Topic · Page 5
Rules & Licenses
Local Notes
Rules & Licenses notes
Montgomery County · Emergency Preparedness
Have a Hurricane Evacuation Plan Before Storm Season
Montgomery County sits in the Houston hurricane zone, and residents should know their evacuation route before a storm threatens.
Montgomery County · Food Permit
Montgomery County Food Businesses Start With Consumer Health
Montgomery County's Consumer Health and Food Division handles food establishment permits, temporary event permits, and inspections under state food rules.
Montgomery County · Land Use
Much of Montgomery County Is Unincorporated
Large parts of Montgomery County have no city zoning, which affects what you can and cannot build on your land.
Montgomery County · Marriage License
Start a Montgomery County Marriage License Before You Visit
The Montgomery County Clerk lets you begin a marriage license application online or on paper, but you still finish it in person.
Nacogdoches County · Building permits
Building or Remodeling Inside the City of Nacogdoches
Inside city limits, Inspection Services handles building, trade, fire-safety, sign, fence, floodplain, and septic code work.
Nacogdoches County · Sign permits
Putting Up a Sign or Banner in Downtown Nacogdoches
Downtown signs and banners need the right city packet before fabrication: routine signs, sign variances, and overhead banners use different paths.
Nacogdoches County · Zoning permits
Rezoning, Specific-Use Permits, and the ETJ in Nacogdoches
Rezoning, specific-use permits, subdivisions, variances, and ETJ development questions run through city Planning & Zoning and can involve public hearings.
Navarro County · Building Permits
Building inside Corsicana means a city permit first
Inside Corsicana's city limits, you need a permit to build, alter, enlarge, or repair almost any structure — and commercial jobs run a longer review gauntlet than a backyard project.
Navarro County · Certificate of Occupancy
Don't sign a Corsicana lease before the occupancy check
A Certificate of Occupancy is the city's sign-off that a Corsicana building can legally house your business, and the review takes up to ten business days, so start it before you commit to the space.
Navarro County · Marriage Records
Getting married in Navarro County starts at the clerk's window
A Texas marriage license comes from the County Clerk, and in Navarro County that means an appointment at the courthouse on West 3rd Avenue in Corsicana.
Navarro County · Alcohol Permits
Selling beer or wine in Corsicana is a location question first
Corsicana only went wet in 2004, and the city layers its own zoning and 300-foot distance rules on top of the state TABC license, so the address can sink a permit before the business plan ever does.
Navarro County · DBA / Assumed Name
Where you file a DBA in Navarro County depends on how your business is set up
A sole proprietor opening a shop under a trade name files the assumed name with the Navarro County Clerk; an LLC or corporation files with the Secretary of State instead.
Navarro County · Elections
Who can vote by mail in Navarro County, and where the form goes
Texas only lets you vote by mail for specific reasons, and the application goes to Navarro County's Early Voting Clerk on North 13th Street in Corsicana — never to the state.
Nolan County · Weather & Hazards
Wind energy and wildfire risk both shape life in Nolan County
Nolan County's wind farms are part of the landscape, and the same wind makes burn-ban and fire-weather checks worth taking seriously.
Nueces County · DBA
A Nueces County DBA is filed with the County Clerk — if your business is unincorporated
If you run a sole proprietorship or partnership under a name that isn't your own, Nueces County's only DBA filing window is the County Clerk on Leopard Street.
Nueces County · Livestock
A Texas livestock brand is only yours if you re-record it every ten years
Brands and earmarks in Nueces County are recorded with the County Clerk, and under Texas law they expire and have to be re-recorded every ten years or anyone can claim them.
Nueces County · Marriage
Getting married in Nueces County starts at the clerk's window on Leopard Street
A Nueces County marriage license comes from the County Clerk at the downtown courthouse — both people have to show up in person with photo ID.
Nueces County · Mineral Rights
Nueces County has active oil and gas production — mineral rights matter here
Oil and gas have been produced in Nueces County since 1922, and mineral rights on any property you buy may be owned by someone else.
