Jurisdiction Basics
Most of Erath County Is Unincorporated — Rules Differ Outside City Limits
Outside Stephenville and Dublin, most of Erath County is unincorporated. That means fewer local rules but also fewer city services.
Erath County has two incorporated cities: Stephenville and Dublin. Everything else is unincorporated county land.
In unincorporated areas, there is no city zoning. There is no city building code enforcement. There is no city water or sewer service. For law enforcement, you rely on the county sheriff rather than a city police department.
Cities also have something called an ETJ — an extraterritorial jurisdiction. This is a zone that extends beyond the city limits. Inside the ETJ, the city has some say over how land is divided and platted and over certain utilities. But the city does not have full zoning control there.
If you are buying land outside city limits in Erath County, ask whether it falls inside an ETJ. Do not assume you have total freedom to build or subdivide until you know.
Source to confirm: Texas Comptroller — Erath County Directory