Bolthole Index

Parker County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Reno, Texas

The City of Reno, Texas, in Parker County, adopts its own zoning ordinance and requires a new construction permit before you build, alter a structure or install a mobile home inside city limits12. Septic permits are the unconfirmed piece: the city's permitting page posts an OSSF form, so start there3. Land outside the city limits falls under Parker County's different rules4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, city zoning ordinance with named districts (A, SF-1, MH-1 and others)15
Building permit
Required for new construction inside city limits2
Building code
City adopts the 2018 International Residential Code with amendments6
Minimum lot, A district
2 acres for a single-family dwelling7
Platting
Building plot must be part of an approved, recorded plat8
Septic
City permitting page posts an OSSF form; confirm with the city3
Manufactured homes
Allowed in MH-1 and MH-2 districts, with inspection9

Who to call

Building permits

City of Reno Permitting Department

Building permits, contractor registration and permit forms inside Reno city limits; the page also posts an OSSF/septic permit form

817-221-2500

195 W. Reno Road, Azle, Texas 76020-6001

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 Reno means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Reno, Texas have zoning?

Yes. The City of Reno has its own zoning ordinance, and land, buildings and structures inside city limits must conform to the district where they sit1. The city is divided into districts including A (Agricultural), SF-E, SF-1, SF-2, MH-1, MH-2, C-1, M-1 and PD5. In the A Agricultural District, a single-family dwelling needs a building lot of at least 2 acres, and the home must be served by city utilities or a septic tank on the lot7. Manufactured homes are placed in the MH-1 and MH-2 districts, must meet HUD construction standards and are inspected by the Building Official9. Setbacks, height and lot coverage are set district by district in the ordinance's Appendix 1; we could not confirm the numeric figures, so ask the city for the Appendix 1 table for your parcel's district10. We also could not confirm rules for tiny homes, accessory dwelling units or RV living inside Reno, so ask the city before planning any of them.

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

Yes. Anyone starting new construction in any Reno district, including a material alteration of an existing structure or installation of a mobile home, must first apply for and receive a new construction permit from the city2. The application must give the mayor enough information to decide the finished use complies with the city's building and zoning chapters, and the permit issues once the mayor makes that decision11. Fees are collected before the permit is issued, per the city's fee schedule12. Reno adopts the 2018 International Residential Code with city amendments, so a builder works to that edition inside city limits6. No building permit can issue unless the tract is part of an approved plat of record filed in the Parker County plat records, so check that before you buy8. We did not find an owner-builder exemption in the city code, so assume the permit applies to you; ask the city to confirm.

How to reach the Reno permitting office

The City of Reno Permitting Department handles building permit applications and contractor registration, and its page links the city's septic form3. City hall is at 195 W. Reno Road in Azle, Texas 76020-6001, and the main number is 817-221-25003. Parker County does not issue building permits or certificates of occupancy anywhere, so the county is not the office to call for a house inside Reno13.

How do septic permits and wells work inside Reno?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside Reno city limits. The city's permitting page does link an OSSF/septic permit form to fill out and email to the city, so start by asking the city permitting office3. The city code requires an occupied building's plumbing to be tied to a public or private sewer system, and it also refers to OSSF tanks14. Texas requires a permit and approved plan to build, alter or operate a septic system, with an exemption only for a single-family dwelling on a tract of at least 10 acres that meets every TCEQ condition15. Parker County's own septic program covers unincorporated land only16. We also could not confirm any well rules inside Reno. Where the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District has jurisdiction, wells not used for domestic, agricultural or irrigation purposes must be metered and pay withdrawal fees17.

Building a home in Reno: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district and ask the city for the Appendix 1 dimensional table510.
  2. Confirm the tract is part of a recorded plat, since no building permit issues otherwise8.
  3. Ask the city permitting office how the lot will handle sewage, whether city sewer or a permitted septic system314.
  4. Apply for the new construction permit with the City of Reno and pay the fee212.
  5. Build to the 2018 International Residential Code as amended by the city6.
  6. If the driveway meets a state highway, a TxDOT driveway permit on Form 1058 is also needed18.

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

Parker County has no zoning in its unincorporated areas, and that does not apply inside Reno, where the city's ordinance controls41. Parker County's septic rules, floodplain permits and culvert permits are written for unincorporated land, so confirm with the city whether they reach a Reno address19. For land outside the city, see the Parker County page. Parker County's effective property tax rate is 1.4%20. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 26 miles from the county center21.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm who permits septic systems inside Reno city limits or any private well rules, so ask the City of Reno permitting office before you buy3.
  • Setback, height and lot coverage limits depend on the zoning district, and we could not confirm the Appendix 1 figures, so request them from the city10.
  • Do not rely on Parker County's no-zoning answer for a Reno parcel; it applies only to unincorporated land4.
  • Two Texas towns are named Reno; this guide covers the city in Parker County, near Azle3.

