Bolthole Index

Caldwell County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Martindale, Texas

The City of Martindale, Texas (Caldwell County) has its own zoning districts and its own adopted building codes for land inside city limits12. Septic permits in Caldwell County come from the county's Sanitation/Development Services office3. Living in an RV is allowed only in a permitted campground inside the city4. Land outside city limits follows Caldwell County's rules instead5.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, the city has its own zoning districts1
Building codes
2021 IBC, IRC, IECC and related codes, plus the 2020 NEC2
Septic permits
Caldwell County Sanitation/Development Services (countywide)3
RV living
Only in a permitted campground4
Manufactured homes
Permitted by right in R-1A and R-2 districts6
R-1 minimum lot
1/2 acre for a single-family detached home7
Permit decision deadline
45 days from submission8

Who to call

Septic permits

Caldwell County Sanitation/Development Services

Septic permits, inspections and complaints for Caldwell County; the county also publishes the application forms.

(512) 398-1803

1700 FM 2720 Lockhart, TX 78644

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Martindale, Texas have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot size?

Yes. The City of Martindale establishes its own zoning districts, and buildings, structures and land uses inside city limits must comply with the regulations for their district1. The published districts are R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-4, MU, C-1, C-2 and I9.

District matters. In the R-1 single-family district, a detached home needs 1/2 acre of lot area7, with setbacks of 25 feet in front, 20 feet in the rear, 6 feet on an interior side and 10 feet on a street side10. R-1 lots may cover up to 20 percent11 and buildings are limited to 28.5 feet12.

Manufactured homes are permitted by right in the R-1A and R-2 districts6. One guest house per lot is allowed in the residential and MU districts13.

Living in an RV inside Martindale is limited to a permitted campground; an RV can sit on land you own or lease only when no one is living in it4. We could not confirm how the city treats tiny homes, because its use table does not list them as a defined use.

Do you need a building permit in Martindale, and who issues it?

Martindale has adopted the 2021 IBC, IRC, IECC, IMC, IPC, IFC, IFGC, IEBC and IPMC, plus the 2020 NEC, to govern construction inside city limits2. Permit applications under the city's building chapter get a decision, a written notice or a written deadline agreement within 45 days; after a notice, the city has 30 more days to grant or deny8. If the city misses its deadline it may not collect permit fees, and it must refund fees other than plan-review fees8.

We could not confirm which residential work the city requires a building permit for, or which office or contractor takes the application. Call Martindale City Hall before you buy or build and ask for the building permit application and the inspector's name.

A development permit is required for floodplain development inside the city14. If your lot is near a creek, ask about it first.

The county's Residential Construction Permit covers unincorporated Caldwell County only15; do not assume it replaces the city's process, or the other way around.

How do septic permits work in Martindale?

Caldwell County's Sanitation/Development Services office runs the septic program, taking permit applications, inspections and complaints316. Texas requires a permit and approved plan to build, alter, repair, extend or operate a septic system17.

Caldwell County's application fee is $400 for a single-family conventional system and $450 for an engineered system18. The county asks for 24 hours' notice to schedule an inspection19.

Inside the city the picture is different. A new use within 300 feet of an existing city wastewater line must connect to city sewer, and the City Council can grant a variance20. We could not confirm which office permits a septic system on a lot inside Martindale, so call the county septic office16 and City Hall to confirm before you rely on a septic design.

On a tract of at least 10 acres the state's 10-acre exemption can remove the permit, but only when every TCEQ condition is met21.

Building a home in Martindale: the steps, in order

  1. Ask City Hall to confirm your lot is inside Martindale city limits and which zoning district it sits in1.
  2. Check the district table for lot size, setbacks, coverage and height before you design9.
  3. If a city wastewater line is within 300 feet of the lot, plan for sewer connection; otherwise ask the county septic office about a septic permit203.
  4. If the tract is being divided, a plat approved and recorded with the County Clerk comes before a building permit or utility service for tracts that need one22.
  5. Submit the building permit application under the adopted 2021 codes; the city must act within 45 days28.
  6. Check floodplain status; a floodplain development permit is required inside the city when it applies14.

