Zoning, building permits and septic rules in New Deal, Texas

At a glance

Zoning

Yes: the town's own ordinance covers all land inside city limits¹

Zoning districts

AO, SF, MF, R-G, C-1, C-2, C-3, MHP, MHS, M-1, M-2, PD and PIP; annexed land starts as AO³

Lot size

Set by district: AO intent statement 1 acre, R-G 5,500 sq ft⁴

Mobile homes

Excluded from every zoning district inside town limits⁵

Building permit outside town

Unincorporated Lubbock County does not require or issue building permits⁶

Septic

State permit required; county is the authority for unincorporated land⁷²

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

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

Yes. The Town of New Deal applies its own zoning ordinance to all land inside its city limits, and the city council acts as planning commission and board of adjustment¹. Land annexed into the town is classed AO, Agricultural Open Space, until a zoning plan is adopted, and the city secretary keeps the official zoning map³.

Lot size and setbacks depend on the district. The AO district's intent statement sets a minimum of 1 acre, and the R-G zero lot line district sets 5,500 square feet⁴. In R-G the front yard is at least 15 feet, and the rear yard is at least 5 feet for a single-story structure and 15 for a two-story one⁸. R-G combined lot coverage cannot exceed 65 percent⁹, and structures are limited to two stories or 35 feet¹⁰.

Mobile homes are excluded from every zoning district inside New Deal, and manufactured housing is provided for in the MHP park and MHS subdivision districts⁵. We could not confirm what the use table says about RVs, tiny homes or accessory dwellings, so ask the city secretary before you plan to live in one.

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

We could not confirm New Deal's building permit rules or which building code the town applies. Ask the city secretary, who also keeps the zoning map, for the town's building regulations before you buy plans or break ground.

The county's answer does not apply inside the town. Unincorporated Lubbock County does not require or issue building permits⁶, so the county will not substitute for the town's office if you build inside New Deal's limits.

State law also leaves local permits in place for owners doing their own trade work: the state exemption from electrician licensing for an owner-occupied dwelling is not an exemption from locally administered building permits or inspections¹¹.

How do septic permits work inside New Deal?

Texas requires a permit and an approved plan to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate an on-site sewage facility⁷. Local governments usually act as TCEQ-authorized agents, and the TCEQ regional office is the authority where no local jurisdiction is authorized¹².

For unincorporated Lubbock County, the county is the septic authority², and its Public Works Department lists a residential OSSF permit review fee of $360¹³. Whether that county office or the town handles septic permits inside New Deal's limits is something we could not confirm, so call the county septic line and the city secretary and ask which one issues the permit for your lot.

The state's 10-acre exemption needs a single-family dwelling on a tract of at least 10 acres, with every part of the system at least 100 feet from the property line⁷. Zoned lots in town are far smaller than that⁴, so plan on a permit. Across Lubbock County, 60.3% of mapped soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field¹⁴; a site evaluation still decides your lot.

Building a home in New Deal: the steps, in order

1. Ask the city secretary which zoning district your lot is in and read the district's rules against the official zoning map³.
2. Ask the same office for the town's building regulations and whether a building permit and certificate of occupancy are required; we could not confirm these.
3. Ask the city secretary and the Lubbock County Public Works Department which of them issues the septic permit for your address², and hire a TCEQ-licensed site evaluator or professional engineer for the site evaluation¹⁵.
4. If the driveway meets a state highway, apply to the local TxDOT district office with Form 1058 before any work in the right of way¹⁶.
5. If you plan a private well, check with the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District: wells that produce less than 17.5 gpm do not require an HPWD permit¹⁷.

What stays with Lubbock County, and what should you check before you buy?

The county page for Lubbock County covers land outside New Deal. Unincorporated Lubbock County has adopted no county zoning ordinance¹⁸ and does not require or issue building permits⁶. Dividing a tract outside municipal limits into two or more parts can require a plat approved by the county commissioners court¹⁹.

Water and septic are the county-level and district-level items to confirm. Wells expected to produce 17.5 gallons per minute or more need an HPWD permit before drilling²⁰.

Costs are county-level figures: Lubbock County's effective property tax rate is 1.6%²¹ and the median property tax bill is $3,119 a year²². Confirm the district, the building permit step and the septic authority with the town before you close.

Watch-outs

• The town's zoning ordinance applies to all land inside city limits, but we could not confirm New Deal's building permit rules, building code or permit fees; ask the city secretary before you build¹.
• Mobile homes are excluded from every zoning district inside New Deal's city limits⁵.
• The county's septic authority is documented for unincorporated Lubbock County²; confirm who issues septic permits at your address inside the town.
• Newly annexed land is classed AO until the town adopts a zoning plan, so land recently brought into the town may not match the district you expect³.

Sources

1. New Deal, TX Zoning Ordinance Article 1: General Provisions (eCode360) (Town of New Deal), quoted and re-checked
2. TPDES Phase II MS4 General Permit Stormwater Management Program, Lubbock County, Texas, quoted and re-checked
3. New Deal, TX Zoning Ordinance Article 3: Use Regulations (eCode360) (Town of New Deal), quoted and re-checked
4. New Deal, TX Zoning Ordinance Article 3: Use Regulations (eCode360) (Town of New Deal), quoted and re-checked
5. New Deal, TX Zoning Ordinance Article 3: Use Regulations (eCode360) (Town of New Deal), quoted and re-checked
6. Lubbock County Public Works Department (written statement on zoning and building permits) (lubbockcounty.gov)
7. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. New Deal, TX Zoning Ordinance Article 3: Use Regulations (eCode360) (Town of New Deal), quoted and re-checked
9. New Deal, TX Zoning Ordinance Article 3: Use Regulations (eCode360) (Town of New Deal), quoted and re-checked
10. New Deal, TX Zoning Ordinance Article 3: Use Regulations (eCode360) (Town of New Deal), quoted and re-checked
11. Exemptions to Electrician Licensing (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
13. Lubbock County Public Works Department (septic / OSSF) (lubbockcounty.gov)
14. 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
15. Occupational Licenses: On-Site Sewage Facilities (Septic Systems), quoted and re-checked
16. Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Well Registration, quoted and re-checked
18. Texas law on county zoning and building authority
19. Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 232: County Regulation of Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
20. Well Permitting — High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, quoted and re-checked
21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
22. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 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.