Building permits, zoning and land rules in Wilson County, Texas

Wilson County’s forms page requires development, driveway and septic permits; its subdivision regulations cover subdivisions outside incorporated cities and define development to include construction, reconstruction and placement of structures¹. Wilson County also adopted the 2021 International Fire Code, requiring a Development Permit before construction or substantial improvement covered by the order and a System permit for each required system². The county fire-code order excludes municipalities that have adopted their own fire code². Ask Wilson County Permitting & Development and the Fire Marshal which development and fire-code requirements cover your house, barn or manufactured home^9,10. Elmendorf, a city mainly in Bexar County that reaches into Wilson County, issues its own building permits inside city limits¹¹. County OSSF applications go through Wilson County Health & Public Safety; Elmendorf also publishes city septic-installation and recertification fees, so confirm both offices’ requirements for an Elmendorf parcel^4,12.

Start with Wilson County Permitting & Development at Courthouse Annex II, 800 Tenth Street, Bldg B, Floresville, TX 78114, phone 830-393-8357; the office lists septic and driveway inspections⁹. Wilson County’s forms page provides development, driveway and septic application materials and links a complete development and permit fee schedule¹³. Include the Permit Requirement Page with each development, septic and driveway application¹³. For fire-code questions, contact the Wilson County Fire Marshal at 802 10th St., Floresville, TX 78114, phone 830-259-5612¹⁰. The Fire Marshal’s process for covered projects includes a building permit and at least 3 construction site visits or inspections under the adopted 2021 International Fire Code¹⁴.

Unincorporated Wilson County has no county zoning regulations³. Without county zoning, unincorporated Wilson County has no zoning restrictions on RV, tiny-home, manufactured-home or accessory-dwelling occupancy, and no zoning minimum dwelling size, lot size, setback, lot-coverage or height limits¹⁵. County development, subdivision, floodplain, septic and driveway requirements can still apply³. Within city limits or a municipal ETJ, contact the applicable city about zoning or development rules; those rules may apply, rather than automatically replacing every county requirement³. Elmendorf, mainly in Bexar County and extending into Wilson County, has its own zoning inside city limits¹⁶. County septic applications go through Wilson County Health & Public Safety, while Elmendorf also lists city septic requirements and fees^4,12.

Wilson County Health & Public Safety administers county on-site sewage facility (OSSF) permits at 800 10th Street, Building B, Floresville, TX 78114, phone 830-393-8357⁴. Only 4.2% of Wilson County soils are rated “not limited” for conventional septic drain fields; get a parcel-specific evaluation and allow for an engineered system rather than assuming septic is impossible¹⁷. The county application lists $250 for a conventional tank, $350 for a conventional tank in a subdivision and $400 for an aerobic system; aerobic systems require an affidavit and maintenance contract⁴. Texas’s 10-acre exemption requires compliance with state planning, construction and installation standards, a licensed site evaluator or professional engineer, a single-family home as the only dwelling, no nuisance or groundwater pollution, all OSSF parts at least 100 feet from property lines and on-site effluent disposal; confirm local requirements with the county before relying on the exemption¹⁸. A county final inspection must occur within one year of authorization or a new application and fee are required⁴.

For an RV or tiny home in unincorporated Wilson County, review development and wastewater requirements before placing the dwelling: county subdivision rules define development to include placement of a structure¹. In county-regulated subdivisions, homes may not be built or brought onto a lot until driveway and floodplain development permits are obtained and a septic application is submitted⁶. The county fire-code order expressly includes recreational vehicle parks among projects requiring a Development Permit before covered construction or substantial improvement; ask the Fire Marshal how the order applies to your proposed use^2,10. Off-grid sanitation still generally requires an approved OSSF plan and septic permit unless an exemption applies¹⁸.

1. Call Wilson County Permitting & Development at 830-393-8357 about the development application and the Fire Marshal about fire-code coverage before construction^1,2,9.
2. Obtain a soil/site evaluation and apply for county OSSF approval through Wilson County Health & Public Safety⁴.
3. For a county-regulated subdivision lot, obtain the Temporary/Permanent Driveway Permit before accessing a publicly dedicated road; for state-highway access, contact TxDOT about Form 1058^6,7.
4. Resolve floodplain approval before covered development; an exemption certificate may be available outside the Special Flood Hazard Area, while county-regulated subdivisions and other covered projects also fall under the order⁸.
5. Use the county forms page for the fee schedule and include the Permit Requirement Page with development, septic and driveway applications¹³.
6. If dividing land for qualifying agricultural operations without public dedication, file Attachment 24 with the County Clerk; subdivision requirements return if the qualifying use ends⁵.

Confirm city-limit and ETJ boundaries before relying on unincorporated Wilson County’s no-zoning rule; municipal zoning or development requirements may apply³. For a water well in the Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District, a production permit is required before drilling or operating a well capable of more than 25,000 gallons per day, more than 17.5 gallons per minute, or used for public supply; exempt wells below both thresholds still require registration¹⁹. Wilson County averages 31.4 inches of annual rain, and severe drought occurred in 20.8% of years on record, making well yield a useful purchase question¹⁷. Check floodplain coverage with Permitting & Development because the county floodplain order also reaches regulated subdivisions, manufactured-home parks and large-scale development projects, subject to municipal exclusions^8,9. A typical Wilson County home value is about $407,837, with a median annual property tax bill near $3,726 and typical annual homeowners insurance around $1,925¹⁷.