Bolthole Index

Freestone County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Teague, Texas

The City of Teague, Texas, in Freestone County, adopts its own building codes and enforces them through a building official, with permit applications filed with the city secretary12. Teague also has its own zoning regulations inside city limits3. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the city; Freestone County Services runs the county's septic program4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the City of Teague; application filed with the city secretary2
Building codes
City adopts the 2015 International codes and the 2014 National Electrical Code1
Zoning
Yes, city zoning applies inside Teague city limits3
Dwelling district
At least 1,200 sq ft of enclosed floor area and 20,000 sq ft lots56
Manufactured homes
City permit required; $500 application fee7
Septic
Not confirmed inside city limits; Freestone County runs the county program4

Who to call

Building permits

City of Teague Building Official and City Secretary

Building permit applications, plan review and inspections inside Teague city limits

Septic permits

Freestone County Services (OSSF Designated Representative)

Freestone County's septic (on-site sewage facility) permits and inspections

(903) 389-8884

county.services@co.freestone.tx.us

Freestone County Courthouse, 118 E. Commerce, Rm. 305, Fairfield, TX 75840

Online permits →

Floodplain permits

Freestone County Floodplain Administrator (Emergency Management)

Reviews Freestone County floodplain development permit applications

(903) 390-8900

118 E. Commerce St, Rm. 205, Fairfield, TX 75840

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 25, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Teague, Texas have zoning, and what does it mean for homes?

Teague has its own zoning inside city limits, adopted in Chapter 14 of the city code3. Zoning districts are published, including a Highway 84 general-commercial district where new development must be commercial or retail in nature and new land uses need city council approval8.

In the dwelling district described in § 14.101(a), homes must have at least 1,200 square feet of enclosed floor area, not counting garages, carports or terraces5. Lots in that district must be at least 20,000 square feet6, and buildings may not exceed 35 feet or 2½ stories9.

We could not confirm Teague's rules on lot coverage, accessory dwellings, RVs, tiny homes or temporary camping3. Ask the city secretary before assuming any of those is allowed on a Teague lot.

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

Yes, building work inside Teague city limits goes through the City of Teague. The city adopts the 2015 International Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2014 National Electrical Code1.

The city's building official receives applications, reviews construction documents, issues permits and inspects the premises for which permits have been issued10. Applications are written, on a city form, and filed with the city secretary211.

A HUD-Code manufactured home needs its own city permit in the owner's name, with a $500 application fee7. Mobile homes for residential use are prohibited going forward, apart from pre-existing legal ones and replacement with a compliant HUD-Code home7.

How do septic permits work inside Teague?

We could not confirm who administers septic permits for addresses inside Teague city limits1. Building permits and septic permits are separate: the city's building permit does not tell you who approves a septic system.

Freestone County is a TCEQ-authorized agent for on-site sewage facilities4, and Freestone County Services is the office to call first at (903) 389-888412. Where the county program applies, a septic permit is required before construction, and the county's single-family application fee is $31013.

Texas also has a 10-acre exemption that can apply to a single-family home on a tract of 10 acres or more when every TCEQ condition is met, which rarely fits a town lot14. Across Freestone County, about 26% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system15.

Building a home in Teague: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot is inside Teague city limits and which zoning district it sits in; ask the city secretary3.
  2. Check the district rules: minimum home size, lot size and height56.
  3. File a written building permit application with the city secretary2.
  4. Arrange city inspections for the work covered by the permit10.
  5. If the lot will not use city sewer, ask Freestone County Services about a septic permit12.
  6. For a driveway onto a state highway, apply to the local TxDOT district office with Form 105816.

What stays with Freestone County, and what to check before you buy in Teague

Land outside Teague city limits falls under unincorporated Freestone County, which has no county zoning ordinance, so the city's zoning does not apply there17. See the Freestone County page for those rules.

County subdivision regulations apply outside the corporate limits of any municipality18. County floodplain development permits carry a $25.00 fee19; the Floodplain Administrator at (903) 390-8900 decides whether a property is in a flood hazard area20. The county permit form does not say it applies inside cities, so also ask Teague whether city flood rules apply19.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Teague's rules for RVs, tiny homes, temporary camping, accessory dwellings or short-term rentals; ask the city secretary before you buy3.
  • We could not confirm the septic authority, water connection rules or private well rules inside city limits; call Freestone County Services at (903) 389-888412.
  • The city's code lists the 2015 International codes and says new versions are to be adopted every six years, so ask the city which edition applies to your project1.

