Bolthole Index

Travis County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Point Venture, Texas

The Village of Point Venture, Texas requires a Village building permit for new construction, additions and most remodeling, and the Village Office issues it1. Point Venture has its own zoning, handled by the Village Council2. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the village, so ask the Village Office and Travis County before you buy3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Village for new construction, additions and most remodeling; minor repairs may be exempt14
Zoning
Yes, the Village has its own zoning; the Village Council hears zoning matters2
New-home permit fee
$1040 plus $70 per inspection, per a published 2024 schedule; confirm the current fee5
Inspections
Required for permits that call for them6
Floodplain permit fee
$500 per the published 2024 schedule5
Septic permits
Not confirmed for Point Venture; Travis County is the state's authorized agent for unincorporated areas and interlocal-agreement cities3
RV and tiny-home living
Not confirmed; depends on the Village zoning district, so ask the Village Office2

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Point Venture Building Permits and Inspections (Village Office)

Building permits, building inspections, certificates of occupancy and plan review inside Point Venture village limits

512-267-5511

411 Lohman Ford Road, Point Venture, TX 78645

Septic permits

Travis County Development Services - On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Program

Septic (OSSF) permits where Travis County is the permitting jurisdiction; whether that includes Point Venture is unconfirmed

512-854-4438

700 Lavaca, Suite 540, Austin, TX 78701

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 25, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Point Venture means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Point Venture, Texas?

Yes. Point Venture, a village in Travis County, makes it unlawful to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, move or demolish a building, or to install plumbing, electrical or mechanical systems, without first getting a Village building permit1. Additions, remodeling, electrical rewiring, driveway replacement and septic repairs are on the Village's list of work that needs a permit7.

Permits are not required for painting, flooring, cabinetry and similar finish work in an existing home7. An owner may also make minor improvements and repairs without a permit when they are not covered by IRC Section R105, but the owner must contact the Village Office first to learn whether a permit applies4.

Inspections are done on permits that require them6. We could not confirm which building code edition the Village has adopted or when a certificate of occupancy is required, so ask the Village Office before you design.

Who issues building permits in Point Venture, and how do you reach them?

The Village of Point Venture's own Building Permits and Inspections department handles building permits, inspections, plan review and certificates of occupancy inside village limits7. Call the Village Office at 512-267-5511, or turn in a permit application and project packet Monday through Friday during regular office hours78.

A published 2024 fee schedule lists a $1040 building permit fee for new residential construction, which expires after one year, plus $70 per inspection and actual Village-consultant costs5. Confirm current amounts with the Village Office before filing.

For land outside village limits, the answer is different; see the Travis County page.

Does Point Venture have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. Point Venture has its own zoning ordinance, and the Village Council handles zoning matters because no Planning and Zoning Commission is appointed2. The Village removed its Industrial District in 20259. In the Commercial District, buildings may cover no more than 60% of the lot10. Replats and subdivision work are regulated, with a published $100 replat application fee11.

We could not confirm Point Venture's rules on RV living, tiny homes, manufactured homes, accessory dwellings, minimum home size or minimum lot size. Those depend on the district your lot is in, so ask the Village Office for the zoning district and its standards. Travis County's lack of county zoning does not apply here, because it covers only unincorporated land12.

How do septic permits work inside Point Venture?

We could not confirm which agency issues septic permits for lots inside Point Venture village limits. Village materials list septic systems and repairs as work that needs a Village permit7, but they do not name the septic permitting authority.

Travis County acts as the state's authorized agent for septic systems in unincorporated areas and in cities it has interlocal agreements with3. Lots near Lake Travis may instead fall under the Lower Colorado River Authority's review13. Whether either applies to your lot is unconfirmed. Call the Village Office first, then the Travis County OSSF team at 512-854-443814.

Soils matter too: USDA rates only 4.2% of Travis County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system15.

Building a home in Point Venture: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Village Office at 512-267-5511 to confirm your lot's zoning district and whether your project needs a permit7.
  2. Ask the Village Office and Travis County who permits septic for your address14.
  3. Check floodplain status; the Village publishes a floodplain development permit application, and a published schedule lists a $500 floodplain permit fee5.
  4. Submit the building permit application and project packet at the Village Office on a weekday8.
  5. Schedule the inspections your permit requires6.
  6. Ask the Village Office whether a certificate of occupancy is needed before you move in7.

What stays with Travis County, and what should you check before you buy?

Inside village limits, the Village decides building permits and zoning. Travis County's development permit, driveway permits and floodplain rules for unincorporated land do not replace the Village's rules16. Septic and the drinking-water connection need separate answers: the Village directs water service questions to the Point Venture water district, and we could not confirm a mandatory-connection rule or a private-well rule here.

County-level context: Travis County's effective property tax rate is 1.5%17, and the median property tax bill is $7487 a year18. Ask for a flood determination and the zoning district before closing.

