Administrative overview · FIPS 48029
Bexar 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
Bexar County Public Works Development Services / Fire Marshal Office / Environmental Services
For a project in or near Bexar 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
210-335-6700 (Public Works); 210-335-0300 (Fire Marshal); 210-335-3822 (OSSF questions)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Bexar County Public Works Department, 1948 Probandt Street, San Antonio, TX 78214
Operating hours
Public Works lobby Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:45 PM; business hours 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, excluding county holidays.
Review expectation
Floodplain/related Public Works review: 10-day completeness review, 30-day initial technical review, and 15-day follow-up reviews. Bexar County guidance lists OSSF review at 30 days. Building-permit timing depends on Fire Marshal review and completion of Permit Verification requirements.
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 Bexar County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Bexar County Public Works Development Services / Fire Marshal Office / Environmental Services 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 210-335-6700 (Public Works); 210-335-0300 (Fire Marshal); 210-335-3822 (OSSF questions).
How long might review take?
Floodplain/related Public Works review: 10-day completeness review, 30-day initial technical review, and 15-day follow-up reviews. Bexar County guidance lists OSSF review at 30 days. Building-permit timing depends on Fire Marshal review and completion of Permit Verification requirements.
How are inspections scheduled?
Submit building/floodplain materials through the County of Bexar OpenGov portal; Public Works provides a kiosk for applicants unable to submit online. Floodplain applications require a signed application, $50 fee, site plan, contours, construction plans, and as applicable a flood study, elevation certificate, OSSF design, and CLOMR. OSSF permits and License to Operate records are coordinated through Environmental Services. Technical floodplain review is 30 days initially and 15 days for follow-up; completeness review is 10 days.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
In unincorporated Bexar County, the Fire Marshal Office determines when a building permit is required for structures or areas that are not a single-family dwelling use; the county defines a single-family dwelling for this purpose as one structure containing three or fewer residential dwelling units. County Public Works also requires permit verification covering stormwater, floodplain, right-of-way, subdivision, lighting, and OSSF approvals. Municipal building and zoning rules apply within incorporated cities and their applicable jurisdictions. No general county cosmetic-work exemption list was published. County permits are generally tied to unincorporated-area jurisdiction and the type/location of development. For OSSF, all systems require a permit; standard systems renew every five years with a $30 renewal fee, while an existing unpermitted system requires registration supported by a sanitarian or engineer site survey and septic design. Properties inside municipalities may instead follow the municipality’s building-permit process.