5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in El Paso County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Texas counties cannot zone, so unincorporated El Paso County has no ADU or second-dwelling zoning ordinance. What actually applies to a new accessory dwelling is a septic (OSSF) permit, a floodplain development permit, and subdivision platting through the county Planning and Development Department.
Texas counties cannot zone, so unincorporated El Paso County has no shed size, height, or setback ordinance, and the county issues no building permit. A plain storage shed needs no county permit, but a mapped flood zone still requires a floodplain development permit before construction.
Texas counties cannot zone, so unincorporated El Paso County has no garage-conversion ordinance and issues no building permit or certificate of occupancy for interior work. But converting a garage into living space that adds bedrooms increases septic load, so an OSSF (septic) permit review still applies.
Texas counties cannot zone, so unincorporated El Paso County has no carport ordinance and no setback or height limits like a city would set. The county issues no building permit, but a floodplain development permit is required if the carport sits in a mapped flood zone.
Texas counties cannot zone, so unincorporated El Paso County has no minimum-dwelling-size or tiny-home ordinance. Placing a tiny home instead triggers a septic (OSSF) permit, approved grading and drainage plans, a floodplain permit in flood zones, and subdivision platting under Local Government Code Chapter 232.
1 cities in El Paso County have their own accessory structures rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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El Paso County Ordinance Hub →