Texas county septic permits: Houston-area and Dallas-Fort Worth
In these eight counties the local authorized agent—usually the county environmental health or engineering office—issues septic permits; fees and lot rules differ by county, and a city may be the authority inside its limits. TCEQ's OARS lookup names the office for your address. [1] [2]
Last checked · sources below · about this page
Not legal advice. Fees and local orders change. Confirm with the office that covers your address before you apply.
This page summarizes eight counties. Deeper checklists live on the Houston-area and Dallas-Fort Worth permit guides.
How to use this table
Eight-county permit snapshot
Fort Bend County lists $575 for a single-family septic permit, including the $10 TCEQ fee, on a fee page dated May 2023. Published house fees and standout local rules, from each county's pages. Blank cells mean the county page reviewed for this guide did not list a single residential fee.
| County | Who issues permits | Published fee for a house | Local rules to know | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris (unincorporated) | Office of the County Engineer, Wastewater Permitting, through ePermits | See the county fee schedule; design amendment $150 | Design by a Texas PE or licensed registered sanitarian; maintenance contract required | [4], [5] |
| Fort Bend | Fort Bend County Environmental Health, online | $575 (includes $10 TCEQ fee; fee page dated May 2023) | No grandfathering; 10-acre exemption does not apply; no homeowner aerobic maintenance | [6], [7], [8] |
| Montgomery | Montgomery County Environmental Health Services, Conroe | $295 ($285 plus $10 TCEQ fee) | No permits in the regulatory floodway; minimum lot sizes | [10], [11] |
| Collin | Collin County Development Services, unless your city is its own agent | No fee listed on the county page | 1 usable acre (1.5 with a well) for newer lots; aerobic ownership forms on sale | [12] |
| Denton (unincorporated) | Denton County Public Health, Environmental Health Division | $310 to build; $100 for repairs or modifications | Final inspection by the county; aerobic contract or approved homeowner training | [13], [14] |
| Rockwall | Rockwall County Environmental Health Coordinator | No single house fee listed on the county pages reviewed | Maintenance contracts for aerobic systems; 1.5 acres per dwelling | [15], [16] |
| Tarrant | Tarrant County Environmental Division for 23 contract cities and unincorporated areas | No single house fee listed on the county pages reviewed | One-acre lot order (Nov 2025) in single-family subdivisions; other agents near some lakes | [17], [18] |
| Dallas | Dallas County Health and Human Services, Environmental Health Division | $260 residence; $310 commercial | Allow at least 30 working days for review | [19], [20] |
Note: For application checklists, phones and aerobic contract details, use the Houston-area or Dallas-Fort Worth guide linked below.
Deeper county guides
- Houston area
-
Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery: application steps, aerobic contract rules, floodway and lot-size details. [5] [6] [11]
See also: The three counties side by side
About this page
A side-by-side table of septic permit offices, published house fees and local rules for Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Collin, Denton, Rockwall, Tarrant and Dallas counties, each linked to the county source.
- Content last changed
- Last verified
- Sources
- 20 sources, all primary, listed below
- Not covered
- Every Texas county (use TCEQ's OARS lookup for others); Commercial fees and every add-on fee; Permit forms themselves
Contacts
TCEQ OARS — find your permitting authority
- What they handle
- Search by county for the authorized agent that covers your address.
Sources
Each fact above cites one or more of these by number. Accessed is the date the source was last re-read.
- [1] OARS: Find a Local Contact (septic permitting authority by county). Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
Supports: Finding the authorized agent by county.
Accessed: . - [2] 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 285.2, Definitions. Texas Administrative Code, via Cornell Legal Information Institute. Primary source.
Supports: Definition of authorized agent and permitting authority.
Accessed: . - [3] Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Primary source.
Supports: Local programs can be stricter than state minimums.
Publisher's date: Page last modified .
Accessed: . - [4] Wastewater Quality Permitting. Harris County Office of the County Engineer. Primary source.
Supports: Harris Wastewater Permitting office and amendment fee.
Accessed: . - [5] Residential Construction & On-site Sewage System (Septic). Harris County Office of the County Engineer. Primary source.
Supports: Harris ePermits residential OSSF path and design/maintenance notes.
Accessed: . - [6] On-Site Sewage Facility Permits / Packets. Fort Bend County Environmental Health. Primary source.
Supports: Fort Bend online permits, no grandfathering, lot and designer rules.
Accessed: . - [7] Permit Fees. Fort Bend County Environmental Health. Primary source.
Supports: Fort Bend $575 house fee.
Publisher's date: Page says all fees are current as of .
Accessed: . - [8] Annual Maintenance Contract Renewal Fee. Fort Bend County Environmental Health. Primary source.
Supports: Fort Bend aerobic contract renewal; no homeowner maintenance.
Accessed: . - [9] Aerobic Maintenance Information. Fort Bend County Environmental Health. Primary source.
Supports: Fort Bend bans homeowner maintenance of aerobic systems.
Accessed: . - [10] On-Site Sewage Facility. Montgomery County Environmental Health Services. Primary source.
Supports: Montgomery septic office.
Accessed: . - [11] How to obtain a permit to construct a septic system and obtain a notice of approval (with OSSF fee list). Montgomery County Environmental Health Services. Primary source.
Supports: Montgomery fees, floodway ban and lot sizes.
Publisher's date: Handout revised .
Accessed: . - [12] On-Site Sewage Facilities. Collin County Development Services. Primary source.
Supports: Collin portal, lot sizes and aerobic sale forms.
Accessed: . - [13] Environmental Health Division. Denton County Public Health. Primary source.
Supports: Denton Environmental Health Division.
Accessed: . - [14] What You Must Know: On-Site Sewage Facilities (OSSF). Denton County Public Health. Primary source.
Supports: Denton fees and aerobic contract rules.
Publisher's date: Handout revised .
Accessed: . - [15] Environmental Health Coordinator. Rockwall County. Primary source.
Supports: Rockwall Environmental Health Coordinator.
Accessed: . - [16] Frequently Asked Questions (Environmental Health Coordinator). Rockwall County. Primary source.
Supports: Rockwall aerobic contracts and 1.5-acre rule.
Accessed: . - [17] On-Site Sewage Facilities. Tarrant County Engineering Services, Environmental Division. Primary source.
Supports: Tarrant coverage and one-acre lot order.
Publisher's date: Page last modified .
Accessed: . - [18] On-Site Sewage Facilities: Frequently Asked Questions. Tarrant County Engineering Services, Environmental Division. Primary source.
Supports: Other agents in Tarrant County.
Accessed: . - [19] Environmental Health Division. Dallas County Health and Human Services. Primary source.
Supports: Dallas County Environmental Health Division.
Accessed: . - [20] Application: On-Site Sewage Facility Permit (OSSF). Dallas County Health and Human Services, Environmental Division. Primary source.
Supports: Dallas residential fee and review time.
Publisher's date: Form marked revised (file name says Jul 2025).
Accessed: .
Page history
- : First version of this page.