Nueces County · Food Permit
Restaurants and food trucks here answer to the city-county Health District
Any place that sells food to the public in Nueces County, whether a sit-down restaurant, food truck, or a one-weekend festival booth, needs an annual permit and inspections from the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District.
Orange County · DBA filing
A DBA in Orange County Is Just a Name, Not a License
The Orange County Clerk will register your assumed business name, but registering a name is not the same as being licensed to run the business.
Orange County · Building permits
Inside City Limits, Orange Building Permits Are a City Job
Building inside the City of Orange runs through the city's permit desk at 303 N. 8th Street, with separate permits for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work.
Orange County · Burn bans
Orange County Burn Bans Cover the Unincorporated Areas
When it turns dry, the Orange County Commissioners Court can ban outdoor burning in the unincorporated county, and that status flips fast.
Orange County · Food permits
Selling Food in Orange County Means a County Permit First
Nearly anyone selling food to the public in Orange County, whether a restaurant, snow-cone stand, or church soup kitchen, needs a county food-service permit and passes county inspections.
Orange County · Marriage license
Where to Get a Marriage License in Orange County
Marriage licenses in Orange County are issued by the County Clerk at 801 W. Division in Orange, and there's a form for the partner who can't make it in person.
Palo Pinto County · Hunting Regulations
Deer Hunting in Palo Pinto County Has Antler Restrictions
Palo Pinto County's white-tailed deer rules allow 5 deer total, with no more than 2 bucks and only one buck over the 13-inch inside-spread line.
Palo Pinto County · Fire Safety
Outdoor Burning Rules Matter in Palo Pinto County
Palo Pinto County has hills, brush, and dry spells, so outdoor fire rules deserve a fresh check when drought and wind line up.
Parker County · Zoning & Land Use
Much of Parker County is unincorporated with few local rules
Texas counties can't zone land outside a city, so on most acreage in Parker County what you can build comes down to your deed and state law, not a county zoning map.
Parker County · Oil & Gas
Parker County has natural gas production managed by the Railroad Commission
Parker County produces natural gas, and the Texas Railroad Commission regulates drilling, wells, and mineral rights activity in the county.
Parmer County · Hunting & Fishing
You Need a State License to Hunt or Fish in Parmer County
Texas requires a hunting or fishing license for most outdoor take in Parmer County, and you can buy one online before you go.
Polk County · Business Names
Filing a DBA in Polk County: Who Still Goes to the Clerk
People and general partnerships using a business name in Polk County usually file that assumed name with the county clerk; corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships file with the state instead.
Polk County · Marriage License
Polk County keeps an online marriage application for five days
Start online close to the visit, then finish with the County Clerk; a person who cannot appear uses a separate form.
Polk County · Voting
Register to Vote in Polk County a Month Ahead
To vote from a Polk County address, register at least 30 days before Election Day and keep your name or address current.
Polk County · Voting by Mail
Voting by Mail in Polk County Starts With an Application
Polk County does not mail a ballot automatically. If you qualify, you apply with the Early Voting Clerk before the state deadline.
Potter County · Weather Safety
Wildfire Is a Serious Hazard in the Panhandle
Dry grass and strong Panhandle wind can make wildfire risk move fast in Potter County.
Presidio County · Hunting
Hunting in Presidio County: Key Rules
Presidio County sits in TPWD's Trans-Pecos mule deer rules, and pronghorn hunting is permit-only.
Randall County · Jurisdiction
City Limits vs. Unincorporated Land in Randall County
Most of Randall County is unincorporated land governed by the county, not a city, which affects zoning, building permits, and what you can do on your property.
Refugio County · Oil & Gas / Mineral Rights
Oil and gas activity in Refugio County is regulated by the Railroad Commission
Refugio County has a long history of oil and gas production, and the Texas Railroad Commission's District 2 office in San Antonio handles permits and complaints for the area.
Rockwall County · Outdoor burning
Burning brush in unincorporated Rockwall County has real rules
Outdoor burning in unincorporated Rockwall County is limited to dry plant growth from the same site, with weather and safety rules.
Rockwall County · Marriage license
Getting a marriage license at the Rockwall County Clerk
You can start the application online, but both of you still finish it in person at the clerk's office on Yellowjacket Lane, and Texas makes you wait 72 hours before the ceremony.
