Administrative overview · FIPS 48167
Galveston 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
Galveston County Engineering, Floodplain Permitting & Right-of-Way / County Building Department
For a project in or near Galveston 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
Galveston County Engineering/Floodplain Permitting: 409-770-5552; county main: 409-762-8621
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Galveston County Engineering/Floodplain Permitting, 722 Moody Avenue, 1st Floor, Galveston, TX 77550
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Review expectation
N/A; Galveston County’s reviewed permitting pages do not publish a standard county review timeline.
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 Galveston County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Galveston County Engineering, Floodplain Permitting & Right-of-Way / County Building 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?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact Galveston County Engineering/Floodplain Permitting: 409-770-5552; county main: 409-762-8621.
How long might review take?
N/A; Galveston County’s reviewed permitting pages do not publish a standard county review timeline.
How are inspections scheduled?
Apply through the Galveston County OpenGov permitting portal. The county’s permit checklist requires the permit application, zone letter, site/grading plan, floor plan/elevations as applicable, inspection form, fee, and sewer/septic documentation. Inspections are reviewed and scheduled through the online platform; the county’s permit materials direct applicants to the Building Department at 409-770-5552 or buildingpermits@co.galveston.tx.us. A final inspection is required before the county issues a Completion Certificate.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Galveston County requires permits for development in unincorporated areas, including buildings and other structures, dirt work, grading, paving, excavation, drilling, and storage of equipment/materials. The county enforces its Floodplain Regulations and related FEMA floodplain requirements; no general countywide ICC building-code edition was verified. The county has no zoning or certificate of occupancy in unincorporated areas and issues a Completion Certificate after final inspection. County floodplain FAQs state that individual roof, siding, window, or deck replacement repairs do not require a permit; combined repairs may require one. Fences do not require a permit. The county does not require a demolition permit. A recreational vehicle stored on an existing homeowner lot is exempt from the 180-day RV permit when unoccupied, disconnected from water/sewer, licensed, and road-ready. Sewer connection confirmation or Galveston County Health Department confirmation for private septic is required before permits for structures containing bathrooms.