Bolthole Index

Travis County, Texas

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Village of Volente, Texas

The Village of Volente, in Travis County, Texas, requires a permit before anyone builds a residential structure inside village limits1. The village adopted its own zoning, with 13 districts2. Septic permits are not the village's job: the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is the on-site sewage permitting authority, and the village will not issue a building permit until the LCRA septic permit is in hand3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required before building residential structures in the village1
Building code
2018 International Residential Code4
Zoning
Village zoning with 13 districts2
Single-family district SR
1 acre minimum lot, 1,000 sq ft minimum living area56
Septic
LCRA issues the permit; needed before the village building permit3
RV living
Temporary stays only; no permanent residence7
Manufactured homes
Allowed if they meet zoning, with permanent utilities and skirting8
Permit fee
Minimum $75; $0.10 per sq ft up to 2,800 sq ft, $0.12 above9

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Volente (City Hall)

Village building permits, zoning and short-term rental licensing inside Volente village limits

512-250-2075

15406 FM 2769, Suite B, Volente, TX 78641

Building permits

Village of Volente single-family site development and building permit application

The village's application packet for new homes, driveways, decks, pools and accessory structures, including the sequence of approvals

512-250-2075

Septic permits

Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) On-Site Sewage Facilities Program

Septic (OSSF) permits within the zone around Lake Travis

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

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Does Volente, Texas have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Volente adopted its own zoning and divides the village into 13 districts shown on a zoning map2. Travis County itself has no zoning authority in unincorporated areas10, so the village's rules are the ones that matter inside village limits.

In the Single-Family Residential district (SR), Volente permits a detached dwelling with at least 1,000 square feet of living area on a lot of at least one acre6. Setbacks, impervious cover and height limits differ by district and are set in the village's Chart 1, so look up your specific district before you design111213.

RVs are limited. Visitor, owner construction or remodeling, and emergency use is allowed for no more than 30 continuous days and three months total per year, with 14 days between stays7. A village permit is needed to exceed those limits, and no RV may remain on a lot as a permanent residence7. Manufactured homes must meet the other zoning rules, be connected to permanent utilities and be skirted8. We could not confirm a village rule on tiny homes or accessory dwelling units; ask the village office at 512-250-207514.

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

Yes. Building residential buildings or structures inside Volente without first applying for and receiving a permit is unlawful, with exemptions for listed minor work, small detached accessory structures that qualify, qualifying above-ground pools and ordinary maintenance1. The village has adopted the 2018 International Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings4.

The Village of Volente handles building permits and zoning itself, so the county's Development Services office does not issue them inside village limits. Call the village at 512-250-207514. The published fee is a minimum of $75, at $0.10 per square foot for structures up to 2,800 square feet and $0.12 per square foot above that, and plan-review, inspection and trade-permit fees may be added9. We could not confirm whether Volente exempts owner-built homes; ask the village before you plan around it.

How do septic permits work inside Volente?

Septic permits come from the LCRA, not the village. The Lower Colorado River Authority is the on-site sewage facility permitting authority for Volente construction, and the village cannot issue a residential site development and building permit until the LCRA septic permit has been issued3. LCRA regulates septic systems in a 2,000-foot zone around Lake Travis15.

The village's packet says to request the LCRA application by calling 512-578-32163. For a property with a septic system, the village's floodplain manager signs a floodplain acknowledgement that goes to LCRA with the septic application3. Travis County's septic program covers unincorporated areas outside the LCRA lake zone16. A short-term rental in Volente also needs documented septic inspection approval with its conditional use application17.

Building a home in Volente: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Village of Volente at 512-250-2075 for a pre-application conference; the village decides there whether approvals can be filed together14.
  2. Settle zoning and any variance first; a variance application must be filed before the other approvals3.
  3. Get the LCRA septic permit, since the village building permit cannot be issued before it3.
  4. Obtain the site development permit and then the building permit3; no excavation, grading or clearing may begin until all applicable permits are issued3.
  5. Build to the 2018 International Residential Code4.

