Bolthole Index

Tarrant County, Texas

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Richland Hills, Texas

Richland Hills is a city in Tarrant County, Texas. Richland Hills adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Richland Hills’s rules apply, not the county’s. 4 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 24, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Tarrant County page.

Answers from the rulebook for Richland Hills

Richland Hills’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Richland Hills city limits.

    • Uses, height, and area regulations apply by zoning district.
    “The City is hereby divided into the following zoning districts. The use, height and area regulations as set out herein apply to each district.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Richland Hills city limits.

    • The ordinance establishes residential, nonresidential, and special zoning districts.

    residential districts: SF-E, SF-10, SF-7, MF-1, MF-2, MF-3, MH · nonresidential and special districts: P, R, LC, HC, I, MX

    “SF-E Single-Family Residential Estate [...] SF-10 Single-Family Residential [...] SF-7 Single-Family Residential [...] MF-1 Two-Family (Duplex) Residential [...] MF-2 Multiple-Family Residential Medium Density [...] MF-3 Multiple-Family Residential High Density [...] MH Manufactured Home (HUD Code) [...] P Professional Office [...] R Retail [...] LC Light Commercial [...] HC Heavy Commercial [...] I Industrial [...] MX Mixed Use”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    HUD-Code manufactured-home placement and occupancy inside Richland Hills city limits.

    • HUD-Code manufactured homes are allowed only on parcels or lots within the MH Manufactured Home (HUD Code) District.
    • The rule does not include mobile homes as defined in the zoning definitions article.
    “This does not include mobile homes, as defined in article 8, Definitions. [...] No HUD-Code manufactured home shall be allowed on any parcel or lot, except on parcels or lots within this district.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Residential building permits inside Richland Hills city limits.

    • New-construction and addition fee includes fees for associated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work.
    • Other project types have separate published fees.

    residential new construction/addition permit fee: $50.00 + $1.00 per square foot of all floor area USD (Includes fees for associated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work.) · residential remodel/renovation permit fee: $25.00 + $0.80 per square foot of remodeled/renovated floor area USD (Applies to construction or renovation including alterations to plumbing, electrical, mechanical, or structural elements.)

    “New construction/additions | $50.00 + $1.00 per square foot of all floor area of new construction/addition [...] Remodel/renovations [...] | $25.00 + $0.80 per square foot of all floor area of remodeled/renovated space”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Richland Hills or Tarrant County directly.

  • Building permit — Residential building work inside Richland Hills city limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Richland Hills city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building construction inside Richland Hills city limits.
  • Inspections — Residential building work inside Richland Hills city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Richland Hills city limits.
20 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • 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 Richland Hills publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Tarrant County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Off-grid gear

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

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