Unincorporated Scurry County, Texas does not require a county building permit for a home, because Texas law gives counties no general authority to regulate residential construction outside incorporated cities1. The county also has no zoning: Texas grants county zoning power only in a handful of narrow situations, and Scurry County isn't one of them, so there's no countywide setback, minimum lot size, or zoning district to check23. Septic works differently here than in many nearby Texas counties: Scurry County itself, through its Health Unit, is the TCEQ-authorized agent that issues on-site sewage facility (OSSF) permits, rather than a neighboring city or a TCEQ regional office45.
At a glance
- Building permit
- Not required in unincorporated Scurry County; the county has no building-permit department1
- Zoning
- None countywide; Texas gives Scurry County no zoning authority23
- Septic permits
- Issued directly by the Scurry County Health Unit, the county's own TCEQ-authorized OSSF agent45
- RV, tiny home & manufactured home siting
- Unrestricted by county zoning in unincorporated areas, since Scurry County has none3
- Owner-builder exemption
- Not confirmed either way; largely moot since no county building permit is required for an ordinary home6
- City of Snyder
- Has its own zoning and requires permits and inspections for most construction, separate from the county78
- Driveway onto a state highway
- A TxDOT Form 1058 permit is required, with 24 hours' notice to TxDOT before construction on the right of way9
- Septic soils
- Only 26.8% of the county's soils are free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field10
Who to call
Septic permits
On-site sewage facility (OSSF/septic) permits and inspections for Scurry County, where the county itself — not a neighboring city or the TCEQ regional office — is the TCEQ-authorized permitting agent
911 26th Street, Snyder, TX 79549
Also useful
Scurry County Judge and Commissioners Court
General courthouse contact for county business without its own dedicated department page, including road and driveway questions on county roads, which the individual precinct commissioners handle
1806 25th St, Snyder, TX 79549
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 24, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in Scurry County, Texas?
No, unincorporated Scurry County does not require a county building permit for an ordinary home, because Texas counties have no general authority to regulate residential construction outside incorporated cities1. Scurry County lists no building-permit department, which lines up with that lack of authority1. Texas counties can adopt narrow building-code authority in specific circumstances — a fire code for commercial buildings, public buildings and multifamily housing of 4 or more units, but only in a county with a population over 250,000 or adjacent to one, and Scurry County's roughly 16,000 residents fall well short of that threshold — and separate residential construction standards, but only where a county has affirmatively adopted them by resolution, which no source reviewed here shows Scurry County has done1112. Inside Snyder, the county's only incorporated city, the rules are different: the city states that most construction projects require permits and inspections under its own adopted building codes8. Whether an owner-builder exemption applies to anything in unincorporated Scurry County is unconfirmed, though with no county permit required for an ordinary home, it's rarely a live question6.
Who handles septic and other permits in Scurry County, and how do you reach them?
There's no county building or zoning department to call for land in unincorporated Scurry County, because the county doesn't regulate either one12. Septic is the exception: the Scurry County Health Unit is itself the TCEQ-authorized agent for on-site sewage facility permits, so it's the office that reviews plans, issues permits and inspects new systems anywhere in the county54. For road and driveway questions on county roads, the county directs residents to the individual precinct commissioners rather than a standalone road department; the Scurry County Judge and Commissioners Court at the courthouse is the general number to start with if you're not sure who handles something13. Inside the City of Snyder, Planning & Development Services handles zoning, permits and inspections separately from the county, including interactive maps of zoning, parcels and floodplains7. If your driveway connects to a state highway rather than a county or city road, that permit comes from TxDOT, not the county9.
Does Scurry County have zoning?
No — Scurry County has no zoning ordinance for unincorporated land, and Texas law grants county zoning authority only in a handful of narrowly defined situations that don't include Scurry County23. That means there's no countywide minimum lot size, setback, building-height limit or lot-coverage rule, and zoning districts simply aren't published because none exist3. Accessory dwelling units, RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes and temporary camping on private land also aren't restricted by county zoning, for the same reason3. The City of Snyder is the one exception: it has adopted its own zoning and offers interactive maps showing zoning districts, parcels and floodplains for land inside city limits, along with its own building-permit and inspection process78. If your land sits inside or near Snyder's city limits or its extraterritorial jurisdiction, check with the city directly rather than assuming the county's unzoned status applies to you.
How do septic permits work in Scurry County?
