Fees, valuation & enforcement
Permit fees are a project input. Enforcement exposure is a project risk. Use the official schedule where available, then confirm valuation, trade permits, plan review, and inspection charges with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Official fee pathway
The final charge may depend on declared construction value, occupancy classification, square footage, plan review, state surcharges, trade permits, technology fees, and inspection activity. Do not use a neighboring city’s fee table as a substitute for this jurisdiction.
Fee desk contact
Presidio County Judge/Floodplain office: 432-729-4452; OSSF Designated Representative and Road and Bridge Supervisor Ruben Carrasco: 432-229-3528 or 432-386-0971
Ask the counter to confirm current charges before submitting a project with multiple trades or a change of use.
Financial exposure
Plan for building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, energy, zoning, septic, right-of-way, or other reviews that the project scope triggers. The lowest initial permit fee is not always the lowest project cost.
Enforcement exposure
When work begins without authorization, the agency may halt the site, require corrective plans, impose additional fees, withhold inspection release, or require concealed work to be exposed for review.
Closeout exposure
A missing final inspection or certificate can complicate occupancy, refinancing, sale, insurance, and utility connection. Preserve the approved plans and signed inspection record through closeout.
Professional field note
Even when a cosmetic or minor project does not require a building permit, zoning, floodplain, shoreline, historic, utility, fire, or right-of-way controls may still apply. Confirm the full jurisdictional picture before work starts.
Source trail
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
Presidio County Floodplain Administrator and OSSF Designated Representative is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact Presidio County Judge/Floodplain office: 432-729-4452; OSSF Designated Representative and Road and Bridge Supervisor Ruben Carrasco: 432-229-3528 or 432-386-0971 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
After a successful OSSF inspection, the county states that a Notice of Approval is issued in approximately seven working days. OSSF Authorization to Construct is valid for one year. The floodplain development permit is also valid for one year and must be renewed if work is not completed in that period. No initial floodplain or OSSF application-review time was published.
For floodplain review, submit the signed development application and a vicinity map; if the site is in a floodplain, include one copy of construction plans and specifications. For OSSF work, submit the application, fee, licensed site/soil evaluation, technical sheet, two copies of planning materials, and accurate directions to the County Judge and Designated Representative. After Authorization to Construct, contact Ruben Carrasco at 432-229-3528 or 432-386-0971 at least seven working days before the required inspection. Do not cover the system before inspection.
Presidio County requires a county floodplain development permit and applies FEMA flood-hazard maps and best available flood data to residential and nonresidential new construction, substantial improvements, fill placement, and alteration of waterways or drainage courses. The county OSSF Order and 30 TAC Chapter 285 govern new, modified, and repaired septic systems. Border-county subdivision compliance under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 232, Subchapter B, also requires qualifying property outside Marfa and Presidio city limits to obtain a county Certificate of Compliance before new utility service. No general county structural building-code edition was published for unincorporated construction in 2026. No county minor-structure or cosmetic-work exemption list was published. The floodplain administrator may issue an exemption certificate when the proposed site is outside an identified special flood-hazard area, but that certificate does not waive other federal, state, or local permits. The county's current OSSF packet does not publish an acreage-based permit exemption; applicants should obtain a county determination before septic work.
Why permit costs vary
Building departments commonly calculate charges from valuation, occupancy, floor area, project type, plan review effort, trade scope, state surcharges, and inspection activity. A remodel that appears small on paper may still trigger structural, energy, fire, or utility review. Ask the permit counter which disciplines apply before you finalize the construction budget.
The same discipline applies to enforcement. Correcting unpermitted work after finishes are installed can require demolition, revised plans, additional inspections, and schedule disruption. Authorization is usually the less expensive project-management decision.