Bolthole Index

Anderson County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Palestine, Texas

Palestine, Texas requires a city building permit before you develop, redevelop or divide land inside city limits1. The city also adopted its own zoning code, first created in 19682. Septic permits are a separate track: Anderson County is the TCEQ-authorized agent for septic systems3, and the city adds its own rules for septic inside city limits4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside Palestine city limits; issued by the city1
Zoning
City zoning code, first created in 1968, also reaching a one-mile border around the city2
Septic
Allowed only where no public sewer is within 100 feet and the lot is at least 1 acre; county OSSF program permits the system53
Building codes
2021 IRC and related international codes, 2023 NEC6
Inspections
Done by the city's in-house inspector since January 20267
Tiny home
Not a primary home in the Suburban Residential district; allowed as a secondary unit8
Minimum home size (SR district)
1,600 sq. ft. for the principal building9

Who to call

Building permits

City of Palestine Development Services (permits and inspections)

Building permits, zoning and post-permit inspections inside Palestine city limits. The phone number shown is City Hall's main line.

903-731-8400

permits@palestine-tx.org

504 N Queen Street, Palestine, TX 75801

Septic permits

Anderson County Emergency Management Office (OSSF Program)

Septic (OSSF) permits as the TCEQ authorized agent for Anderson County, plus 911 addressing

903-218-6400

Room 109, Anderson County Courthouse Annex, Palestine, TX

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Palestine, Texas?

Yes, inside city limits. Palestine requires a building permit from the city before a property owner develops, redevelops or divides land within the city limits1. Land in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (the border area outside the limits) needs a development permit from the city instead1.

The city has adopted the 2021 IBC, IRC, IPC, IMC and related codes, the 2018 IECC and the 2023 NEC, and follows the State of Texas adopted codes6. Before you can occupy a new or altered building, Palestine also requires a certificate of occupancy10. We could not confirm an owner-builder exemption from the city's permit rules, so ask the city's permit office before assuming you can build without one11.

Who issues building permits in Palestine, and how do you reach them?

The City of Palestine issues building permits and runs inspections itself. Since January 6, 2026, Palestine has conducted all building inspections through its in-house inspector11. To request an inspection, email permits@palestine-tx.org; requests submitted by 4:00 PM are scheduled for the next business day11. City Hall is at 504 N Queen Street, Palestine, TX 75801, phone 903-731-840011.

A residential permit application needs a completed application and a site plan showing property lines, existing and proposed buildings, utility tap locations, and driveway location, width and radius12. Each single-family home must sit on one platted lot13.

Does Palestine have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Palestine zoning code was first created in 1968 and regulates development in the city limits and a one-mile extraterritorial border around the city2. Rules differ by district, so check the zoning map for your parcel14.

In the Suburban Residential (SR) district, the principal building must be at least 1,600 sq. ft.9 on a lot of at least 10,000 sq. ft.15. Setbacks are 25 ft front, 6 ft side, 15 ft side-street and 20 ft rear16, with a 35 ft height limit17. Tiny houses are not allowed as a primary home in SR, but a secondary dwelling unit of up to 800 square feet (or 40% of the main home's floor area, whichever is less) is allowed18. We could not confirm the city's rules on temporary camping or RV living; ask the city's permit office11.

How do septic permits work inside Palestine?

Septic is allowed inside Palestine only where no public sanitary sewer is within 100 feet and the lot is at least 1 acre5. Where a sewer main is within 100 feet, or crosses the parcel, the lot must connect to it19. A septic application goes in writing to the City Manager or designee4.

The septic system itself is permitted by Anderson County, the TCEQ-authorized agent, through its Emergency Management Office in Room 109 of the Courthouse Annex20. The county's single-family residential application fee for the permit and inspection is $325.0020. Texas requires a permit and approved plan to build, alter, repair or extend a septic system21. We could not confirm whether the city requires its own septic inspection; ask the permit office.

Building a home in Palestine: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your parcel's zoning district on the city's zoning map and check lot size, setbacks and minimum home size14.
  2. Find out whether a public sewer main is within 100 feet; if so, you connect to it19.
  3. If no sewer is available and the lot is at least 1 acre, apply in writing to the City Manager for septic use4 and apply to the Anderson County OSSF office20.
  4. Check whether the parcel lies in a special flood hazard area; if so, a floodplain development permit is required22.
  5. Submit the city building permit application with a site plan12.
  6. Schedule inspections by email to permits@palestine-tx.org11.
  7. Get a certificate of occupancy before moving in10.

