Hondo, TX Building Permits, Zoning & Septic Rules

Inside Hondo, Texas, a residential building permit is required for all new single-family and two-family construction, additions and alterations, and the city's Development Services Department handles it¹². Hondo adopts its own zoning, so check the zoning map before you plan a use³. Septic permits in Medina County come from the county Environmental Health Department⁴; we could not confirm how septic works inside city limits.

At a glance

Building permit: Required from the city for new single-family and two-family homes, additions and alterations¹
Zoning: Hondo has its own zoning districts and an online zoning map³⁵
Inspections: Passing inspection required at each phase; certificate of occupancy after final inspections⁶⁷
Septic: Medina County Environmental Health issues septic permits in the county; city-limits rules not confirmed⁴
RV and tiny home living: Not confirmed inside Hondo; ask Development Services⁵
Wells: County registration where there is no public or community water⁸

Who to call

Building permits

City of Hondo Development Services Department

Zoning approval, platting and residential and non-residential building permits inside Hondo

830-426-4737

1600 Avenue M, Hondo, TX 78861

Septic permits

Medina County Environmental Health Department

Septic (OSSF) permits and inspections and floodplain development permits for Medina County

(830) 741-6195

1502 Avenue K, 2nd Floor, Hondo, Texas 78861

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

Off-grid gear

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

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

Yes. Hondo's zoning regulations divide land inside the city into residential, commercial and industrial districts, and some uses may need a specific use permit³. The city publishes an official zoning map online, and Development Services staff can tell you which district a lot sits in⁵.

We could not confirm what Hondo's districts allow for RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size or setbacks. Those answers depend on the district, so ask the² before you buy a lot with a particular use in mind.

The zoning rules above are the city's. Outside city limits, Medina County has adopted no county zoning ordinance, so no county rule sets lot size or RV occupancy on unincorporated land⁹.

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

Yes. Hondo requires a residential building permit for all new construction, additions and alterations of single-family and two-family structures¹. Multi-family and non-residential projects go through the city's non-residential permit process, and a plat must be approved first¹.

The City of Hondo Development Services Department takes the plans and issues the permit: applicants submit two hard copy sets and one electronic set of building plans¹⁰. Hondo's own permit office, not Medina County, handles building permits inside the city. We could not confirm which building code editions the city enforces or its current fee schedule, so ask Development Services for both².

How do septic permits work inside Hondo?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits for a lot inside Hondo's city limits, or whether a given address is on city sewer. Ask Development Services whether sewer service reaches the lot².

Medina County's rule is that all on-site sewage systems in the county must be permitted and designed and installed by licensed individuals¹¹. The Environmental Health Department is where an OSSF permit is obtained⁴. Call¹² to confirm whether its permit applies to your address if the lot is on the edge of town or in the extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Building a home in Hondo: the steps, in order

Meet with Development Services and confirm the lot's zoning district, plat status and utility service¹⁰².
Get the plat approved if the project must plat; no building permit issues before then¹.
Submit building plans and the permit application, and pay the fees¹⁰.
Build, and pass the required inspection at each phase before moving to the next⁶.
Receive the certificate of occupancy once all final inspections are approved⁷.

If the lot needs a septic system, add the county's septic permit before construction¹¹.

What stays with Medina County, and what to check before you buy in Hondo

Septic permits, floodplain development permits and well registration run through Medina County offices rather than the city. The county's Environmental Health Department issues floodplain development permits for development in a mapped floodplain¹³. A property that will not be on public or community water needs a registered well through the Medina County Ground Water Conservation District⁸.

The city's subdivision authority reaches a 1-mile buffer outside Hondo², and the county has interlocal agreements with Hondo covering development inside that buffer¹⁴. For land outside the city, see the Medina County page.

Medina County's effective property tax rate is about 1.3%¹⁵.

Watch-outs

We could not confirm Hondo's building code editions, permit fees, septic rules inside city limits or RV and tiny-home rules; ask the Development Services Department at 830-426-4737².
Hondo's development guide was last reviewed by the city council in 2020³, so confirm current forms and fees with the city before you apply.
A driveway onto a state highway needs a TxDOT permit on Form 1058¹⁶.

Sources

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Hondo publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Medina County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Hondo, Texas