What stays with Travis County, and what to check before you buy in Volente

Volente's rules apply only inside village limits. For land outside the village in unincorporated Travis County, see the Travis County page: the county requires a Basic Development Permit for construction outside incorporated areas18 and a driveway permit where it applies19.

We could not confirm the village's rules on private wells, driveway or culvert permits, floodplain development, utility connections or off-grid sanitation; ask the village office before closing. Texas groundwater conservation districts may require a well permit where one covers the property20. Travis County's effective property tax rate is 1.5%21, and its typical home value is about $476,40022.

Watch-outs

  • Short-term rentals in Volente need a conditional use permit and a village license unless a documented historic-use exemption applies23.
  • Septic permits for Volente lots come from LCRA and must be issued before the village building permit3.
  • We could not confirm Volente's rules on tiny homes, accessory dwellings, wells, driveways and floodplain development; call the village at 512-250-207514.

Sources

  1. Division 3: Residential Building Code - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  2. Division 2: Zoning Districts and Regulations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  3. Village of Volente single-family site development and building permit application (villageofvolente-tx.gov)
  4. Division 3: Residential Building Code - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  5. Division 2: Zoning Districts and Regulations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  6. Division 2: Zoning Districts and Regulations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  7. Division 2: Zoning Districts and Regulations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  8. Division 2: Zoning Districts and Regulations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  9. Article A2.000: Building and Development Related Fees - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  10. traviscountytx.gov, quoted and re-checked
  11. Division 2: Zoning Districts and Regulations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  12. Division 2: Zoning Districts and Regulations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  13. Division 2: Zoning Districts and Regulations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  14. Village of Volente (City Hall) (villageofvolente-tx.gov)
  15. Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) On-Site Sewage Facilities Program (lcra.org)
  16. Permit Enforcement, quoted and re-checked
  17. Article 9.06: Short-Term Rental Application Process, Standards and Limitations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked
  18. Development Services, quoted and re-checked
  19. Driveway Permit, quoted and re-checked
  20. Water Code Chapter 36 — Groundwater Conservation Districts (Texas statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  23. Article 9.06: Short-Term Rental Application Process, Standards and Limitations - Village of Volente, TX (Village of Volente), quoted and re-checked

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 Village of Volente

Village of Volente’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Residential buildings or structures inside Volente village.

    • Permit must be applied for and received before building.
    • Exemptions include listed minor work, qualifying small detached accessory structures, qualifying above-ground pools, and ordinary maintenance.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person to build residential buildings or structures within the village without first applying for and receiving a permit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    One- and two-family dwellings and townhouses in Volente village.

    • The adopted residential code is the 2018 International Residential Code including appendix chapters.
    • The code regulates design, construction, materials, erection, installation, alteration, repair, location, relocation, replacement, addition, use, and maintenance.

    International Residential Code edition: 2018

    “The International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2018 edition, including all appendix chapters, published by the International Code Council, is hereby adopted as the residential building code of the village”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Volente village.

    • Inspection is required at initial application and renewal.
    • The stated purpose is fire, safety, and health conformance.
    “An inspection of the short-term rental shall be required by the city secretary or designee at the time of initial application and renewal.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Short-term-rental applications inside Volente village.

    • The certificate of occupancy or compliance must have been issued no more than 10 years before the application date.

    maximum certificate age: <= 10 years (Short-term-rental application)

    “Copy of a valid certificate of occupancy or compliance, as required by section 9.05.072 (certificates of occupancy and compliance), issued no more than ten (10) years before the date of the application;”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Volente village.

    • District boundaries and locations are shown on the incorporated zoning map.
    • The village secretary maintains the zoning map and amendments.

    number of zoning districts: 13 districts

    “The village is hereby divided into thirteen (13) districts. The use, height and area regulations as set out herein shall be uniform in each district where applicable or as provided elsewhere in this article. The districts are as established in Chart 3.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures inside Volente village zoning districts.

    • Setbacks are set by the district regulations and Chart 1.
    • Listed height exceptions include radio and television towers, church spires, fire-water towers, chimneys, and necessary public or private utilities.
    “Conform to the setback, impervious cover, building site area, building location and land use regulations hereinafter designated for the district in which such building or open space is located as specified in the following Chart 1.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures inside Volente village zoning districts.