Almost every on-site sewage facility (OSSF) in Texas needs a permit before construction, installation, repair, extension or other alteration, and that includes Scurry County1415. Unlike many rural Texas counties, where a neighboring city or the TCEQ regional office issues the permit, Scurry County's own Health Unit is the TCEQ-authorized agent, with its Director also serving as the county's OSSF Inspector54. A 10-acre exemption can apply, but only if every condition is met: a licensed site evaluation, a single-family home on at least 10 acres, no nuisance or groundwater pollution, every part of the system at least 100 feet from the property line, on-site effluent disposal, and no other dwelling on the tract15. Emergency repairs are exempt from the permit itself but must still be reported in writing within 72 hours after the repair begins15. Scurry County's soils make this worth planning for early: only 26.8% are free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so budget for a site evaluation before you commit to a purchase price10. Installation work generally must be done by a licensed installer, except that a homeowner may do the work themselves on their own single-family residence14.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Scurry County?
Scurry County's lack of zoning means there's no county rule banning or specifically restricting RV living, tiny homes, manufactured homes, or temporary camping on private land in unincorporated areas3. That's an absence of restriction, not an official green light: no county inspector reviews the installation, and statewide requirements still apply regardless of zoning, most importantly the OSSF permit for any wastewater system serving whatever you place on the land15. Inside the City of Snyder, by contrast, the city's own zoning and building-permit rules apply, so an RV or tiny home inside city limits is a different question entirely7. No source reviewed for this guide addresses homeowners' association rules or deed restrictions, which can restrict what the county's lack of zoning does not2.
Building a home in Scurry County: the steps, in order
- Confirm your land is in unincorporated Scurry County and not inside Snyder's city limits, since Snyder has its own separate zoning and building-permit process78.
- Know that no county building permit is required for an ordinary single-family home in unincorporated Scurry County, since the county has no building or inspection department1.
- Apply for your OSSF (septic) permit through the Scurry County Health Unit before you build; unlike in many nearby counties, this is a county office, not a city or state one54.
- Get your soil site evaluation done early: only 26.8% of Scurry County's soils are free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field10.
- If your driveway will connect to a state highway, submit TxDOT Form 1058 to the local TxDOT district office and give TxDOT 24 hours' notice before construction begins on the right of way9.
- For a driveway or access question on a county road, contact the precinct commissioner for your area through the Commissioners Court at the courthouse13.
- Remember there's no comprehensive countywide zoning inspection to schedule for an ordinary home outside Snyder — construction quality is largely a matter between you and your builder3.
What to check before you buy land in Scurry County
Start with septic, not zoning: only 26.8% of Scurry County's soils are free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so a site evaluation before you commit to a price is worth the cost10. Water is a real planning factor here: the county averages just 21.2 inches of precipitation a year and sees severe drought in 33.5% of years, among the drier and more drought-prone profiles in rural Texas1617. The terrain is easy to build on — 93.6% of the county's land sits at 15% slope or less — but only 3.4% is wooded, so don't count on tree cover for privacy, shade or wind protection1819. Heat and insurance costs are worth budgeting for too: the county's average annual temperature is 63.9°F today, but mid-century projections put it at about 44.2 days a year at or above 100°F, and a typical home insurance premium runs near $2,587 a year202122. If your driveway will touch a state highway, plan for the separate TxDOT permit before you set a construction timeline9. Property taxes run moderate for rural Texas: the effective rate is about 1.6%, with a median bill near $1,761 a year against a typical home value around $142,439232425.
Watch-outs
- Scurry County has no zoning, but that means the county doesn't regulate RVs, tiny homes, setbacks or lot size — not that nothing does; the City of Snyder has its own zoning and building-permit rules inside city limits, and statewide rules like the OSSF permit still apply everywhere37.
- Scurry County's own Health Unit issues septic permits directly — a different setup from many nearby Texas counties where a neighboring city or the TCEQ regional office does it, so don't assume the pattern from another county applies here54.
- Whether an owner-builder exemption applies to anything in Scurry County is unconfirmed; with no county building permit required for an ordinary home, it's rarely relevant, but confirm before assuming6.
Sources
- Texas county building-permit authority (Bexar County FAQ, TX LG Code Ch. 233) (2026 county census)
- Texas Local Government Code Ch. 231 (county land-use/zoning authority) (2026 county census)
- Texas law on county zoning and building authority
- TCEQ - Getting a Permit for an OSSF (septic) (2026 county census)
- Scurry County Health Unit (co.scurry.tx.us)
- (2026 county census)
- Planning & Development Services, quoted and re-checked
- Build or Develop, quoted and re-checked
- Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Local Government Code Chapter 233, County Regulation of Housing and Other Structures (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- County population: Bolthole Index county data
- Scurry County Judge and Commissioners Court (co.scurry.tx.us)
- Basics for Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
- Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Annual precipitation: Bolthole Index county data
- Share of years in severe drought: Bolthole Index county data
- Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
- Wooded share of land: Bolthole Index county data
- Average annual temperature: Bolthole Index county data
- Projected mid-century days at or above 100°F: Bolthole Index county data
- Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
- Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
- Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
Written September 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.