Bolthole Index

Tarrant County, Texas

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

The Town of Westover Hills, Tarrant County, Texas zones all of its land as one district1 and requires a town building permit from its building official for work inside town limits2. Dwellings must have at least 3,000 square feet, not counting garages and porches3. Septic permits are handled by Tarrant County Engineering Services, which lists Westover Hills among the cities it covers4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes. The town declares all land one district.1
Building permit
Required from the town's building official2
Building code
2015 International Residential Code, as amended5
Minimum home size
3,000 sq ft, excluding garages and porches3
Setbacks (dwellings)
60 ft front, 15 ft each side, 20 ft rear6
Guest house or garage apartment
Not allowed as a dwelling7
Septic permits
Tarrant County Engineering Services (OSSF program)4
Water wells
Town permit required8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Westover Hills (Town Hall)

Town Hall for Westover Hills; the town's building official issues building permits and the town's forms and permits page is linked from the site

(817) 737-3127

5824 Merrymount Road, Fort Worth TX 76107

Septic permits

Tarrant County Engineering Services (On-Site Sewage Facilities)

Septic (OSSF) regulation in unincorporated Tarrant County and in listed contract cities, including Westover Hills

100 E. Weatherford St., Fort Worth, Texas 76196

Septic permits

Tarrant County OSSF Program (Engineering Services)

OSSF (septic) permit applications and questions; call to confirm how the program applies to an address inside Westover Hills

817-212-7082

100 E. Weatherford St., Fort Worth, Texas 76196

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 Town of Westover Hills means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Westover Hills, Texas have zoning, and what does it allow?

Yes. The Town of Westover Hills has its own zoning ordinance, and it declares all of the land in town to be one district1. There is no map of separate residential, agricultural and commercial areas to shop between; the same rules apply to every lot.

For a dwelling, the ordinance sets a minimum of 3,000 square feet, exclusive of garages and porches3. Setbacks are at least 60 feet from the front property line, 15 feet from either side line and 20 feet from the rear line6. A dwelling must be at least two stories and no more than three above street level; a one-story house is possible only on a sloping lot, where the Town Council may authorize it by special permit9.

Those standards are strict enough that most small-home and cabin plans will not qualify. Ask Town Hall before you design anything.

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

Yes. Inside Westover Hills, no work or repairs on a structure, building or wall, and no plumbing, heating or electrical installation, may be done without a building permit from the town's building official2. Repairs costing no more than $100 can skip the permit, except cutting masonry walls or structural members and chimney construction; electrical work, plumbing work, and fences or walls always need a permit2.

The town has adopted the 2015 International Residential Code, as amended or revised5. To apply, you or your agent apply to the building official, who may ask for written information, plans and specifications10. For work over $1,000, the building official can require complete scale drawings and specifications10. The building official also examines work in progress as often as practicable11.

The contact is Westover Hills Town Hall at12. The town code's fee schedule was not something we could confirm, so ask Town Hall what a permit will cost.

How do septic permits work in Westover Hills?

Septic permits are not a town service. Tarrant County Engineering Services regulates on-site sewage facilities (OSSF) in the unincorporated county and in a list of cities that includes Westover Hills4. Texas requires a permit and an approved plan to construct, alter, repair, extend or operate a septic system13.

The town's own code did not name an agency for septic permits, and we could not confirm a town septic rule, so call the county's OSSF program before you rely on a septic system for any lot in town14. Initial town water or wastewater service requires payment of the system access fee15; the rule we found does not require connecting based on distance or availability, so ask Town Hall whether a given lot is on town sewer.

Water wells are different: constructing, operating or drilling a water well inside town requires a permit, and applications go to the town's public works director8.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or guest house in Westover Hills?

A guest house or garage apartment is out: the zoning ordinance says no garage or accessory building shall be used as a dwelling7.

We could not confirm any town rule on tiny homes, RV living or temporary camping. The ordinance's size and height standards for dwellings (3,000 square feet minimum3) make a tiny home on a permanent foundation very unlikely to qualify, and we could not confirm how the town treats manufactured homes. Ask Town Hall in writing before you buy a lot with that plan.

Rules for unincorporated Tarrant County, which have no zoning, do not apply inside Westover Hills. For land outside town limits, see the Tarrant County page.

