Guadalupe County requires a septic permit regardless of lot size, authorization to construct before work begins, and a notice of approval before the system is used.
The county calls a septic system an on-site sewage facility, or OSSF. Its Environmental Health page says the permit requirement applies to every lot or acreage size; the county’s permit process describes the separate permissions needed to build and then operate the system.
From the source record
A person may not begin to construct, alter, repair, extend, or operate an on-site sewage disposal facility (OSSF) unless a permit is issued by the Guadalupe County Environmental Health Department (County).Guadalupe County Environmental Health ↗
For a Guadalupe County property owner, the process starts with a site and soil evaluation and ends only after county inspections and written approval. Plan for both stages before scheduling construction: an authorization to construct permits installation, while a later notice of approval permits the finished system to serve a structure. The county’s application checklist also calls for a copy of a city building permit if the property is in city limits.
Start with the site and the plans
A registered sanitarian, site evaluator or professional engineer must evaluate the entire lot and the soil in the proposed disposal area. The evaluation helps determine which treatment and land-application components suit the property. The county says the final choice of components should be made with the professional designer. Submit the application in the property owner’s name, using the county’s current form, with the site evaluation, required planning materials and the applicable fee. The planning materials include a scaled design and system specifications.