Administrative overview · FIPS 48209
Hays 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
Hays County Development Services / Hays County Fire Marshal's Office
For a project in or near Hays 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: 512-393-2150; Fire Marshal: 512-393-7300
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Hays County Development Services, 2171 Yarrington Road, Suite 100, Kyle, TX 78640; Fire Marshal Prevention & Compliance Division, 2171 Yarrington Road, Suite 300, Kyle, TX 78640
Operating hours
Development Services: Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m.-noon
Review expectation
Initial Development Services administrative review may take several business days; a complete overall review time is not published. Fire Marshal projects needing review within 10 business days, projects of at least 10,000 combined square feet, high-hazard occupancies, hazardous-material/aerosol storage, or rack/high-piled storage require approved outside third-party plan review plus county fees.
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 Hays County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Hays County Development Services / Hays County 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: 512-393-2150; Fire Marshal: 512-393-7300.
How long might review take?
Initial Development Services administrative review may take several business days; a complete overall review time is not published. Fire Marshal projects needing review within 10 business days, projects of at least 10,000 combined square feet, high-hazard occupancies, hazardous-material/aerosol storage, or rack/high-piled storage require approved outside third-party plan review plus county fees.
How are inspections scheduled?
Submit Development Services applications through MyGovernmentOnline, choosing Texas and Hays County. Submit Fire Marshal plans, permits, and every building/fire inspection request through https://www.hayscountypermits.com/; the 2026 building fee includes up to two site visits, normally rough-in and final/Certificate of Compliance. New single-family or duplex construction uses a qualified third party for the required foundation, framing/mechanical, and final inspections because Hays County does not conduct them. OSSF applicants must receive Authorization to Construct before installation and county Notice of Approval after inspection; call 512-393-2150 option 3 for OSSF questions.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
In unincorporated Hays County, the Fire Marshal enforces the 2018 International Fire Code with Hays County local amendments; the 2018 International Building Code is adopted by reference through Chapter 1 of the IFC for commercial establishments, public buildings, and multifamily dwellings. Related referenced ICC/NFPA standards apply. New single-family houses and duplexes subject to the county's Notice of New Residential Construction require three third-party inspections (foundation, framing/mechanical before covering, and completion); the county does not perform those residential inspections. Floodplain/development work follows the Hays County Development Regulations, and OSSFs follow the county OSSF regulations and 30 TAC Chapter 285. Interior renovation of a single-family house outside the floodplain does not require a development permit; interior work inside the floodplain may require one. Solar panels attached directly to an existing structure do not require a development permit, but a new supporting structure does. Modification of an existing cell tower does not require a development permit unless it adds construction, a slab, foundation, generator, or support building. The county fire/building code does not apply to single-family dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, or purely agricultural buildings with no workers or public access. No Fire Marshal temporary-structure permit is required for tents or membrane structures under 400 square feet or for structures not open to the public. All OSSF installations require a county permit regardless of acreage.