Bell County, Texas
25 local notes for Bell County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. Austin / Central Texas / Hill Country.
See the Killeen place page ->Money & Taxes
Property tax
How the homestead exemption cuts your property tax in Bell County
Texas law gives homeowners who live in their own home a significant exemption from school district property taxes, and Bell County residents must file with Bell CAD to claim it.
Property tax
Disagreeing with your Bell CAD appraisal: how to protest
Bell County property owners have the right to challenge their appraisal before the Appraisal Review Board each year, typically by a mid-May deadline.
Property tax
Agricultural and wildlife-management land valuation in Bell County
Bell County landowners who use their land for farming or wildlife can be taxed on what the land produces, not what it would sell for, which can lower the tax bill significantly.
Property tax
Special water districts and what they mean for your tax bill in Bell County
Parts of Bell County fall inside Water Control and Improvement Districts that levy their own property taxes separate from county and city taxes.
Home & Property
Flood
Flood zones and floodplain rules in Bell County
Bell County has significant floodplain areas along the Leon, Lampasas, and Little rivers, and the county engineer enforces federal FEMA rules for any construction near those areas.
Water / Septic
Septic system permits in Bell County
If your Bell County home is not on a city sewer line, you must get a permit from the Bell County Public Health District before installing or repairing a septic system.
Water
Private water wells and the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District
If you drill a private well in Bell County, you work with the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District, which registers wells and protects the county's groundwater.
Land use
Unincorporated Bell County has no zoning – what that means for buyers
Outside Bell County city limits, there is no zoning, so neighbors can run livestock operations, small businesses, or other uses without getting county approval.
Short-term rental
Short-term rental rules vary by city in Bell County
Killeen and Belton each require permits and inspections before you can rent your home short-term. Rules differ by city and can change.
Weather hazard
Tornado risk in Bell County
Bell County has recorded tornadoes going back to the 1880s. Spring thunderstorm season along I-35 brings real tornado risk every year.
Water
Bell County's drinking water comes from two Army Corps reservoirs
Most Bell County municipal water comes from Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir through the Brazos River Authority and Bell County WCID No. 1.
Cars & Driving
Driving
Vehicle registration in Bell County: no safety inspection required since 2025
As of January 1, 2025, most Bell County drivers no longer need a safety inspection to register their vehicle. A small replacement fee is added at registration instead.
Driving / Flood
Low-water crossings and flood safety on Bell County roads
Bell County has numerous low-water crossings on FM and county roads that can become life-threatening within minutes of a rain event, and barricades mean turn around.
Outdoors
Fishing
Fishing at Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir
Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir, both managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, offer fishing for largemouth bass, catfish, and other species within Bell County.
Outdoors / Camping
Camping at Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow
The Army Corps of Engineers operates multiple campgrounds and day-use parks on Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir with reservable sites near Belton.
Rules & Licenses
Fire / Burn ban
Burn bans and outdoor burning rules in unincorporated Bell County
Bell County Commissioners Court can issue burn bans quickly when conditions are dry or windy. Violations carry a fine up to $500.
Hunting
Deer hunting rules in Bell County
Bell County has different deer bag limits and antler restrictions depending on whether your land is east or west of Interstate 35.
Agriculture / Law
Texas Right to Farm law protects agricultural operations in Bell County
Texas law limits nuisance lawsuits against farms that have been running for a year or more. This matters in Bell County, where suburbs and farmland sit side by side.
History & Culture
History / Military
Fort Hood and Bell County's military history
Fort Hood, established in 1942 near Killeen, transformed Bell County from a farming region into one of the most military-connected communities in the United States.
History / Courthouse
Bell County Courthouse: Belton's 1884 landmark
The Bell County Courthouse in Belton, completed in 1884 from local limestone, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and anchors the county seat's historic downtown.
History / Natural landmark
Salado Springs and the Chisholm Trail in Bell County
The Salado Springs in southern Bell County are artesian springs that were a major water stop on the Chisholm Trail cattle drives from the 1860s through 1885.
History / Social
The Belton Woman's Commonwealth: a 19th-century self-governing commune
A group of Protestant women in Belton formed a self-supporting commune in the 1870s, ran a hotel and laundry, and left behind the foundation for the city's first public library.
History / Education
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor: from republic-era charter to Belton campus
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton traces its roots to 1845, when the Republic of Texas chartered it as the women's division of what became Baylor University.
Geography / History
The Balcones Escarpment divides Bell County into two different landscapes
The Balcones Escarpment runs through Bell County, separating flat Blackland Prairie to the east from rockier limestone terrain to the west.
History
How Bell County was settled and who was here first
Bell County was created by Texas in 1850 and named for Governor Peter H. Bell. The land had been home to Tonkawa, Lipan Apache, and Comanche peoples before Anglo settlers arrived in the 1830s.