What stays with Caldwell County, and what to check before you buy near Martindale

Septic permits and inspections, and the unincorporated rules for land outside the city, stay with Caldwell County. Caldwell County has no county zoning, so land outside city limits is not covered by Martindale's districts5.

County-level facts help with planning. Caldwell County's median property tax bill is $2,871 a year, at an effective rate of 1.3%2324. About 3.8% of county soils rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system25.

Texas lets groundwater conservation districts require well permits26. We could not confirm a well rule inside Martindale, so ask City Hall and the county before drilling.

Watch-outs

  • Several look-alike websites use Martindale's name; rely only on the city's published code and confirm contacts with City Hall, since the county's rules do not cover land inside the city5.
  • We could not confirm which office issues residential building permits inside Martindale or whether a certificate of occupancy is required; the city's adopted codes are the starting point2.
  • Whether the city or Caldwell County permits a septic system on a lot inside city limits is unconfirmed; ask the county's Sanitation/Development Services office16.
  • The city's RV rule allows habitation only in a permitted campground, so living in an RV while you build is not allowed on a Martindale lot4.

Sources

  1. Martindale Code § 155.075 Districts Established; Compliance with District Standards (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  2. Martindale Code § 150.002 Adoption of Codes (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  3. Sanitation/Development Services, quoted and re-checked
  4. Martindale Code § 153.51 Habitation of Recreational Vehicles (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  5. Commissioners approve resolution regarding data centers, quoted and re-checked
  6. Martindale Code § 155.096 Use Table (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  7. Martindale Code § 155.110 Table of Property Development Standards (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  8. Martindale Code § 150.010 Time for Issuance of Permit (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  9. Martindale Code § 155.075 Districts Established; Compliance with District Standards (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  10. Martindale Code § 155.110 Table of Property Development Standards (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  11. Martindale Code § 155.110 Table of Property Development Standards (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  12. Martindale Code § 155.110 Table of Property Development Standards (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  13. Martindale Code § 155.096 Use Table (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  14. Martindale Code § 153.08 Establishment of Development Permit (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  15. Caldwell County Development Ordinance (2026 county census)
  16. Caldwell County Sanitation/Development Services (co.caldwell.tx.us)
  17. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Caldwell County Septic Application Packet, quoted and re-checked
  19. Caldwell County Septic Application, quoted and re-checked
  20. Martindale Code § 50.14 Connection Requirements for New Uses (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  21. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Martindale Code § 154.020 Plat Required; Exemptions (Martindale), quoted and re-checked
  23. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Water Code Chapter 36 — Groundwater Conservation Districts (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Martindale

Martindale’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Structures inside Martindale city limits.

    • State law takes precedence if it conflicts with an adopted code or Chapter 150.
    • Chapter 150 takes precedence over adopted codes if there is a conflict.
    • Structures must be designed, built, and maintained under adopted codes except as expressly provided.

    adopted codes: 2021 IBC, IRC, IECC, IMC, IPC, IFC, IFGC, IEBC, and IPMC; 2020 NEC

    “The following codes are adopted to govern construction and construction-related activities:”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Martindale city limits.

    • Buildings, structures, and land uses must comply with district regulations for their district.
    “In order to implement the city comprehensive plan and promote the purposes of this chapter, the following districts are established:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Martindale city limits.

    • Uses and structures must comply with regulations for the district in which they are located.

    published districts: R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-4, MU, C-1, C-2, I

    “In order to implement the city comprehensive plan and promote the purposes of this chapter, the following districts are established:”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational-vehicle habitation inside Martindale city limits.

    • Habitation is allowed only in a permitted campground.
    • An RV may be parked, placed, or located on premises owned or leased by the person only when it is not used for human habitation.
    • When RV sinks, showers, or similar fixtures are used, they must connect to city sewer or other Health Department-approved sewage disposal and comply with the city plumbing code.

    maximum parking on public property: <= 24 hours (Unless otherwise restricted.)