Watch-outs

  • Texas counties cannot run city-style building permit programs, so Travis County's rules do not govern lots inside Point Venture village limits19.
  • The fee figures come from a 2024 published schedule, so confirm the current building permit, inspection and floodplain fees with the Village Office5.
  • We could not confirm the septic permitting authority for Point Venture lots; call the Village Office and the Travis County OSSF team before you commit to a lot14.

Sources

  1. Building & Permits | Village of Point Venture (Village of Point Venture), quoted and re-checked
  2. Ordinance No. 2025-06-18C (Village of Point Venture), quoted and re-checked
  3. Permit Enforcement, quoted and re-checked
  4. Building & Permits | Village of Point Venture (Village of Point Venture), quoted and re-checked
  5. August 21, 2024 Village Council agenda packet (Village of Point Venture), quoted and re-checked
  6. Building & Permits | Village of Point Venture (Village of Point Venture), quoted and re-checked
  7. Village of Point Venture Building Permits and Inspections (Village Office) (vopv.org)
  8. FAQ | Village of Point Venture (Village of Point Venture), quoted and re-checked
  9. Ordinance No. 2025-06-18C (Village of Point Venture), quoted and re-checked
  10. vopv.org (Village of Point Venture), quoted and re-checked
  11. August 21, 2024 Village Council agenda packet (Village of Point Venture), quoted and re-checked
  12. Texas law on county zoning and building authority
  13. Permit Enforcement, quoted and re-checked
  14. Travis County Development Services - On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Program (traviscountytx.gov)
  15. 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
  16. Development Services, quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Environmental Review of Development Proposals, quoted and re-checked

Written October 25, 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 Village of Point Venture

Village of Point Venture’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Applicable construction and remodeling inside Point Venture village limits.

    • Permit issuance enforces applicable minimum codes and standards.
    • Minor improvements and repairs may be exempt when not required by IRC Section R105; the owner must first contact the Village Office to determine whether a permit is required.
    “It is unlawful for any person to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, perform major repairs, move, improve, remove, convert, or demolish any building or structure, or install plumbing, electrical or mechanical systems, or perform mold remediation, or perform major landscaping or drainage work, without first obtaining a city building permit.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Owners making minor improvements or repairs inside Point Venture village limits.

    • The improvement or repair must not require a permit under IRC Section R105.
    • The owner must contact the Village Office first to determine whether a permit is required.
    “An owner may make minor improvements and repairs on any structure without a permit provided such improvements and repairs are not required by the IRC Section R105. An owner planning such improvements and/or repairs shall first contact the Village Office to determine in each instance whether or not a permit is required.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Point Venture village limits.

    • The requirement applies to permits requiring inspections.
    “Inspections are completed to all permits requiring such to ensure the safety and welfare of the residents of the Village.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Point Venture village limits.

    • The Village Council administers zoning matters because there is no appointed Village Planning and Zoning Commission.
    “The Zoning Ordinance of the Village of Point Venture, Texas is hereby amended by deleting the abbreviated designation “I”” and the zoning district name “Industrial District” from Figure 1.1.2.1 of Chapter 2 of the Zoning Ordinance.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Point Venture village limits.

    • The Industrial District designation was removed by Ordinance No. 2025-06-18C.
    “The Zoning Ordinance of the Village of Point Venture, Texas is hereby amended by deleting the abbreviated designation “I”” and the zoning district name “Industrial District” from Figure 1.1.2.1 of Chapter 2 of the Zoning Ordinance.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Commercial District (C) inside Point Venture village limits.

    • Applies to the total square footage of all main buildings and accessory structures.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 60 percent

    “(3) Maximum Building Size: The maximum lot coverage for the total square footage of all main buildings and accessory structures shall be no more than 60%.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Replats and subdivision development inside Point Venture village limits.

    • The published replat fee schedule states that replat applications require Planning and Zoning Commission review; current Village materials state the Village Council hears zoning matters because no commission is appointed.

    replat application fee: 100 USD (Published 2024 fee-schedule packet; confirm current fee before filing.)

    “(a) Re-Plat Application Fee: $100.00 (Requires review by Planning and Zoning Commission)”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    New residential and multifamily construction inside Point Venture village limits.

    • The cited schedule says the building permit expires in one year.
    • Applicants are additionally responsible for actual Village-consultant costs.
    • The schedule is published in a 2024 agenda packet and should be confirmed for current filing.

    new-construction building permit fee: 1040 USD (Additional actual consultant costs apply.) · inspection fee: per 70 USD (Per inspection.) · floodplain permit fee: 500 USD

    “(b) Building Permit Fee: $1040.00 * (Building Permit will expire in one (1) year) (c) Inspection Fee: $70.00/per inspection [...] (h) Floodplain Permit Fee: $500.00”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Point Venture village limits.

    • Applications and project packets may be submitted Monday through Friday during Village Office regular business hours.
    “Building Permit application and project packets may be turned in Mon-Fri at the Village Office during regular business hours.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Point Venture or Travis County directly.

  • Building code adopted — Construction inside Point Venture village limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Buildings and changes of use inside Point Venture village limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Point Venture village limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Lots inside Point Venture village limits.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Point Venture village limits.
14 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Village of Point Venture publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Travis County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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