Building a home in Westover Hills: the steps, in order

  1. Call Town Hall at12 to confirm your lot and design fit the single-district zoning rules, including the 3,000 square foot minimum3 and the setbacks6.
  2. Design a dwelling of two or three stories, or ask the Town Council for a special permit if the lot slopes and you want one story9.
  3. Apply to the town's building official for a building permit, with plans that follow the 2015 International Residential Code as amended510.
  4. Settle water and sewer service, including the system access fee15, and confirm septic or sewer arrangements with Tarrant County Engineering Services4.
  5. Get separate permits for electrical work, plumbing work and any fence or wall2.
  6. Expect the building official to inspect as work proceeds11.

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

Septic is the main piece that stays with Tarrant County Engineering Services rather than the town4. Texas's 10-acre septic exemption is not a realistic option for a lot in a town this size, since it requires a tract of at least 10 acres13.

Subdivision proposals in Westover Hills special flood-hazard areas must meet the town's floodplain development permit requirements16, so ask for a flood determination on any lot you are considering.

Costs are county-level numbers: Tarrant County's effective property tax rate is 1.8%17, with a median property tax bill of $5,211 a year18. The typical Tarrant County home value is $326,12719; Westover Hills homes may differ substantially, so check the town's actual appraisals.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm who inspects septic systems or how the county program applies to individual addresses inside Westover Hills; call14 before you rely on septic.
  • We could not confirm whether the town has an owner-builder exemption, a published building permit fee schedule, a driveway permit, or rules on short-term rentals; ask Town Hall at12.
  • The zoning ordinance bars using a garage or accessory building as a dwelling, so plan a guest house or rental unit around that rule7.

Sources

  1. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  2. ARTICLE 3.02 Building Official; General Construction and Maintenance Standards - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  3. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  4. Tarrant County Engineering Services (On-Site Sewage Facilities) (tarrantcountytx.gov)
  5. ARTICLE 3.04 Technical and Construction Codes and Standards - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  6. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  7. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  8. ARTICLE 13.06 Water Wells - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  9. Exhibit 14A Zoning Ordinance - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  10. ARTICLE 3.02 Building Official; General Construction and Maintenance Standards - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  11. ARTICLE 3.02 Building Official; General Construction and Maintenance Standards - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Westover Hills (Town Hall) (westoverhills.us)
  13. Getting a Permit for an OSSF - Such as a Septic System (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Tarrant County OSSF Program (Engineering Services) (tarrantcountytx.gov)
  15. ARTICLE 13.03 Water and Sewer Tie-On Fees - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  16. ARTICLE 3.05 Flood Damage Prevention - Town of Westover Hills, TX (Town of Westover Hills), quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Typical home value (Zillow): 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 Town of Westover Hills

Town of Westover Hills’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work, repairs, and mechanical installations within Westover Hills town.

    • Repairs costing no more than $100 may be made without a permit, except cutting masonry walls or structural members and chimney construction.
    • Electrical work, plumbing work, and fences or walls always require permits regardless of extent.

    minor repair cost threshold: <= 100 USD (Does not include cutting masonry walls or structural members, chimney construction, electrical work, plumbing work, or fences or walls.)

    “No work or repairs shall be done upon any structure, building or wall, nor shall any mechanical installation such as plumbing, heating or electric wiring be installed in same within the town (excepting as herein mentioned), without a building permit from the building official.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures on properties within Westover Hills corporate limits.

    • The adopted code is the 2015 International Residential Code as amended or revised.
    • Construction, erection, alteration, or improvement must comply with the code and permitting process.

    adopted residential code edition: 2015 International Residential Code (as amended or revised)

    “2015 edition of the International Residential Code”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Buildings, fences, and walls where work is being done under the town building code.

    • The building official examines work as often as practicable.
    • The provision also requires examinations of dangerous or fire/accident-damaged buildings and permits examination of certain moved, raised, enlarged, altered, or built-upon buildings when considered necessary.
    “The building official shall examine all buildings, fences or walls, or cause same to be examined, upon or in which work is being done under the provisions of this code, as often as practicable, and make a record of all violations of same”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Westover Hills town limits.

    • The ordinance declares all land in the town to be one district.
    “AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND RESTATING THE ORDINANCE ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF WESTOVER HILLS ON APRIL 4, 1944, SAME BEING AN ORDINANCE REGULATING AND RESTRICTING THE LOCATION AND USE OF BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES AND RESIDENCES”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    All land within Westover Hills town limits.

