Administrative overview · FIPS 48061
Cameron 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
Cameron County Department of Transportation, Planning and Inspections / County Engineering and Public Health Environmental Health
For a project in or near Cameron 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
956-247-3516 (Building Permits); 956-247-3599 (Environmental Health/OSSF); 956-247-3500 (County Engineer)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Cameron County Building Permits and Public Health Environmental Health, 1390 W. Expressway 83, San Benito, TX 78586
Operating hours
Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–4:30 PM for the county building-inspection program; confirm counter availability before visiting.
Review expectation
N/A; Cameron County publishes application requirements and inspection stages but no standard building-plan review timeline. OSSF permit letters are issued after the Designated Representative reviews and inspects the submission.
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 Cameron County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Cameron County Department of Transportation, Planning and Inspections / County Engineering and Public Health Environmental Health 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 956-247-3516 (Building Permits); 956-247-3599 (Environmental Health/OSSF); 956-247-3500 (County Engineer) and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
N/A; Cameron County publishes application requirements and inspection stages but no standard building-plan review timeline. OSSF permit letters are issued after the Designated Representative reviews and inspects the submission.
How are inspections scheduled?
Submit the building permit application and plans to the Planning and Inspections Division at 1390 W. Expressway 83, San Benito, or contact 956-247-3516. County inspections include underground plumbing, foundation, framing, insulation, and final inspections; concealed work must not be covered before acceptance, and at least two whole business days’ notice is required for certain electrical inspections. After-hours requests must be submitted at least 72 hours in advance. For OSSF, obtain the building clearance letter, soil/site evaluation and design, submit the checklist to Environmental Health, and contact 956-247-3599; the Designated Representative issues the permit after review/inspection.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Cameron County’s Flood Damage Prevention and Building Regulations, adopted July 5, 2022 and amended through April 8, 2025, apply to all unincorporated areas. They incorporate FEMA’s February 16, 2018 Flood Insurance Study and FIRM/FBFM, county floodplain standards, applicable ICC and state codes, Cameron County Fire Marshal codes, NFPA 70 for electrical service, and the 2015 International Fuel Gas Code. The county requires the lowest finished floor generally 12 inches above BFE or 24 inches above highest adjacent grade, whichever is higher, with coastal/floodway and utility requirements. OSSF work follows Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 366 and 30 TAC Chapter 285. No broad cosmetic-work exemption is published. The county requires a building permit before development in its jurisdiction. Temporary structures have Type I and Type II permit categories with defined terms. Subdivision platting exceptions include agricultural/farm/ranch/wildlife/timber uses, qualifying family divisions of four or fewer parts, divisions where all lots exceed 10 acres, and other statutory exceptions, but exempt divisions still require an affidavit and may remain subject to site-development, floodplain, building, and OSSF rules. Emergency utility repairs may proceed with next-business-day written notice to the Floodplain Administrator.