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

The county handles septic permits through its OSSF program3. Outside Palestine, in unincorporated Anderson County, no county zoning rule sets lot size, setbacks or RV and tiny-home use23; see the Anderson County page for the county's answers on that land.

Before buying, confirm the parcel is inside or outside city limits and the one-mile border, since the city's zoning code reaches that border2. Anderson County's effective property tax rate is about 1%24, and the median property tax bill is $1,688 a year25. A driveway onto a state highway needs a TxDOT permit26.

Watch-outs

  • Palestine's septic rule is narrower than the county's: inside city limits septic is allowed only without sewer within 100 feet and on a lot of at least 1 acre5.
  • We could not confirm the city's rules on well permits, owner-builder construction, temporary camping or short-term rentals; call the city permit office at 903-731-8400 before you rely on any of them11.
  • The one-mile border outside city limits is covered by the city's zoning code but needs a development permit rather than a building permit1.

Sources

  1. City of Palestine Code of Ordinances, Sec. 39.4.2-9 (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning Ordinance | Palestine, TX (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  3. Anderson County On Site Sewage Facility Permit Requirements, quoted and re-checked
  4. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  5. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  6. Code Adoption | Palestine, TX (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  7. Inspections | Palestine, TX (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  8. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  9. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Palestine Code of Ordinances, Sec. 39.4.2-9 (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  11. City of Palestine Development Services (permits and inspections) (cityofpalestinetx.com)
  12. Residential Building Permit Procedure (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  13. Residential Building Permit Procedure (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  14. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  15. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  16. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  17. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  18. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  19. Zoning Ordinance for the City of Palestine, Texas (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  20. Anderson County Emergency Management Office (OSSF Program) (andersoncountytx.gov)
  21. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. City of Palestine Code of Ordinances, Sec. 40-227 (Palestine), quoted and re-checked
  23. Texas law on county zoning and building authority
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 23, 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 Palestine

Palestine’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Developing, redeveloping, or dividing land inside Palestine city limits.

    • A city building permit is required before the listed activity; the section distinguishes ETJ development permits from city-limit building permits.
    “A property owner shall obtain a development permit from the city prior to developing, redeveloping or dividing land within the city's extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) or obtain a building permit from the city prior to developing, redeveloping or dividing land within the city limits.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Palestine city limits.

    • The city lists 2021 IBC, IFC, IEBC, IRC, IMC, IPMC, IPC and IFGC; 2018 IECC; and 2023 NEC. Electricians, mechanical tradesmen, and plumbers must also follow the specified state rules.
    “The City of Palestine has adopted the following Building Codes. We review and follow the State of Texas adopted codes.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Post-permit construction inside Palestine city limits.

    • Inspection requests must be submitted by 4:00 PM for next-business-day scheduling.
    “As of January 6, 2026, the City of Palestine conducts all building inspections through its in-house inspector. Post-permit inspections help ensure compliance with city building codes and ordinances.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy, use, or change of use of a building, structure, or land inside Palestine city limits.

    • Required for enumerated new/altered structures, changed use or classification, vacant-land occupancy other than agricultural purposes, and nonconforming-use changes. Building-permit applications for new or altered structures are also certificate applications. The city is to issue a complying certificate within ten days.
    “No person shall not occupy, use or change the use of any building, structure or land until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the city stating that the building or proposed use of a building or structure or premises complies with the building code and other development codes of the city.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Palestine city limits.

    • The city page also says its zoning code regulates a one-mile extraterritorial-jurisdiction border; this claim is limited to city limits.
    “The City of Palestine's zoning code was first created in 1968, and regulates development in the city limits of Palestine and a one-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction border around the city.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts within Palestine city limits.

    • The ordinance also includes overlay and planned-development provisions; parcel determination requires the adopted zoning map.
    “In order to classify, regulate, and restrict the use of land, water, buildings, and structures; to regulate and restrict the height and bulk of buildings; to regulate the area of yards and other open spaces about buildings; to regulate the intensity of land use; and to promote the orderly urban growth within the corporate area of the City of Palestine, Texas, the following zoning districts are established:”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Use of a septic tank inside Palestine city limits where public sanitary sewer is unavailable.

    • A septic system is available only when no public sanitary sewer is within 100 feet and the lot is at least one acre. The system must meet stated county, state, city, and TCEQ requirements.
    “Application for the use of a septic tank must be made in writing to the City Manager or his/her designee”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Septic or alternative sewer systems inside Palestine city limits.

    • Allowed only where no public sewer is within 100 feet and the lot is at least one acre; written application and applicable standards are required.

    minimum lot area for septic alternative: >= 1 acre (Only when no public sanitary sewer is within 100 feet.)

