Bolthole Index

Wichita County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Burkburnett, Texas

Burkburnett, Texas, in Wichita County, has its own comprehensive zoning ordinance for land inside city limits1. The City Building Inspector checks construction against the International Building Code as the city has adopted it2. Septic permits for Wichita County come from the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District, not the city planning counter3. Living in an RV is prohibited in single-family districts4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: city zoning ordinance covers land inside Burkburnett city limits1
Building permits and inspections
City Building Inspector enforces the adopted International Building Code; permit fees and process not confirmed2
Septic
Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District permits OSSFs in Wichita County3
RV as a dwelling
Prohibited in single-family districts4
Minimum dwelling size
800 sq ft in the single-family districts5
Manufactured homes
Limited: HUD-code homes allowed in R-2 with 3,500 sq ft minimum lot area6
Certificate of occupancy
Required for new or altered buildings and change of use7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Burkburnett Planning Department (Building Inspections and Code Enforcement)

Building inspections and code enforcement inside Burkburnett city limits

940-569-2263

501 Sheppard Road Burkburnett, TX 76354

Septic permits

Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District (Environmental Health / OSSF Permitting)

On-site sewage facility (septic) permits and inspections in Wichita County

940-761-7820

[email protected]

1300 7th Street, Wichita Falls, TX 76307-7531

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Burkburnett, Texas have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Burkburnett has adopted its own comprehensive zoning ordinance, and it applies to land inside Burkburnett city limits1. The city publishes a district table covering agricultural (AG), single-family (SF-15, SF-10, SF-6), R-1, R-2, commercial and industrial districts, though the table is a general comparison chart and is incomplete, so the ordinance text controls8.

Dimensions depend on the district. In SF-6, the minimum lot is 6,000 sq ft with 60 ft of width, a 25 ft front yard, a 35 ft height limit and 35% maximum lot coverage9101112. In the AG district, the minimum lot is 1 acre with 150 ft of width13. Single-family districts set a minimum floor area of 800 sq ft per dwelling5.

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

Burkburnett's City Building Inspector, working under the Planning Department, checks construction against the International Building Code as the city has adopted it, and all construction and permitting must also meet the city's Code of Ordinances2. New or structurally altered buildings, and any change of use, need a certificate of occupancy from the building official after inspection; vacant-land agricultural uses are excepted7.

We could not confirm the city's building permit fee schedule or the exact application steps. Call the Planning Department at City Hall to ask what your project needs before you start2.

How do septic permits work in Burkburnett?

The Environmental Health Division of the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District permits new and existing on-site sewage facilities in Wichita County, and a new system begins the permitting process before it is built3. Texas requires a permit and approved plan to build, alter, repair, extend or operate a septic system, with a limited exemption for a single-family home on a tract of at least 10 acres that meets every state condition14.

We could not confirm how septic rules apply to a lot inside Burkburnett city limits, for example where a city sewer connection is required. Ask the health district's OSSF office and the city before you buy3.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Burkburnett?

Burkburnett's zoning ordinance says recreational vehicles, travel trailers or motor homes may not be used for on-site dwelling purposes in its single-family districts; we did not check the other districts4. Living in an RV on a typical residential lot inside the city is therefore off the table.

We did not find a tiny-home provision. Because single-family districts set a minimum of 800 sq ft per dwelling, a small tiny home is unlikely to qualify there5. HUD-code manufactured homes are allowed in the R-2 district with a minimum lot area of 3,500 sq ft, and replacement homes in SF-6 are limited to HUD-code homes five years old or newer6.

Building a home in Burkburnett: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district of the lot with the city and read the ordinance text for that district8.
  2. Check minimum lot size, setbacks and floor area against your plans5.
  3. Call the Planning Department at City Hall for building permit requirements and fees, which we could not confirm2.
  4. If the lot is not on city sewer, start the septic process with the Public Health District before construction3.
  5. Request inspections from the City Building Inspector as work proceeds2.
  6. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before using the building7.

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

The city's zoning and building rules stop at the city limits. Land outside the city is unincorporated Wichita County; for that land, see the Wichita County page. Wichita County has adopted no county zoning ordinance, so unincorporated land there has no county zoning rules15.

Septic permits stay with the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District3. Development in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area needs a Wichita County floodplain development permit before any work starts16. A new driveway onto a state highway needs a TxDOT driveway permit17. Wichita County's effective property tax rate is 1.8%18.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Burkburnett's building permit fees, application process or owner-builder rules; call the city Planning Department at City Hall before you buy or build2.
  • The city's district table is a general chart and is incomplete, so check the ordinance text for your district before relying on a dimension8.
  • The RV prohibition was confirmed only for single-family districts; ask the city about other districts4.

