Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Shallowater, Texas

At a glance

Building permit

Required for construction over 200 sq ft; smaller structures need no permit or inspection¹

Building code

2024 IBC, IRC, IPC, IMC, IEC and IFC³

Permit fees

$75 per inspection; $125 variance for accessory buildings of 320 sq ft or larger²

Zoning

Not confirmed inside city limits; Lubbock County has no zoning in unincorporated areas⁴

Septic

Not confirmed inside city limits; Lubbock County Public Works handles unincorporated Lubbock County⁵

Wells

High Plains Water District permit needed only for wells expected to produce 17.5 gpm or more⁶

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in Shallowater, Texas?

Yes, for most construction. The City of Shallowater requires a permit and an inspection for anything larger than 200 square feet, while a structure smaller than 200 square feet needs neither¹. Permits cover new construction, additions and remodels, and work on electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems regulated by the adopted codes⁷.

Builders are responsible for pulling the permit, and building plans must be submitted and reviewed before a permit is issued⁸. New construction needs two paper plan sets, the application and an energy report⁸. Shallowater issues permits for 180 days, and a project that does not begin within that window has its permit cancelled¹.

Construction in Shallowater must meet the 2024 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical and Fire Codes³.

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

Shallowater City Hall handles building permits and inspection requests; call (806) 696-4300⁷. The city contracts its building inspections to an area-wide inspector, and inspections are requested through City Hall⁹.

Each inspection costs $75, and permit fees are calculated from the number of inspections a project needs². An accessory building of 320 square feet or larger, or one with walls over eight feet, also needs a variance, which costs $125². Permit applications are available online through the city's website⁸.

The county's Lubbock County Public Works Department does not issue building permits inside Shallowater; it serves unincorporated land and septic¹⁰.

Does Shallowater have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

We could not confirm Shallowater's zoning ordinance, districts, setbacks, lot sizes, or rules for RVs, tiny homes and manufactured homes, so ask City Hall at (806) 696-4300 before you buy or place anything on a lot⁷. The city's own building page does show that a variance process exists for large accessory buildings².

Outside city limits the picture is different: unincorporated Lubbock County has adopted no county zoning ordinance, so no county rule sets lot size, setbacks or RV occupancy there⁴. That county answer does not apply to land inside Shallowater. See the Lubbock County page for unincorporated land.

How do septic permits work in Shallowater?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits for addresses inside Shallowater city limits, or whether the city requires a sewer connection for new homes. The city provides water and sewer service, so ask City Hall first whether your lot can connect.

For septic systems, Texas requires a permit and an approved plan to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate one¹¹. Lubbock County Public Works handles septic permitting for unincorporated Lubbock County⁵; contact them at septic@lubbockcounty.gov or (806) 775-1664 to ask who covers your address¹⁰.

A state exemption can apply to single-family homes on tracts of at least 10 acres when every condition is met, including a site evaluation¹¹. That is unlikely to fit a city lot.

Building a home in Shallowater: the steps, in order

1. Call City Hall at (806) 696-4300 to confirm zoning and utility connection for your lot⁷.
2. Prepare two paper plan sets, the permit application and an energy report for new construction⁸.
3. Submit plans for review; no permit is issued before review⁸.
4. If an accessory building is 320 square feet or larger or has walls over eight feet, add the $125 variance, which includes a public hearing².
5. Pay the permit total, then begin work within 180 days¹.
6. Request each $75 inspection through City Hall, not the inspector directly⁹.

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

Septic and well questions often involve the county or a water district rather than the city. Lubbock County's septic program is run by Lubbock County Public Works for unincorporated land⁵.

For private wells, Lubbock County lies within the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, which requires a permit for wells expected to produce 17.5 gallons per minute or more and no permit for smaller wells¹². Confirm district coverage for your parcel.

A driveway onto a state highway needs a TxDOT permit on Form 1058¹³. Lubbock County's effective property tax rate is 1.6%¹⁴.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm Shallowater's zoning rules, so ask City Hall at (806) 696-4300 before buying a lot for an RV, tiny home or manufactured home⁷.
• Lubbock County's lack of county zoning applies only to unincorporated land, not to lots inside Shallowater⁴.
• A variance, a public hearing and a $125 fee apply to accessory buildings of 320 square feet or larger².

Sources

1. Building Inspections - City of Shallowater (Shallowater), quoted and re-checked
2. Building Inspections - City of Shallowater (Shallowater), quoted and re-checked
3. Building Inspections - City of Shallowater (Shallowater), quoted and re-checked
4. Texas law on county zoning and building authority
5. TPDES Phase II MS4 General Permit Stormwater Management Program, Lubbock County, Texas, quoted and re-checked
6. Well Permitting — High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, quoted and re-checked
7. City of Shallowater City Hall (building permits and inspections) (shallowatertx.us)
8. Building Inspections - City of Shallowater (Shallowater), quoted and re-checked
9. Building Inspections - City of Shallowater (Shallowater), quoted and re-checked
10. Lubbock County Public Works Department (lubbockcounty.gov)
11. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. Rules of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, quoted and re-checked
13. Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Effective property tax rate: 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.