Do Texas counties have building codes for rural land?
TexasReviewed October 2026
Only in a limited way. Texas counties have only the powers the constitution and Legislature give them, and a Senate bill analysis notes counties historically lacked authority to regulate land development in unincorporated areas. Local Government Code Chapter 233, Subchapter F, lets a county adopt an order requiring new single-family homes and duplexes in unincorporated areas to meet the International Residential Code (the 2008 edition or the version used in the county seat). The county may not require prior approval or charge a fee under that law. A city's code can apply in its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Other state rules, like septic and floodplain, still apply. Call your county to ask what it has adopted.
Check your local rule. This varies by state, county or city. Your permitting office has the final word; the official lookup pages below show you who that is.