Administrative overview · FIPS 48055
Caldwell 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
Caldwell County Sanitation / Development Services Department
For a project in or near Caldwell 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
512-398-1803 (Sanitation); 512-667-1680 (Director of Sanitation); 512-359-4624 (County Planner); 512-398-1836 (Code Enforcement)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Caldwell County Sanitation/Development Services, 1700 FM 2720, Lockhart, TX 78644; Caldwell County Justice Center, 1703 S. Colorado St., Lockhart, TX 78644
Operating hours
N/A; the county requires appointments for septic, site-construction, subdivision, development, and floodplain matters but does not publish a counter schedule.
Review expectation
OSSF: approximately five days for a complete submittal with no design changes. Construction/floodplain: confirmation within three business days and approximately 30 business days for technical review after the intake meeting determines the submittal is complete.
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 Caldwell County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Caldwell County Sanitation / Development Services Department 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?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact 512-398-1803 (Sanitation); 512-667-1680 (Director of Sanitation); 512-359-4624 (County Planner); 512-398-1836 (Code Enforcement) and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
OSSF: approximately five days for a complete submittal with no design changes. Construction/floodplain: confirmation within three business days and approximately 30 business days for technical review after the intake meeting determines the submittal is complete.
How are inspections scheduled?
For septic permits, submit the completed application, site evaluation, engineered design when required, approved 911 address, deed/proof of ownership, tax statement, affidavit or maintenance contract when required, and fee. Caldwell requires 24-hour notice for an inspection and a licensed installer or apprentice onsite. The sanitation office states that a complete, unchanged design receives a five-day review before permit issuance. For construction/floodplain applications, submit the required PDF documents to the county's permit engineer before the intake meeting; confirmation is sent within three business days and staff technical review is generally 30 business days after a complete intake.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Caldwell County's Development Ordinance (amended February 14, 2023) governs subdivision platting and site/subdivision construction in unincorporated areas, including construction plans, drainage, streets, right-of-way work, and inspections. The county's current 2026 floodplain ordinance and FEMA requirements govern regulated floodplain work. The county's OSSF rules regulate septic systems under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 366 and applicable 30 TAC requirements. No specific ICC building-code edition was published for the county program. The Development Ordinance excludes ordinary single-family, duplex, and triplex residential construction and associated garages, sheds, barns, pools, and ancillary outbuildings from the definition of commercial site construction, but residential construction permits still apply to new residences, additions, manufactured homes, and reconstruction/rehabilitation exceeding 30% of pre-damage value. No broad cosmetic-work exemption list was published. OSSF engineering is required for Type 1a soil, floodplain sites, and subdivisions restricted to engineered systems.