Bolthole Index

Tarrant County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Arlington, Texas

The City of Arlington, Texas sets its own zoning inside city limits through the Unified Development Code1, and its own 2021 International Building Code with local amendments governs construction there2. Tarrant County issues no zoning or residential building permits in Arlington, because its rules cover unincorporated land only3. We could not confirm who handles septic permits inside city limits; ask the city before you plan a septic system.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: City of Arlington Unified Development Code1
Building code
2021 IBC and IFC with local amendments2
Inspections
Required after a building permit is issued, scheduled in arlingtonpermits.com4
Large-lot district (RE)
One-acre minimum lots5
Manufactured homes
Only in existing parks and subdivisions in the obsolete MH district6
Short-term rentals
Allowed with conditions in designated locations7
Septic
Not confirmed inside city limits8

Who to call

Zoning

City of Arlington Planning and Development Services

Zoning, the Unified Development Code, platting and zoning verification letters inside Arlington city limits; permit applications and inspections run through arlingtonpermits.com

817-459-6777

[email protected]

101 W. Abram St. Arlington TX 76010

Online permits →

Septic permits

Tarrant County OSSF Program (Engineering Services)

Septic (OSSF) permits for unincorporated Tarrant County and several contract cities; ask whether your Arlington address falls under it

817-212-7082

100 E. Weatherford St., Fort Worth, Texas 76196

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

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Does Arlington, Texas have zoning?

Yes. The City of Arlington zones land inside its city limits, and the Unified Development Code consolidates its zoning, land use, subdivision and design standards1. The city publishes a list of zoning districts, but notes that its summary is illustrative and that some uses carry conditions, so the full code controls910.

Districts decide lot size. In the RE Residential Estate district, lots are intended to be at least one acre5. In RS-5, the minimum is 5,000 square feet11. Check which district a parcel sits in before you count on a particular lot size.

Manufactured homes are limited: the MH district is obsolete, cannot be requested for a rezoning, and accommodates existing manufactured home parks and subdivisions6. We could not confirm Arlington's rules for living in an RV, tiny-home occupancy, setbacks or minimum dwelling size; ask Planning and Development Services.

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

Construction in Arlington follows the city's adopted 2021 International Building Code and International Fire Code, with local amendments under Ordinance #22-0562. Once a building permit is issued, inspections are required, and the arlingtonpermits.com system shows each inspection that must pass before the next phase can be scheduled4.

We could not confirm the full list of projects that need a residential building permit, the permit fees, or whether an owner-builder exemption exists inside Arlington. Ask Arlington Planning and Development Services before you start work10.

Tarrant County is not the office for this. The county does not issue building permits for residential homes in unincorporated areas12, and that rule does not reach Arlington addresses.

How do septic permits work inside Arlington?

We could not confirm which agency handles septic (on-site sewage facility) permits inside Arlington city limits. Tarrant County Engineering Services runs the septic program for unincorporated areas and for specified contract cities8, but Arlington does not appear on the list we reviewed. Call the Tarrant County OSSF program to ask whether an address is covered, and ask the city whether sewer service reaches the lot13.

Countywide soils are a caution: USDA rates about 15.6% of Tarrant County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so a site evaluation is likely if septic is allowed at all14.

Building a home in Arlington: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district and what it allows with Planning and Development Services110.
  2. Ask the city whether the lot is platted and whether subdivision rules apply; Arlington regulates subdivision under the same code15.
  3. Apply for building permits through the city's system, arlingtonpermits.com, and design to the 2021 codes with local amendments2.
  4. Schedule each required inspection in order after the permit is issued4.
  5. Confirm the sewer or septic arrangement with the city and the Tarrant County OSSF program13.

What stays with Tarrant County, and what to check before you buy

For land outside Arlington's city limits, the answers differ: unincorporated Tarrant County has no zoning3, and its septic permits come from Tarrant County Engineering Services16. See the Tarrant County page for that land.

Countywide figures give context for Arlington: Tarrant County's effective property tax rate is 1.8%17, and the median property tax bill is $5,211 a year18. Arlington's short-term rental rules also apply only in city-designated locations7.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Arlington's rules for RV living, tiny homes, setbacks, minimum home size, driveway access or floodplain development; call Planning and Development Services before buying10.
  • The city's published zoning district summary is illustrative, and conditions on uses are in the Unified Development Code9.
  • Septic authority inside Arlington city limits is unconfirmed; ask the Tarrant County OSSF program before assuming a septic system is allowed13.

