Building permits, zoning and land rules in Del Rio, Texas

At a glance

Building permits

Required for new residential construction inside city limits¹

Zoning review

City review before residential building permit issuance¹

Septic permits

City directs septic applicants to Val Verde County⁴⁵

Residential building fee

$7 per $1,000 of value; $56 minimum, plus $15 processing per permit⁴

Inspections

Permitted work must remain exposed until approved; final inspection required⁶

Occupancy

Certificate of Occupancy required before occupying a building⁷

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Del Rio, Texas?

New residential construction inside Del Rio city limits requires a city building permit, and the city reviews the application for zoning and technical codes before issuance.¹ Del Rio’s residential fee schedule lists $7 per $1,000 of project value with a $56 minimum, plus a $15 processing fee per permit.⁴ The schedule separately lists a $45 inspection fee.⁴ Building permit approval does not finish the process: permitted construction must remain accessible and exposed until the chief building official approves the work, and all permits require final inspection.⁶

Who issues building permits in Del Rio, and how do you reach them?

Del Rio Development Services issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and sign permits, reviews plans for code compliance, and issues certificates of occupancy.² Contact Development Services at 830-774-8526 or at 114 W. Martin St. Del Rio, TX 78840 for the city building application and inspection arrangements.² Del Rio Planning & Zoning is the separate city contact for development applications and rezoning review, at 830-703-5384.³ Septic applicants should contact Val Verde County Health Department / Risk Management at 830-774-7569; the city fee schedule directs septic tanks to the county.⁸⁴

Does Del Rio have zoning, and what about RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Del Rio reviews residential building applications for zoning compliance before issuing a building permit.¹ Del Rio Planning & Zoning publishes a Residential Use Matrix, Lot and Building Dimension Table and Planning and Zoning Map.³ Residential plot plans must show lot size, existing and proposed structures, uses, setbacks and property pins.⁹ Ask Planning & Zoning to identify the parcel’s district and the applicable use and dimensional standards before choosing a house plan.³ We could not confirm Del Rio’s residential RV, temporary-camping, tiny-home or accessory-dwelling rules, or district-specific minimum lot size and setback numbers; ask Planning & Zoning about the proposed use before buying.³

How do septic permits work inside Del Rio?

Del Rio’s published fee schedule directs septic-tank questions to Val Verde County, and the county administers an OSSF program subject to exceptions for areas already regulated under another order, ordinance or resolution.⁴⁵ Val Verde County’s septic application requires a plot design, septic-system and potable-water locations, and a complete site evaluation and system design before a permit is issued.¹⁰ The county form lists a $250 residential septic permit fee, paid by check or money order.¹⁰ Texas generally requires an approved plan and permit to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate an OSSF.¹¹ Ask the county Health Department which inspection steps and local requirements apply to the Del Rio address before installation.⁸ Texas’s septic permitting exemption for a single-family dwelling on at least 10 acres requires every stated condition, including a site evaluation, all OSSF parts at least 100 feet from property lines, on-site disposal, no nuisance or groundwater pollution, and no other dwelling on the tract.¹¹

Building a home in Del Rio: what are the steps, in order?

1. Ask Del Rio Planning & Zoning about the parcel’s zoning and proposed development before preparing the residential application.³
2. Prepare the plot plan showing structures, uses, setbacks and property pins, plus floor plans with room uses, dimensions and building-system details.⁹
3. Submit the complete city application, two full plan sets, PDF construction documents and plan-review fee; complete applications generally take 3–5 working days to review, depending on project size.⁹
4. For a septic installation, submit the county OSSF application, site evaluation and system design before seeking septic permit approval.¹⁰
5. Keep permitted work exposed for inspection and arrange final inspection; obtain the required Certificate of Occupancy before occupying the building.⁶⁷

What should you check before buying land in Del Rio?

For land outside Del Rio city limits, use the Val Verde County guide: the county’s published building permit requirements apply to property within the Amistad Land Use and Zoning Order area.¹² Inside Del Rio, ask Development Services about the proposed water source; the city lists a $75 water-well permit fee, but we could not confirm the circumstances requiring that permit.⁴² Ask Planning & Zoning about access, floodplain review and any proposed manufactured home before committing to a parcel.³ We could not confirm a general owner-builder or agricultural exemption from Del Rio’s city requirements; obtain a project-specific answer from Development Services before relying on either.²

Watch-outs

• Del Rio residential building permits become invalid if work does not commence within 180 days of issuance or remains incomplete after suspension or abandonment for 180 days after work commenced.⁹
• We could not confirm permission for residential RV living or tiny-home occupancy in Del Rio; ask city Planning & Zoning before using either as housing.³
• Del Rio’s city building permit does not replace the county septic application and site evaluation for an OSSF installation.¹¹⁰

Sources

1. Buildings Permit Requirements and Procedures — Residential One & Two Family Dwellings (Del Rio), quoted and re-checked
2. Del Rio Development Services (cityofdelrio.com)
3. Del Rio Planning & Zoning (cityofdelrio.com)
4. City of Del Rio Consolidated Fee Schedule (Del Rio), quoted and re-checked
5. November 14, 2016 Commissioners Court Regular Meeting, quoted and re-checked
6. Del Rio Code of Ordinances, Chapter 8, Required Inspections (Del Rio), quoted and re-checked
7. Development Services — City of Del Rio (Del Rio), quoted and re-checked
8. Val Verde County Health Department / Risk Management (valverdecounty.texas.gov)
9. Buildings Permit Requirements and Procedures — Residential One & Two Family Dwellings (Del Rio), quoted and re-checked
10. OSSF Form For Installers Only, quoted and re-checked
11. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. List of Documents needed for Building Permit, 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.