Sources

  1. City of Burkburnett Zoning Ordinance #589 (text) (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Burkburnett Planning Department (Building Inspections and Code Enforcement) (burkburnett.org)
  3. Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District (Environmental Health / OSSF Permitting) (wichitafallstx.gov)
  4. City of Burkburnett Zoning Ordinance #589 (text) (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  5. City of Burkburnett Zoning Ordinance #589 (text) (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  6. City of Burkburnett Zoning Ordinance #589 (text) (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of Burkburnett Zoning Ordinance #589 (text) (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  8. Burkburnett Summary of Zoning District Regulations (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  9. Burkburnett Summary of Zoning District Regulations (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  10. Burkburnett Summary of Zoning District Regulations (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  11. Burkburnett Summary of Zoning District Regulations (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  12. Burkburnett Summary of Zoning District Regulations (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  13. Burkburnett Summary of Zoning District Regulations (Burkburnett), quoted and re-checked
  14. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System, quoted and re-checked
  15. Texas law on county zoning and building authority
  16. Wichita County Texas Flood Plain Management Development Permit Application Form, quoted and re-checked
  17. Access Management Manual — Permits, quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 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 Burkburnett

Burkburnett’s own rules

  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New or altered buildings, change of use, and vacant land use inside Burkburnett city

    • Vacant land agricultural uses excepted
    • Issued by building official after inspection
    • Fee set by the city
    “certificates of occupancy shall be required for any of the following: a. occupancy and use of a building hereafter erected or structurally altered”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Burkburnett city limits

    • Ordinance #589; zoning map adopted April 17, 2000 per the ordinance; later amendments exist
    “the following ordinance (together with all appendices referred to herein) is hereby adopted as the comprehensive zoning ordinance of the city of burkburnett, texas”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts (AG, SF-15, SF-10, SF-6, R-1, R-2, commercial, industrial) inside Burkburnett city

    • Table is a general comparison chart and is incomplete; see ordinance text
    “sf-6 6,000 sq. ft. 800 sq. ft. 60 ft. 100 ft. 25 ft. 20 ft./10 ft. 5 ft./ 15 ft. 35 ft. 35%”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family residential districts (SF-15, SF-10, SF-6) inside Burkburnett city

    • Table also lists 800 sq ft in AG; multifamily is 550/600/800+ sq ft by bedroom count

    minimum floor area per dwelling unit: >= 800 sq ft

    “e. minimum floor area per dwelling unit - eight hundred (800) square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    AG agricultural district inside Burkburnett city

    • Chart is for general comparison and incomplete

    minimum lot area: >= 43560 sq ft (1 acre) · minimum lot width: >= 150 ft

    “ag 1 acre (43,560 sq. ft.) 800 sq. ft. 150 ft. 200 ft. 30 ft. 20 ft./10 ft. 10% of lot width/30 ft. 35 ft. 20%/30%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    SF-6 single-family district inside Burkburnett city

    • Rear yard 20 ft / 10 ft and side yard 5 ft / 15 ft per chart (alternates depend on lot/garage configuration; see text)

    minimum front yard: >= 25 ft

    “sf-6 6,000 sq. ft. 800 sq. ft. 60 ft. 100 ft. 25 ft. 20 ft./10 ft. 5 ft./ 15 ft. 35 ft. 35%”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    SF-6 single-family district inside Burkburnett city

    • AG district 20%/30%

    maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent

    “sf-6 6,000 sq. ft. 800 sq. ft. 60 ft. 100 ft. 25 ft. 20 ft./10 ft. 5 ft./ 15 ft. 35 ft. 35%”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    SF-6 single-family district inside Burkburnett city

    • AG and SF-15/SF-10 also 35 ft per chart

    maximum building height: <= 35 ft

    “sf-6 6,000 sq. ft. 800 sq. ft. 60 ft. 100 ft. 25 ft. 20 ft./10 ft. 5 ft./ 15 ft. 35 ft. 35%”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    RVs, travel trailers and motor homes as on-site dwellings in single-family districts inside Burkburnett city

    • Quoted from single-family district special requirements (sections 13.5-15.5); other districts not checked
    “a. recreational vehicles, travel trailers or motor homes may not be used for on-site dwelling purposes.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    HUD-code manufactured homes in the R-2 district inside Burkburnett city

    • Allowed in R-2 with its own lot standards; replacement of existing manufactured homes in SF-6 limited to HUD-code homes five years old or newer
    • Park/subdivision minimum 20,000 sq ft, max 20 acres

    minimum lot area for manufactured home: >= 3500 sq ft

    “c. for hud-code manufactured/mobile homes: 1. minimum lot area - three thousand five hundred (3,500) square feet; minimum land area for a manufactured home park/subdivision is twenty thousand (20,000) square feet, and maximum land area is twenty (20) acres”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Burkburnett city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Burkburnett city
  • Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Burkburnett city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Burkburnett city
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Burkburnett city
15 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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

← All of Wichita County: county rules, score and offices