Administrative overview · FIPS 48097
Cooke 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
Cooke County Rural Subdivision & Septic Department / Subdivision & Development Department
For a project in or near Cooke 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
940-665-5454 (Rural Subdivision & Septic Department); 940-668-5454 (Subdivision Administrator/Floodplain contact); 940-668-5500 (Courthouse)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Cooke County Rural Subdivision & Septic Department, 101 S. Dixon Street, Gainesville, TX 76240; Cooke County Subdivision & Development Department, Courthouse Annex, 112 South Dixon, Room 216, Gainesville, TX 76240
Operating hours
Subdivision & Development Department: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM.
Review expectation
The Cooke County OSSF procedure states that permitting can take five to seven days when complete paperwork and fees are submitted. No general building-plan review timeline is published. The subdivision regulations establish application procedures and statutory review periods but do not state one universal timeline for all development types.
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 Cooke County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Cooke County Rural Subdivision & Septic Department / Subdivision & Development 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 940-665-5454 (Rural Subdivision & Septic Department); 940-668-5454 (Subdivision Administrator/Floodplain contact); 940-668-5500 (Courthouse) and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
The Cooke County OSSF procedure states that permitting can take five to seven days when complete paperwork and fees are submitted. No general building-plan review timeline is published. The subdivision regulations establish application procedures and statutory review periods but do not state one universal timeline for all development types.
How are inspections scheduled?
For an OSSF, obtain a current 911 address and property ID, select a licensed site evaluator or professional engineer, submit the complete paperwork and fee, and obtain the Authorization to Construct before beginning work. Conventional systems carry a $250 application/inspection fee; proprietary systems require a two-year maintenance contract and an affidavit to the public. Contact the office at least one working day before completion for final inspection; the certificate of approval is mailed after approval. Subdivision applications are handled by Amber Martindale at 940-668-5454.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Cooke County’s official materials publish no general county ICC building-code edition or ordinary building-permit portal. The county controls subdivision and development of land through its subdivision regulations, including drainage, water, wastewater, roads, floodplain review, Lake Ray Roberts zoning where applicable, and plat approval. The Rural Subdivision & Septic Department administers county/state OSSF requirements under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 366 and 30 TAC Chapter 285; Cooke County’s floodplain contact is listed as the Subdivision Administrator/Floodplain Administrator. Cooke County subdivision regulations exempt some land divisions from platting when statutory conditions are met, including primarily agricultural/farm/ranch/wildlife/timber use, transfers within the third degree of relationship, lots larger than 10 acres without a new road or other regulated improvement, certain Veterans Land Board transfers, state-owned land, and specified retained/transferred interests. These are platting exemptions and do not waive OSSF, floodplain, or other applicable development requirements. No general cosmetic-work exemption list was published.