreational areas, with prior city approval and specified sponsored-event exceptions; that park rule does not answer camping on a private lot.17

What are the steps to building a home in Terrell?

  1. Ask Development Services to confirm the parcel’s zoning district and whether the intended use needs rezoning.211
  2. Resolve platting with the city if the tract is unplatted or needs a replat; access to a state-controlled thoroughfare requires TxDOT pre-approval before city review.1218
  3. Confirm water and wastewater service: new-home property without water or sewer service needs a Municipal Development permit, with tap and meter-installation fees collected during permit review and issuance; septic projects inside city limits go to Terrell’s OSSF office.73
  4. Submit the building-permit application and applicable site plan through the Citizen Portal.8

For land outside city limits, use the Kaufman County guide for the county’s unincorporated-area building rules and county septic program.1920 We could not confirm Terrell’s private-well requirements or a city owner-builder exemption; ask Municipal Development before relying on either.11 Texas’s owner-occupied electrical licensing exemption does not waive local building permits or inspections, and municipal regulations may override that licensing exemption.21

Watch-outs

  • Terrell manages septic systems inside city limits; Kaufman County’s septic contact should not replace the city OSSF office for an in-city project.3
  • Terrell requires correction and a new report within 30 days after a failed OSSF installation or maintenance inspection notice.14
  • We could not confirm Terrell’s adopted building-code edition or agricultural building-permit exemptions; ask the Permit Desk before preparing plans or assuming a barn is exempt.9
  • We could not confirm approval for off-grid sanitation in Terrell; Texas approval of a composting-toilet treatment system does not itself authorize an individual septic installation.22

Sources

  1. Building Permits and Inspections (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning Changes (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Installation / Inspection (OSSF) (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  4. Code of Ordinances: Section 29. Commercial district (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  5. Code of Ordinances: Section 23. Manufactured home district (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  6. Code of Ordinances: Section 23. Manufactured home district (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  7. New Water Service (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  8. Building Permits and Inspections (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  9. City of Terrell Permit Desk (cityofterrell.org)
  10. Developer's Corner (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  11. City of Terrell Development Services (cityofterrell.org)
  12. Site Plans (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  13. Septic Installation Permit Application (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  14. City of Terrell Municipal Development — OSSF (cityofterrell.org)
  15. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), 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. Code of Ordinances: Sec. 1-15. Park regulations (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  18. cityofterrell.org (Terrell), quoted and re-checked
  19. Permits and Inspections (2026 county census)
  20. On-Site Sewage Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  21. Exemptions to Electrician Licensing (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Chapter 285 — On-Site Sewage Facilities (Texas statewide rule), 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 Terrell

Terrell’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work done inside the City of Terrell, including new construction, specified remodeling and accessory work.

    • Cosmetic work such as painting and flooring does not typically require permits.
    • Plumbing, mechanical, electrical, irrigation systems, swimming pools or hot tubs, signs and banners, accessory buildings, demolitions, driveways, patios, patio covers and decks require permits.
    “Work done in the City requires Building Permits. Permits generally fall into one of two categories: Residential or Commercial. Cosmetic work (painting and flooring) does not typically require permits.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Business premises seeking a Certificate of Occupancy inside Terrell city limits.

    • Inspection is scheduled after approval of a complete Certificate of Occupancy application.
    • The Building Official, Fire Marshal and Health Inspector inspect when applicable.
    “Upon approval, an inspection is scheduled with the Building Official, Fire Marshal and Health Inspector (when applicable) who will inspect the business premises to verify compliance with the City's Code of Ordinances.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    All businesses operating inside the City of Terrell.

    • The application review can take up to 14 business days.
    • A Certificate of Occupancy is issued after all departments pass the inspection.
    “All businesses operating in the City of Terrell are required to apply for a Certificate of Occupancy. After a complete application has been received, the application enters review. This process can take up to 14 business days.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Terrell city limits.

