Building Rules
No County Building Permit Required in Most of Hood County
In unincorporated Hood County — outside city limits — you do not need a county building permit to build a home, but you still need septic, road access, and well permits.
Hood County does not require a general building permit for homes in unincorporated areas. Unincorporated means land outside Granbury and other city limits. That covers most of the county. But you still need several specific permits before you build.
You need a septic permit from Hood County Environmental Health. You need a road access permit from Hood County Road Operations. If you plan to drill a water well, you need a permit from the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.
If your land is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, you also need a floodplain development permit. Some land sits inside a city's ETJ. ETJ stands for extra-territorial jurisdiction — it is a zone just outside city limits where that city's rules can apply. Check with the Hood County Development Commission before you start building.
Source to confirm: Hood County Development FAQs