Development Rules

Ellis County has its own rules for dividing land and building roads

If you want to split land or build roads in rural Ellis County, the county has rules you must follow before you start.

Want to split land or build a subdivision in rural Ellis County? The county has a rule book for that. It is called Quality Growth Initiatives Volume I. It covers how to apply for a plat, how to build roads, and how to handle drainage. You can get it from the Ellis County Department of Development.

These rules apply outside city limits. But there is one more thing to know. Cities have an ETJ — an extraterritorial jurisdiction. That is a zone just outside a city where the city can set rules before it ever annexes the land. If your property is in a city's ETJ, that city's rules may also apply to you. Always talk to the Ellis County Department of Development before you split a lot or start any road work.

Source to confirm: Ellis County — Quality Growth Initiatives Volume I

More Ellis County notes

Property Tax Basics

Two different offices handle your property tax in Ellis County

The Ellis County Appraisal District sets your property value, but a separate Tax Assessor-Collector office sends the bill and collects the money.

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Homestead Exemption

File a homestead exemption to lower your property tax bill

Texas law lets homeowners who live in their home claim a homestead exemption that reduces the taxable value of the property.

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Ag Valuation

Farm and ranch land can be taxed on productivity, not market value

In Ellis County, qualifying farm or ranch land is taxed on what it can produce, not what it could sell for. That can cut the tax bill by a lot.

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Vehicle Registration

Ellis County vehicles need an emissions test every year

Ellis County is in the DFW area, so most gas-powered vehicles must pass an emissions test every year before the owner can renew registration.

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