    • Rezoning requires approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council after public hearings.
    “All land within the city limits is zoned and each zoning district has a unique set of allowed uses which are compatible with the other uses within the same district.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Each dwelling unit in the MH manufactured-home district.

    • The cited minimum applies to the MH district and does not establish the minimum for every residential district.

    minimum floor area per dwelling unit: >= 1200 square feet

    “Minimum floor area per dwelling unit: 1,200 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Each space within a manufactured-home park in the MH district.

    • The cited minimum is for each space within a manufactured-home park, not a citywide minimum.

    minimum lot area per unit: >= 7500 square feet

    “Minimum lot area: 7,500 square feet per unit.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    RV, travel-trailer and motor-home on-site dwelling or permanent nonresidential use in the Commercial, Office and Light Industrial zoning districts.

    • The cited prohibition applies to those districts; other districts were not resolved.
    • The Commercial district text also refers to temporary buildings.
    “Recreational vehicles: Recreational vehicles, travel trailers, motor homes or temporary buildings may not be used for on-site dwelling or permanent nonresidential purposes.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Overnight camping in any city park or recreational area within Terrell city.

    • Prior approval of the city manager or designee is an exception.
    • Camping related to a City of Terrell/Terrell Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitor's Bureau sponsored event is an exception.
    “Camping prohibited . It shall be unlawful to camp overnight in any park or recreational area within the city without prior approval of the city manager or his designee unless it is related to a City of Terrell/Terrell Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitor's Bureau sponsored event.”
  • Who permits septicLocal

    On-site sewage facilities within Terrell city limits.

    • TCEQ approved the City of Terrell to assess and manage OSSF within its corporate limits in February 2022.
    “In February of 2022 the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved the City of Terrell to assess and manage on-site sewage facilities (OSSF) within the corporate City limits of Terrell.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    OSSF permit applicants and systems inside Terrell city limits.

    • The City may enter the property for inspection to determine compliance with applicable laws, standards, rules and regulations.
    “Permission is hereby granted to a designated representative of the licensing authority, City of Terrell Municipal Development Department, to enter said property for purposes of inspection, to determine compliance with applicable laws, standards, rules and regulations.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    New home construction inside Terrell city limits where municipal water or sewer service does not exist on the property.

    • If water or sewer service does not exist, a permit must be issued through Municipal Development.
    • Associated water and sewer tap and meter-installation fees are collected with permit review and issuance.
    “If water or sewer service does not exist on the property, a permit must be issued through the Municipal Development Department. Any associated fees for water and sewer taps and installation of a meter are collected as part of the review and issuance of the permit.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and platting inside Terrell city limits.

    • A construction plat may be required where a tract has not been platted or a replat is required.
    • A construction plat is approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council as described by the city's plat-application process.
    “If a tract has Not been platted or if a replat is required then a Construction Plat (site plan combined with plat) shall be submitted for approval by the P and Z and City Council as described in the previous section under "Plat Applications".”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Drive access from property inside Terrell city limits to a state-controlled thoroughfare.

    • TxDOT pre-approval is required before city review and approval.
    • An approval letter must be submitted.
    “Drive access to any State controlled thoroughfare must be pre-approved by TxDOT prior to review and approval by the city (submit approval letter)”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Building permit and development fees administered by Terrell.

    • The Developer's Corner links a fee schedule identified as Building Permit and Development Fees Ordinance No. 3121.
    • The reviewed page did not reproduce the numeric fee amounts.
    “Fee Schedule - Building Permit and Development Fees Ordinance No. 3121 (PDF)”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building-permit applications inside Terrell city limits.

    • Applications use the City's Citizen Portal.
    • An application form and site plan must be uploaded when applicable.
    • Review can take 14–21 business days depending on the required review process.
    • Plumbing, mechanical, electrical, residential demolition and roofing permits can be issued the same day; other permits are subject to review.
    “The City of Terrell uses a Citizen Portal for permit application submissions.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Terrell city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption inside Terrell city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Terrell city limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Terrell city limits.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation inside Terrell city limits.
3 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Terrell publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Kaufman County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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