Sources

  1. Zoning/Unified Development Code | City of Arlington, TX (Arlington), quoted and re-checked
  2. 2022 Construction Guide - General Contractors (Arlington), quoted and re-checked
  3. Guidelines for Development in the Unincorporated Areas of Tarrant County (2026 county census)
  4. Construction Inspection Process (Arlington), quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning Districts | City of Arlington, TX (Arlington), quoted and re-checked
  6. Zoning Districts | City of Arlington, TX (Arlington), quoted and re-checked
  7. Short-Term Rentals | City of Arlington, TX (Arlington), quoted and re-checked
  8. On-Site Sewage Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  9. Zoning Districts | City of Arlington, TX (Arlington), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Arlington Planning and Development Services (arlingtontx.gov)
  11. Zoning Districts | City of Arlington, TX (Arlington), quoted and re-checked
  12. Guidelines for Development in the Unincorporated Areas of Tarrant County (2026 county census)
  13. Tarrant County OSSF Program (Engineering Services) (tarrantcountytx.gov)
  14. 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
  15. Zoning/Unified Development Code | City of Arlington, TX (Arlington), quoted and re-checked
  16. On-Site Sewage Facilities (2026 county census)
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Median property tax bill: 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 Arlington

Arlington’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction regulated by Arlington city inside its city limits.

    • The City guide identifies Ordinance #22-056 as adopting the 2021 ICC codes and local amendments.
    • The guide identifies the 2021 IBC and IFC specifically.

    International Building Code edition: 2021 (Local amendments apply.) · International Fire Code edition: 2021 (Local amendments apply.)

    “The City of Arlington has adopted and amended the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) and International Fire Code (IFC). City of Arlington Ordinance #22-056, which adopted the 2021 ICCs and our local amendments, is available on the City of Arlington website.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Projects for which Arlington has issued a building permit inside Arlington city limits.

    • The cited City process applies after a building permit is issued.
    “Within each phase the arlingtonpermits.com system will display red asterisks (*) by each required inspection that must be successfully passed by the inspector before the next phase of inspections will display for scheduling.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land, buildings, structures, and uses inside Arlington city limits.

    • Uses and development remain subject to the Unified Development Code and applicable district conditions.
    “The Unified Development Code (UDC) consolidates all of Arlington’s development regulations, streamlining zoning, land use, subdivision, and design standards.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Arlington city limits.

    • The City notes that its district summary is illustrative and that some uses are subject to conditions; the UDC supplies the complete listing.
    “Note: This summary is for illustrative purposes only. Some uses allowed in the districts are subject to conditions. For a complete listing of all permitted uses and conditions, see the Unified Development Code.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Existing manufactured-home parks and subdivisions in Arlington's obsolete MH zoning district.

    • The MH district is obsolete and may not be requested for a zoning amendment.
    • The City district summary states the district accommodates existing manufactured-home parks and subdivisions.
    “MH | Manufactured Housing: This district is obsolete and may not be requested for a zoning amendment. Accommodates existing manufactured home parks and subdivisions.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and development activity inside Arlington city limits.

    • The UDC is the City source for subdivision regulations and associated development standards.
    “The Unified Development Code (UDC) consolidates all of Arlington’s development regulations, streamlining zoning, land use, subdivision, and design standards.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Arlington city limits in City-designated eligible locations.

    • Ordinance No. 19-014 designates eligible locations.
    • Ordinance No. 19-022 regulates operations and establishes permit application requirements.
    • The City page states that the ordinances allow STRs with conditions.
    “On April 23, 2019, the Arlington City Council adopted two ordinances that allow short-term rentals, with conditions. Ordinance No. 19-014 designated Eligible locations for STRs within the city. Ordinance No. 19-022 created Regulations for conducting STRs and established Permit Application Requirements.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Construction projects after Arlington has issued a building permit.

    • The cited document concerns the process after a permit is issued, not the complete application process.
    “This Technical Bulletin is intended to provide contractors, developers and business operators with information related to the Construction Inspection Process after the building permit is issued.”

Rules another office applies inside Arlington

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    RE Residential Estate district inside Arlington city limits.

    • The City cautions that some uses allowed in districts are subject to conditions and directs readers to the UDC for the complete listing.

    minimum lot area: >= 1 acre (RE Residential Estate district.)

    “RE | Residential Estate: Intended to accommodate large-lot (minimum one acre) single-family detached residential uses, accessory development, and select agricultural activities.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — RS-5 Residential Single-Family 5 district inside Arlington city limits.
      “RS-5 | Residential Single-Family 5: Intended to accommodate single-family detached residential uses and typical accessory development at medium densities (minimum 5,000-square foot lots).”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — New residential construction inside Arlington city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Arlington city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Arlington city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Arlington city limits.
  • Setbacks — Residential districts inside Arlington city limits.
15 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Permit fees

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

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