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

Where to look up the official record

The Travis Central Appraisal District keeps the tax record for every property: the owner, value, and any buildings on file. Search it here: https://traviscad.org/propertysearch/. The county seat is Austin.

Good to know in Travis County

Who handles septic permits

It depends on where the land sits. Travis County handles the unincorporated county. Austin Water handles Austin's full-purpose city limits and Lake Austin frontage. LCRA handles land near Lake Travis, and you still need a county development permit there. Source

One acre per home on septic

Travis County's septic rules set a one-acre minimum lot for a home on septic, even if the lot has city water (older lots can be exempt under state rules). Source

Water wells

Western Travis County is in the Southwestern Travis County GCD: you register a new well and get a drilling authorization first, and a household well sits at least 100 ft from property lines. The south-central part is in the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer CD. Much of eastern Travis County has no groundwater district. Source

Splitting land

Dividing land in unincorporated Travis County usually needs a county plat (County Code Chapter 482). Some splits qualify for a state-law exception, and the county will put that in a letter if you ask. Source

Ag valuation

Travis CAD generally wants about 12 acres east of I-35 or 20 acres west of it for grazing or hay (at least 4 animal units). Beekeeping takes 5 to 20 acres. Source

Edwards Aquifer

Parts of Travis 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.