    “No person shall inhabit in any vehicle or house car on any street, plaza, park, public property, lot, tract or parcel of land”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Manufactured homes in R-1A One- and Two-Family Residential and R-2 Manufactured Home districts inside Martindale city limits.

    • Uses identified as P are permitted by right subject to all other applicable chapter standards and code requirements.
    • The use table controls only unless an individual district regulation conflicts.
    “Manufactured home | | P | P | | | | | |”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Guest houses as accessory residential dwellings in R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, R-4, and MU districts inside Martindale city limits.

    • One guest house is allowed per lot.
    • Uses identified as P are permitted by right subject to all other applicable chapter standards and code requirements.

    guest houses per lot: 1 guest house

    “Guest house (one per lot) | P | P | P | P | P | P”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    A new use inside Martindale city limits that is within 300 feet of an existing city wastewater line.

    • A new building must include plumbing for wastewater disposal and have a building permit issued on or after October 1, 2011, or be an existing building reconstructed or remodeled at a cost of 50% or more of its pre-work value.
    • City Council may grant a variance for unusual circumstances, including distance from property line, topography preventing gravity flow, or wastewater-line capacity limitations.

    distance to existing city wastewater line: <= 300 feet (Measured at the tract's closest point.)

    “Each new use withing the city that is on a tract of land that, at its closest point, is 300 feet or less”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Creation of a subdivision from land within Martindale city limits.

    • A plat is not required for divisions or assemblies into parts greater than five acres within city limits when every part has access and no public improvement is dedicated.
    • A plat must be approved and recorded with the County Clerk before sale or conveyance by subdivision plat and before a building permit or utility service for a tract requiring a recordable plat.

    city-limits tract-size plat exemption: > 5 acres (Each part must have access and no public improvement may be dedicated.)

    “The owner of a tract of land located within the city limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction who wishes to create a subdivision”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Floodplain development inside Martindale city limits.

    • The permit is required to ensure conformance with Chapter 153.
    “A floodplain development permit shall be required to ensure conformance with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Permit applications submitted under Martindale Chapter 150.

    • The city must grant, deny, provide written notice, or reach a written deadline agreement within 45 days of submission.
    • Where notice is provided, the city must grant or deny no later than 30 days after receipt of notice.
    • If the city misses its required deadline, it may not collect permit fees and must refund collected permit fees other than plan-review fees.

    initial city action deadline: <= 45 days (After permit application submission.) · deadline after written notice: <= 30 days (After applicant receives notice.)

    “Not later than the forty-fifth day after the date an application for a permit is submitted under the terms of this chapter, the city must:”

Rules another office applies inside Martindale

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in Martindale R-1 Single-Family Residential district.

    • The property-development table is a summary and individual district regulations control if they conflict.
    • Measurements and exemptions in §§ 155.111 through 155.113 apply.

    minimum lot area per unit: 1/2 acre (Single-family detached.)

    “Minimum lot area per unit (square feet) | 1/2 acre”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in Martindale R-1 Single-Family Residential district.

    • The property-development table is a summary and individual district regulations control if they conflict.
    • Measurements and exemptions in §§ 155.111 through 155.113 apply.

    front setback: 25 feet · rear setback: 20 feet · interior side setback: 6 feet · street side setback: 10 feet (Marked with an asterisk in the table.)

    “Front yard setbacks (feet) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 | Existing | | |”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in Martindale R-1 Single-Family Residential district.

    • The property-development table is a summary and individual district regulations control if they conflict.
    • Measurements and exemptions in §§ 155.111 through 155.113 apply.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 20 percent

    “Maximum lot coverage | 20% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 40% | 50% | 50% | 50% | 50%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in Martindale R-1 Single-Family Residential district.

    • The property-development table is a summary and individual district regulations control if they conflict.
    • Measurements and exemptions in §§ 155.111 through 155.113 apply.

    maximum height: <= 28.5 feet

    “Maximum height (feet) | 28.5 | 28.5 | 28.5 | 28.5 | 35 | Existing | | |”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Martindale city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Martindale city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Martindale city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Martindale city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Martindale city limits.
7 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Martindale publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Caldwell County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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