    “When there is not a public sanitary sewer within 100 feet of any lot, tract, or parcel of land and when such lot is a minimum 1 acre or more in size, within the corporate limits such lot may be connected to an approved septic tank or an alternative sewer system per Chapter 40.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Lots, tracts, and parcels inside Palestine city limits.

    • Mandatory connection applies where a public sanitary sewer main is within 100 feet or extends across the lot, tract, or parcel. Accessory buildings under single ownership may connect to a common building sewer under other city ordinances.

    public sewer availability distance: <= 100 feet (Also applies where a public sanitary sewer extends across the lot, tract, or parcel.)

    “All lot, tract or parcel of land that is within a distance or radius of 100 feet of a public sanitary sewer main, or across which lot, tract, or parcel of land a public sanitary sewer extends, shall be connected to a public sanitary sewer main.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Vacant-land occupancy or use inside Palestine city limits.

    • The certificate-of-occupancy requirement expressly excepts vacant land used for agricultural purposes; this does not establish exemption from all other city, state, or federal requirements.
    “Occupancy and use of vacant land except for agricultural purposes;”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Single-family residential development inside Palestine city limits.

    • Each single-family residential structure must be on one platted lot; verification of the plat and a survey may be required.
    “All single-family residential structures must be on a Single (One) Platted lot. Verification of plat may be required”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Structures or land within an area of special flood hazard inside Palestine city limits.

    • Application must include the applicable fee under the duly adopted fee schedule. The building official is appointed floodplain administrator.
    “The developer shall obtain a development permit (floodplain development permit) from development services prior to locating, altering, or changing the use of any structure or land within an area of special flood hazard.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Residential building-permit applications inside Palestine city limits.

    • The procedure requires a completed application, site plan, written work narrative, floor plan, and other listed items. Additional documents may be requested.
    “Completed Building Permit Application Site Plan- A drawing with an overhead view of your property showing Property lines and bordering streets Existing and proposed buildings or additions Measurements from property lines to buildings and distances between buildings Utility service lines-water and sewer tap locations Driveway surface type and location including width and radius”

Rules another office applies inside Palestine

Palestine does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Principal buildings in the Suburban Residential (SR) district inside Palestine city limits.

    • The cited spatial-requirements table applies to the SR district.

    principal building minimum area: >= 1600 square feet

    “Principal Building 1,600 sq. ft. - - 25 ft 6 ft 15 ft 20 ft 10 ft 35 ft 2.5 stories”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in the Suburban Residential (SR) district inside Palestine city limits.

    • The cited spatial-requirements table applies to the SR district.

    minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet

    “Lot 10,000 sq. ft. 4.4/acre (1 DU/ 10,000 sq. ft.) 100 ft 100 ft”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal buildings in the Suburban Residential (SR) district inside Palestine city limits.

    • The cited spatial-requirements table applies to the SR district.

    front-yard setback: >= 25 feet · side-yard setback: >= 6 feet · side-street-yard setback: >= 15 feet · rear-yard setback: >= 20 feet

    “Principal Building 1,600 sq. ft. - - 25 ft 6 ft 15 ft 20 ft 10 ft 35 ft 2.5 stories”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Principal buildings in the Suburban Residential (SR) district inside Palestine city limits.

    • The cited spatial-requirements table applies to the SR district.

    maximum height: <= 35 feet · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories

    “Principal Building 1,600 sq. ft. - - 25 ft 6 ft 15 ft 20 ft 10 ft 35 ft 2.5 stories”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    Tiny houses in the Suburban Residential (SR) district inside Palestine city limits.

    • Tiny houses are not a primary use in SR. A tiny house may be a secondary dwelling unit or mother-in-law suite only subject to the stated accessory-use limits and Sec. 39.2.4-45.
    “Tiny houses are not permitted for a primary use in this district.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Secondary dwelling units or mother-in-law suites in the Suburban Residential (SR) district inside Palestine city limits.

    • Limited to one per lot and 800 square feet or 40% of the net floor area of the principal single detached dwelling, whichever is less; not where Residential Care, Supportive Recovery, or Boarding Use is on the lot; may use a tiny house subject to Sec. 39.2.4-45.

    maximum secondary dwelling area: <= 800 square feet (Or 40% of net floor area of the associated single detached dwelling, whichever is less.)

    “A secondary dwelling unit or mother-in-law suite shall be allowed as an accessory use in this district, subject to:”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Palestine city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Land inside Palestine city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Palestine city limits.
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Palestine city limits.
  • Septic inspection — Septic systems inside Palestine city limits.
3 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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

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