Buying land in Comal County? Here's what to check.

Where to look up the official record

The Comal Appraisal District keeps the tax record for every property: the owner, value, and any buildings on file. Search it here: https://esearch.comalad.org/. The county seat is New Braunfels.

Good to know in Comal County

Who handles septic permits

The Comal County Engineer's Office (Environmental Health) permits septic systems, and every system needs a permit no matter how big the land is. Source

Lot size for septic

In subdivisions made after January 1, 1988, a lot on septic needs at least 1 acre with public water, or at least 5.01 acres with its own well. Plats the county approved before 2013 are exempt. Source

Water wells

All of Comal County is in the Comal Trinity GCD. Every new well, even a household well, needs the district's written drilling authorization first. A household-size well sits at least 50 ft from property lines and 100 ft from other wells. Wells into the Edwards Aquifer answer to the Edwards Aquifer Authority instead. Source

Splitting land

Dividing land in unincorporated Comal County usually needs a plat. Some splits don't, like when every lot is over 10 acres with no new roads, or up to four lots go to close family. Every lot still has to meet the septic lot sizes. Source

Ag valuation

Comal AD wants at least 3 animal units for grazing: about 5 acres of improved pasture, 15 of good native pasture or 25 of average native pasture. Bees take 5 to 20 acres, and a vineyard 3. Source

Edwards Aquifer

Parts of Comal County are in the Edwards Aquifer recharge, transition, and contributing zones on the TCEQ map. Source

Good to know anywhere in Texas

Flood maps

FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer is the official flood map used for flood insurance. Zone A and AE areas are 'special flood hazard areas' where lenders usually require flood insurance. Source

County rules vs city rules

Texas counties generally can't zone land the way cities do. Land inside a city follows city zoning. Land in a city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) can fall under city subdivision rules. Deed restrictions and HOA rules can apply anywhere.

Legal access

A road on a map doesn't prove you have the legal right to use it. A title company can confirm whether the land touches a public road or has a recorded easement.

Septic systems

Every septic system in Texas needs a permit from the county or its authorized agent under TCEQ rules (30 TAC Chapter 285). Shallow rock, common in the Hill Country, often means a more expensive engineered system. Source

Property taxes

Appraisal districts set the value; each taxing unit (county, school district, ESDs) sets a rate. Agricultural or wildlife valuation can lower taxes on qualifying land, but changing the use later can trigger a rollback tax.

What a YallCheck report covers

• Is it in a flood zone? We check the official FEMA flood map for your land and how close the nearest flood area is.
• Can you legally drive to it? We find the road next to the land and tell you what still needs to be confirmed about legal access.
• Can you get water and a septic system? We check for a water utility, the local well rules, and whether the soil is hard for septic.
• Do the county records match the land? We pull the appraisal record: owner, value, taxes, exemptions, and any buildings or mobile homes on file.
• Is it over the Edwards Aquifer? Land over the aquifer can have extra building and septic rules. We check the state map.
• Is it under a city's rules? We check whether the land is inside a city or the area just outside one where the city can control subdividing (called the ETJ).
• Are there HOA or deed restrictions? We list the subdivision plats on file. Add our document read-through and we'll flag rules on rentals, mobile homes, animals, and more.
• Can you get electricity? We look up which electric company or co-op serves the area.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check with the county before you buy.