Sources

  1. ARTICLE 3.300: CODES ADOPTED - City of Teague, TX (Teague), quoted and re-checked
  2. ARTICLE 3.300: CODES ADOPTED - City of Teague, TX (Teague), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 14: Zoning - City of Teague, TX (Teague), quoted and re-checked
  4. Freestone County On-Site Sewage Facilities Program, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 14: Zoning - City of Teague, TX (Teague), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 14: Zoning - City of Teague, TX (Teague), quoted and re-checked
  7. ARTICLE 3.500: MANUFACTURED HOME REGULATIONS - City of Teague, TX (Teague), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 14: Zoning - City of Teague, TX (Teague), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 14: Zoning - City of Teague, TX (Teague), quoted and re-checked
  10. ARTICLE 3.300: CODES ADOPTED - City of Teague, TX (Teague), quoted and re-checked
  11. City of Teague Building Official and City Secretary (ecode360.com)
  12. Freestone County Services (OSSF Designated Representative) (co.freestone.tx.us)
  13. Freestone County On-Site Sewage Facilities Program, quoted and re-checked
  14. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. 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
  16. Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Texas law on county zoning and building authority
  18. Order: Regulations for Subdivision Plats, Street Construction and Drainage, quoted and re-checked
  19. Freestone County Texas Floodplain Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
  20. Freestone County Floodplain Administrator (Emergency Management) (co.freestone.tx.us)

Written October 25, 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 Teague

Teague’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and gas work in Teague city.

    • The code article excepts provisions otherwise provided in that article.
    • The code lists the 2015 International Residential, Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Fuel Gas Codes and the 2014 National Electrical Code, with future code versions to be adopted every six years.
    “The following codes are hereby adopted by the City of Teague, Texas by reference, and all regulations, parts, notations, references and specifications therein are hereby adopted and made a part of this article, except as otherwise provided in this article.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Premises for which Teague has issued a building permit.

    • Inspection applies to premises for which permits have been issued.
    “inspect the premises for which such permits have been issued”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land within Teague city limits.

    • The cited zoning regulations cover the described land within the corporate limits.
    “Zoning regulations herein established are to cover the following described lands situated within the corporate limits of the City of Teague, said area described as follows:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Teague city limits, including the described dwelling district and the Highway 84 general-commercial district.

    • The Highway 84 commercial district is characterized by the code as interim zoning until a comprehensive plan is adopted.
    • New land uses and development in that district require city council approval.
    “The city hereby designates the area defined in subsection (a)(1) as a “general commercial” zoning district. All proposed new development within this zoning district shall be commercial and/or retail commercial in nature.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    HUD-Code manufactured-home occupancy within Teague city limits.

    • A valid city permit in the owner’s name is required for the specific proposed use or occupancy.
    • The application must comply with the manufactured-home article and other applicable laws, codes, and regulations.
    • Mobile homes installed for residential use are prohibited prospectively, except pre-existing legally permitted mobile homes and permitted replacement with a compliant HUD-Code manufactured home.

    manufactured-home permit application fee: 500 USD

    “without a valid permit issued by the city”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permits issued by Teague city.

    • Application is written on a city form and filed with the city secretary.
    • Application identifies work, location, proposed use and occupancy, and includes construction documents and other required information.
    • The building official may waive documents not required to be prepared by a registered design professional when review is unnecessary for code compliance.
    “file an application therefore in writing”

Rules another office applies inside Teague

Teague 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

    The dwelling district described in § 14.101(a), within Teague city limits.

    • Garages, carports, terraces, and similar areas are excluded from enclosed floor area.

    minimum enclosed floor area: >= 1200 square feet (exclusive of garages, carports, terraces and similar areas)

    “Dwellings shall contain not less than 1,200 square feet of enclosed floor area, exclusive of garages, carports, terraces and similar areas.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    The dwelling district described in § 14.101(a), within Teague city limits.

    minimum lot area: >= 20000 square feet

    “The minimum area of all lots shall be 20,000 square feet.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    The dwelling district described in § 14.101(a), within Teague city limits.

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

    “The heights of any building or structure shall not exceed 35 feet from the ground or be over 2½ stories in height.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Teague city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lots inside Teague city limits.
  • Living in an RV — Recreational-vehicle occupancy on private land inside Teague city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Teague city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Teague city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Teague publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Freestone County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Freestone County: county rules, score and offices