Rockwall County · Septic permits
Septic systems in Rockwall County go through Environmental Health
Septic systems in Rockwall County need OSSF permits through the county Environmental Health office.
Rockwall County · Short-Term Rentals
The City of Rockwall requires a permit for short-term rentals
Short-term rentals inside the City of Rockwall need a city permit and registration.
Runnels County · Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas Activity Is Regulated by the Railroad Commission
Runnels County has had oil and gas production since 1927, and the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) District 7C in San Angelo oversees permitting and regulation for the county.
Rusk County · Marriage Records
Getting Married in Rusk County Starts on the Square in Henderson
A Rusk County marriage license runs $66, both of you have to show up with photo ID, and you call the clerk for an appointment before you go.
Rusk County · Building Permits
Inside Henderson City Limits, the Permit Comes Before the Hammer
Henderson requires a permit before you build, add on, remodel, repair, move, or tear down a structure, before you change how a building is used, and before any regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing work.
Rusk County · DBA / Assumed Name
Opening a Shop in Henderson Under a Name That Isn't Yours
A Rusk County DBA filing depends on the kind of business behind the name.
Rusk County · Elections
Who Can Vote by Mail in Rusk County, and How It Actually Works
Texas only lets you vote by mail for specific reasons (65 or older, sick or disabled, away from the county, or confined in jail), and in Rusk County the application routes through the Elections Office on North Main.
Sabine County · Fishing License Rules
Fishing Toledo Bend: You Need the Right State's License
Toledo Bend is on the Texas-Louisiana state line. Which fishing license you need depends on which side of the lake you are on.
San Patricio County · Burn Ban
Before You Burn Brush, Check Whether the Ban Is On
Before burning brush in unincorporated San Patricio County, check the county burn-ban notice and fire marshal rules.
San Patricio County · Fire Code
Big Builds Outside Town Still Get a Fire Code Review
San Patricio County's fire code covers certain unincorporated commercial, public, and multifamily buildings.
San Patricio County · DBA / Assumed Name
Filing a DBA Starts at the Clerk's Counter in Sinton
San Patricio County DBA filings go through the County Clerk, with forms for starting and abandoning an assumed name.
San Patricio County · Marriage License
Getting Married Here Means a Trip to the Clerk in Person
A San Patricio County marriage license starts in person at the County Clerk's office in Sinton.
San Patricio County · Food Permits
Selling Food to the Public Runs Through Environmental Health
Food booths, mobile food units, and restaurants in San Patricio County run through Environmental Health in Sinton.
Smith County · Pipeline Rules
Pipelines crossing Smith County roads require a county permit
Smith County requires a permit for any pipeline crossing its road rights-of-way, which matters given the county's oil and gas history.
Smith County · Marriage license
Smith County marriage licenses are handled by the County Clerk
Couples apply for a Smith County marriage license through the County Clerk's office in Tyler.
Smith County · School Districts
Smith County spans ten school districts
Where your property sits in Smith County determines which of ten school districts serves it — and each district sets its own tax rate.
Starr County · DBA / Assumed Name
A Starr County DBA records a name; it does not license the business
If you run a sole proprietorship or partnership under a name that isn't your own, Texas records that name at the county clerk, Room 201 in Rio Grande City for Starr County.
Starr County · Building Permits
In Roma, even a big shed or an attached carport needs a permit
Roma lists different size and attachment triggers for sheds, porches, awnings, and carports, so check the dimensions before starting.
Starr County · Building Permits
One office in Rio Grande City handles permits, addresses, and weedy lots
Inside Rio Grande City, Planning and Code Enforcement handles permits and addresses; outside the limits, confirm the current ETJ and reviewing office for the tract.
Starr County · Marriage License
The marriage license and the certified copy are two different errands
A Texas marriage license comes from the County Clerk, and in Starr County that desk is Room 201 of the courthouse on Britton Avenue.
Starr County · Elections
Voting by mail in Starr County: who qualifies and the four-day catch
Texas limits who may vote by mail, and an emailed or faxed application still needs a mailed original within four business days.