Sources

  1. Chapter 9B: Zoning Ordinance - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  2. ARTICLE 4.02: Construction Codes and Standards - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  3. City of Reno Permitting Department (renotx.gov)
  4. Permitting | Parker County, TX - Official Website, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 9B: Zoning Ordinance - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  6. ARTICLE 4.02: Construction Codes and Standards - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 9B, § 8 A – Agricultural District - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 9B: Zoning Ordinance - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 9B, §§ 13–14 Manufactured Home Districts - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 9B, § 8 A – Agricultural District - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  11. ARTICLE 4.02: Construction Codes and Standards - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  12. ARTICLE 4.02: Construction Codes and Standards - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  13. Permitting | Parker County, TX - Official Website, quoted and re-checked
  14. ARTICLE 4.04: Certificate of Occupancy and Occupancy Standards - City of Reno, TX (Reno), quoted and re-checked
  15. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Permitting | Parker County, TX, quoted and re-checked
  17. Forms & Fees - Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, quoted and re-checked
  18. Section 4: Driveway Permits, Design, and Materials (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Flood Plain Development Permit Instructions, quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: Bolthole Index county data

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 Reno

Reno’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New construction, material or substantial alteration of an existing structure, and mobile-home installation inside Reno city limits.

    • Applicant must first apply for and receive a new construction permit.
    • The application must enable the mayor to determine compliance with Chapters 4 and 9; a permit issues once that determination is made.
    “Any person desiring to commence new construction within the city, in any district, including a material or substantial alteration of an existing structure, or the installation of a mobile home, must first apply for and receive a new construction permit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction within Reno city limits.

    • The listed codes have corresponding city amendments; the amendments are on file at city offices.
    • The code lists 2018 International Building, Energy Conservation, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Residential Codes, and the 2017 National Electrical Code.

    International Residential Code edition: 2018 (with 2018 amendments)

    “2018 International Residential Code, with 2018 amendments.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Reno city limits.

    • Land, buildings, structures, and appurtenances must conform to the regulations of the zoning district in which located.
    “This ordinance shall be known and may be cited as “The City of Reno Zoning Ordinance.””
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Reno city limits.

    • The zoning district map is adopted as part of the zoning ordinance.
    • Listed districts include A, SF-E, SF-1, SF-2, TF, MH-1, MH-2, MF, C-1, C-2, M-1, M-2, PD, and FP.
    “The City of Reno, Texas, is hereby divided into zoning districts as listed in the [this] section.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Occupied buildings inside Reno city limits.

    • A building's plumbing system must be tied to a public or private sewer system.
    • The code's occupancy plumbing standards also refer to OSSF tanks.
    “Have a plumbing system tied to a public or private sewer system;”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Building plots and tracts inside Reno city limits.

    • A construction or placement permit cannot issue unless the plot or tract is part of a plat of record approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council and filed in Parker County Plat Records.
    “No permit for the construction or placement of a building or buildings upon any tract or plot shall be issued unless the plot or tract is part of a plat of record, properly approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council and filed in the Plat Records of Parker County.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Construction-work permits inside Reno city limits.

    • Fees must be collected before permit issuance.
    • The applicable amounts are in Appendix A and § 2.01.001.
    “Permit fees shall be collected prior to the issuance of any construction work permit in accordance with section 2.01.001 and the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    New construction, material or substantial alteration, and mobile-home installation inside Reno city limits.

    • Application information must enable the mayor to determine compliance with Chapters 4 and 9.
    • A permit issues once the mayor makes that determination.
    “The application for permit shall contain such information as may be required to enable the mayor to determine that the use contemplated following the completion of construction shall comply with the provisions of this chapter and chapter 9. Once the mayor makes this determination, a permit will be issued.”

Rules another office applies inside Reno

Reno 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 dwellings in the A Agricultural District inside Reno city limits.

    • The dwelling must be adequately served by city utilities or a septic tank located on the building lot.

    minimum building lot area: >= 2 acres (single-family dwellings in the A Agricultural District)

    “Single-family dwellings on building lots of two (2) acres or more in areas where said dwellings can be adequately served by city utilities or septic tanks located on the building lot.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    A Agricultural District and SF-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Reno city limits.

    • The ordinance directs height and area regulations to Appendix 1; numeric setbacks require the Appendix 1 schedule.
    “See Appendix 1, Area, Setback, Height, and Coverage Regulations.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    A Agricultural District and SF-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Reno city limits.

    • The ordinance directs coverage standards to Appendix 1; numeric coverage limits require the Appendix 1 schedule.
    “MAXIMUM LOT COVERAGE | 10% | 10% | 35% | 40% | 60% | 50% | B | B | B | B | B | B”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    A Agricultural District and SF-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Reno city limits.

    • The ordinance directs height standards to Appendix 1; numeric height limits require the Appendix 1 schedule.
    “MAXIMUM HEIGHT (feet) | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 45 | 35 | 45 | 45 | 50 | 50 | 50”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured-home placement in Reno's MH-1 and MH-2 zoning districts.

    • Manufactured homes are subject to building-official inspection.
    • They must comply with HUD construction and safety standards, State of Texas regulations, slab/runner, tie-down, and skirting requirements as applicable.
    “Manufactured housing design and construction will comply with construction and safety standards published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to the requirements of the National Mobile Home [Construction] and Safety Standards Act of 1974 and all manufactured homes will be subject to inspection by the Building Official.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Reno city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family and agricultural zoning districts inside Reno city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Reno city limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Reno city limits.
  • Who permits septic — On-site sewage facilities inside Reno city limits.
7 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Reno publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Parker County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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