Administrative overview · FIPS 48013
Atascosa County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Atascosa County Rural Development Department, Fire Marshal’s Office, Environmental Health Department, and Commissioners Court
For a project in or near Atascosa County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
830-769-2029 (Fire Marshal); 830-769-2748 (Environmental Health/OSSF); 830-769-3093 (courthouse main)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Atascosa County Courthouse/Rural Development, 1 Courthouse Circle Drive, Jourdanton, TX 78026; Fire Marshal’s Office, 711 Broadway, Jourdanton, TX 78026
Operating hours
Environmental Health: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM; Fire Marshal hours N/A; Rural Development hours N/A.
Review expectation
Atascosa County states that building permits must be issued or denied within 30 days of submission; a mutually signed waiver may extend review for complex plans. Incomplete packages are not accepted. OSSF timing was not specified, but incomplete paperwork delays review; septic permits and fees are valid for one year.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Atascosa County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Atascosa County Rural Development Department, Fire Marshal’s Office, Environmental Health Department, and Commissioners Court is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 830-769-2029 (Fire Marshal); 830-769-2748 (Environmental Health/OSSF); 830-769-3093 (courthouse main).
How long might review take?
Atascosa County states that building permits must be issued or denied within 30 days of submission; a mutually signed waiver may extend review for complex plans. Incomplete packages are not accepted. OSSF timing was not specified, but incomplete paperwork delays review; septic permits and fees are valid for one year.
How are inspections scheduled?
Building/fire plan review requires a scheduled appointment, a complete application, and payment before review. The final-inspection request is faxed to 830-767-2600 and the Fire Marshal calls with an appointment. OSSF inspections occur Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; schedule at least one day in advance and call between 8:00 and 8:30 AM on the inspection day for the assigned time. Septic applications require a licensed design, 911 address, locator map, FEMA floodplain map, legal description, and any aerobic-system maintenance agreement/affidavit.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
The Atascosa County Fire Marshal’s Office enforces life-safety fire codes in unincorporated areas and links the 2024 International Fire Code and 2024 International Building Code. The county building-system application also references the 2009 IBC code-analysis table for plan submittals. County regulations additionally govern floodplain development, subdivision infrastructure, drainage, roads, and OSSF permitting; municipal codes may apply inside incorporated cities. The county building application identifies residential building permits as voluntary/not required by law, while commercial or public-access buildings, modular/mobile installations, fire systems, and listed trade or fuel-system work may require authorization. The 2024/2025 subdivision materials recognize qualifying agricultural, family, 10-plus-acre, Veterans’ Land Board, state-agency, political-subdivision/floodplain, future-development, and original-owner divisions as exemptions when all conditions are met. Verify any exemption with Rural Development before work begins.