    • The ordinance declares all town land to be one district.

    number of declared districts: 1 district

    “FOR SAID PURPOSE DECLARING ALL OF THE LAND IN THE TOWN OF WESTOVER HILLS TO BE ONE DISTRICT; PRESCRIBING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION OF ITS PROVISIONS; AND NAMING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    The town’s single zoning district, covering all land in Westover Hills.

    • Garages and porches are excluded from the dwelling-area minimum.

    minimum dwelling area: >= 3000 square feet (exclusive of garages and porches)

    “No dwelling shall occupy less than 3,000 square feet exclusive of garages and porches.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Dwellings in the town’s single zoning district, covering all land in Westover Hills.

    • For lots platted with building lines, construction may not be nearer the adjoining street than those lines, and a building line may not be changed to bring it more than 15 feet nearer an adjoining street.

    front setback: >= 60 feet · side setback: >= 15 feet (from either side property line) · rear setback: >= 20 feet

    “No dwelling shall be constructed on a lot with less than one hundred feet of frontage nor be located at a distance less than sixty feet from the front property line, nor less than fifteen feet from either of the side property lines, nor less than twenty feet from the back property line.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Dwellings in the town’s single zoning district, covering all land in Westover Hills.

    • One-story residences are allowed only on sloping lots where the Town Council finds them advisable and authorizes them by special permit.

    minimum stories: >= 2 stories (One-story residence may be specially permitted on a sloping lot.) · maximum stories above street level: <= 3 stories

    “No dwelling shall be erected or structurally altered with less than two stories in height, save and except that one-story residence buildings may be erected on sloping lots where the Town Council may deem advisable and authorize same by special permit. No dwelling shall exceed three stories in height above street level.”
  • Accessory dwellingsProhibited

    Use of a garage or accessory building as a dwelling or living quarters inside Westover Hills town limits.

    “No garage or accessory building shall be used as a dwelling”
  • Well permitRequired

    Constructing, operating, or drilling a water well within Westover Hills town.

    • A well existing when the article was passed must be registered with the town public works director instead of obtaining the stated permit.
    • Permit applications are submitted to the public works director.
    “without having first obtained the necessary permit”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Initial town water or wastewater service inside Westover Hills town limits.

    • Payment of the applicable system facility access fee is a condition precedent to initial water and wastewater service.
    • The cited rule does not establish a distance-or-availability mandate to connect.
    “Payment of the system access fee is required”
  • Subdividing landLimited

    Subdivision proposals in Westover Hills special flood-hazard areas.

    • All subdivision proposals must meet the floodplain development-permit requirements and article provisions.
    • Flood-elevation data must be generated for proposals exceeding 50 lots or 5 acres, whichever is lesser, where otherwise not provided.

    flood-elevation-data threshold: > 50 lots (Also applies over 5 acres, whichever is lesser.) · flood-elevation-data threshold: > 5 acres (Also applies over 50 lots, whichever is lesser.)

    “All proposals for the development of subdivisions, including the placement of manufactured home parks and subdivisions, shall meet the floodplain development permit requirements of sections 3.05.003(c) and 3.05.004(c) and the provisions of this section.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Applicants seeking building permits inside Westover Hills town limits.

    • Applicant or authorized agent must apply to the building official and provide requested written information, plans, and specifications when required.
    • Plans and specifications remain with the building official long enough for necessary examination.
    • For work exceeding $1,000, complete scale drawings and specifications are required at the building official’s discretion.

    project cost for discretionary complete drawings and specifications: > 1000 USD (Required at the building official’s discretion.)

    “When any person or persons shall be desirous of erecting, repairing, changing, altering or removing any building or structure, or building or erecting or changing any fence or wall, or making any mechanical installation, such as plumbing, heating, or electrical wiring, in same, within the limits of the town, he or they, or their authorized agents, shall make application to the building official for a building permit”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Westover Hills town limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Westover Hills town limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Westover Hills town limits.
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Westover Hills town limits outside special flood-hazard rules.
  • Who permits septic — On-site sewage facilities inside Westover Hills town limits.
7 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Town of Westover Hills publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Tarrant County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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