    • Maximum impervious cover is the percentage specified in Chart 1.
    “The maximum percentage of impervious cover shall not exceed that percentage specified in Chart 1.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures inside Volente village zoning districts.

    • Height limits are in Chart 1.
    • Specified exceptions include radio and television towers, church spires, fire-water towers, chimneys, and necessary public or private utilities.
    “The height limits prescribed herein shall not apply to television and radio towers, church spires, and fire water towers, chimneys, and necessary public or private utilities.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles on lots inside Volente village.

    • Visitor, owner construction/remodeling, emergency, and specified official-purpose use is temporarily allowed for no more than 30 continuous days and three months total annually.
    • There must be 14 days between stays.
    • A Village permit is required to exceed the time or use restrictions.
    • An RV may not remain as a permanent residence.

    maximum continuous temporary stay: <= 30 days (Subject to listed allowed temporary uses) · maximum annual temporary use: <= 3 months (Subject to listed allowed temporary uses)

    “There must be a minimum of 14 days between stays. To exceed the time provisions or the use restrictions in this article, a permit must be issued by the village. No RV may be permitted to remain on any lot as a permanent residence, either by property owners or tenants.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    HUD-code manufactured homes inside Volente village.

    • Manufactured homes must comply with all other applicable zoning regulations.
    • They must be connected to permanent utilities and skirted.
    “In addition to conforming to all other regulations herein, manufactured homes must be connected to permanent utilities and skirted.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    Short-term-rental conditional-use applications inside Volente village.

    • Inspection approval documentation must accompany the conditional-use application.
    “Septic systems must be inspected and documentation of the inspection approval must be provided with the conditional use application.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Volente village.

    • A valid conditional-use permit and Village license are required unless the historic-use exemption applies.
    • A property may be exempt from the conditional-use permit if documented records establish STR use by the current owner on or before February 1, 2003.
    • The use is subject to the article and applicable local, state, and federal law.
    “No owner, operator, real estate or property manager for an owner of property within the village shall conduct, operate, or maintain a short-term rental in the village without the owner first having applied for and received a valid conditional use permit under section 9.02.141 of this code and a license from the village”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building permits inside Volente village.

    • For structures over 2,800 square feet, the published administrative fee is $0.12 per square foot.
    • Additional plan-review, inspection, trade-permit, deposit, and professional-services fees may apply.

    building permit fee: 0.1 USD per square foot (Structures of 2,800 square feet or less; minimum $75) · minimum building permit fee: >= 75 USD (Structures of 2,800 square feet or less)

    “Structures of 2,800 square feet or less; minimum $75.00 | $0.10/sq. ft. | Structures of more than 2,800 square feet | $0.12/sq. ft.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Short-term-rental conditional-use permit applications inside Volente village.

    • The city secretary conducts completeness review.
    • The Village must notify an applicant of missing required information within 10 business days.
    • Complete applications proceed under cited Village Code sections.

    incomplete-application notice period: <= 10 business days

    “The city secretary shall conduct a completeness review of the application. If the application is incomplete, the village must provide the applicant notice of any failure to provide required or necessary documents or other information within ten (10) business days of receipt of the application.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Volente

Village of Volente does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Detached single-family dwellings in Single-Family Residential District SR inside Volente village.

    minimum living area: >= 1000 square feet

    “Purpose and permitted uses. Permits a detached dwelling (single-family) with a minimum of 1,000 square feet of living area, and related accessory structures, on a minimum lot size of one acre.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Detached single-family dwellings in Single-Family Residential District SR inside Volente village.

    minimum lot size: >= 1 acre

    “Purpose and permitted uses. Permits a detached dwelling (single-family) with a minimum of 1,000 square feet of living area, and related accessory structures, on a minimum lot size of one acre.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Volente or Travis County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Volente village.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Volente village.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Volente village.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Volente village.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation for homes inside Volente village.
5 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

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 Village of Volente publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Travis County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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