Administrative overview · FIPS 48181
Grayson 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
Grayson County Development Services / OSSF Division / Fire Marshal’s Office
For a project in or near Grayson 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
Development Services: 903-813-5275; OSSF Division: 903-813-4253 or 903-813-4247; county main: 903-813-4200
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Grayson County Development Services, 100 W. Houston Street, Sherman, TX 75090; OSSF Division, Suite G3
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Review expectation
Grayson County’s OSSF requirements state that processing may take five to seven days. The county’s 2026 fee order is effective after April 14, 2026; the published baseline fee schedule lists conventional OSSF fees from $310 per 0-1,000 gallons/day upward by flow, aerobic systems add $20, reinspection is $100, and online Development Certificate fees are $50.
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 Grayson County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Grayson County Development Services / OSSF Division / Fire Marshal’s Office 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 Development Services: 903-813-5275; OSSF Division: 903-813-4253 or 903-813-4247; county main: 903-813-4200.
How long might review take?
Grayson County’s OSSF requirements state that processing may take five to seven days. The county’s 2026 fee order is effective after April 14, 2026; the published baseline fee schedule lists conventional OSSF fees from $310 per 0-1,000 gallons/day upward by flow, aerobic systems add $20, reinspection is $100, and online Development Certificate fees are $50.
How are inspections scheduled?
Create an MGO account and apply online for planning/zoning or fire permits. For OSSF, submit a current 911 address and property ID, complete paperwork, a licensed site evaluation, and the appropriate fee. Non-standard/proprietary systems need professional design; proprietary systems require a two-year maintenance contract and an Affidavit to the Public. Do not begin construction until Authorization to Construct is issued. Contact the OSSF office at least one working day before the final inspection; the certificate of approval is mailed after approval. Floodplain development requires a Development Certificate/floodplain permit and Elevation Certificate where an SFHA is encroached.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Grayson County does not require building permits or certificates of occupancy for single-family residential structures. Its unincorporated-area Fire Marshal building permit applies to new commercial, public, and multifamily buildings of four or more units, moved buildings, and substantial improvements; the county fire code does not apply to single-family, duplex, triplex, or qualifying agricultural buildings. New/replacement septic systems require OSSF permits. OSSF rules incorporate 30 TAC Chapter 285 and county rules; the Commissioners Court adopted an April 2026 Development Services fee amendment. Single-family residential structures generally do not require a county building permit or certificate of occupancy. The county fire code does not apply to single-family dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, or purely agricultural buildings where no workers are present and the public does not enter. The county’s OSSF order requires application, permit, Authorization to Construct, and inspection for OSSF construction, alteration, extension, or repair regardless of tract size, so the ordinary state 10-acre exemption is not available under the county order.