Texas
Buying Land in DeWitt County, Texas
DeWitt County, seat Cuero, sits in active Eagle Ford Shale country southeast of San Antonio. Its groundwater district requires a permit before drilling any well at all, exempt or not, and septic permitting runs through the County Judge's office rather than a dedicated health department -- both worth knowing before you buy.
Eagle Ford Shale country with a working ranching base
DeWitt County sits in South Texas roughly 80 miles southeast of San Antonio, with Cuero as its seat. The county was one of the earliest and most heavily drilled parts of the Eagle Ford Shale play beginning around 2010, with Petrohawk Energy and Pioneer Natural Resources among the first major operators active locally -- Petrohawk's core operating area included the Black Hawk field along DeWitt's northwest border. Alongside oil and gas, the county retains a substantial ranching and farming land base. For a buyer, that combination means checking both the working-land factors that apply to any rural Texas purchase and Eagle Ford-specific factors: whether the seller owns and is conveying mineral rights, whether the tract sits inside or near an active or historical drilling unit, and whether any pipeline or surface-use easements already run across it.
Groundwater: a permit for every well, exempt or not
DeWitt County's groundwater is managed countywide by the Pecan Valley Groundwater Conservation District, created by the 77th Texas Legislature's House Bill 3231 and ratified by DeWitt County voters in a confirmation election on November 6, 2001. What sets PVGCD apart from many Texas GCDs is how far its permit requirement reaches: per the district's own published FAQ, every well in the county -- not just non-exempt, higher-capacity wells -- requires a permit request filed with PVGCD before drilling, with a $30 application fee even for an exempt domestic well. A well drilled before the district was formed is grandfathered as exempt, but only as long as its usage and production rate don't change from what existed at formation. Before assuming a straightforward, permit-free domestic well on a DeWitt County parcel, confirm the current application process and fee directly with PVGCD.
Septic and subdivision rules: the County Judge's office, not a health department
DeWitt County holds TCEQ authorized-agent status for on-site sewage facilities, but administers the program directly through the County Judge's office in Cuero rather than a dedicated county health or environmental-services department -- OSSF permit fees are paid there. Applications require a soil and site evaluation from a TCEQ-certified evaluator or licensed professional engineer and a design plan meeting the state's separation and setback standards under 30 TAC Chapter 285. Separately, DeWitt County maintains its own Subdivision Regulations, adopted by Commissioners Court order and most recently revised as of February 8, 2021, along with a posted "Rural Restrictions" guide that references TxDOT permitting for new driveways or entrances onto state highways and points manufactured-home buyers to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs' statewide installation rules. Confirm the current version of both documents directly with the County Judge's office or Commissioners Court before subdividing or placing a manufactured home.
Who to Call Before Buying Land in DeWitt County
DeWitt County has no zoning department because the unincorporated county is not zoned. We could not confirm a direct phone number for the County Judge's office or County Clerk beyond their web pages within this research's scope -- confirm directly.
Wells / Private Water
Pecan Valley Groundwater Conservation District (PVGCD)
Well permit applications -- required for every well in the county, including exempt domestic wells, before drilling.
Septic / Onsite Wastewater
DeWitt County Judge's Office
On-site sewage facility (septic) permit applications and fees -- DeWitt County is a TCEQ authorized agent, administered through this office rather than a separate health department.
Subdivision & Land Development
DeWitt County Commissioners Court
Current subdivision regulations (revised Feb. 2021) and the county's Rural Restrictions guide for road-entrance permitting and manufactured-home placement.
Assessor / Property Tax
DeWitt County Appraisal District
Assessed value, property tax, agricultural (ag) valuation, and mineral-account appraisal questions for a specific parcel.
Recorder / Clerk / Land Records
DeWitt County Clerk
Recorded deeds, mineral leases, easements, and plat history for a specific parcel.
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- Pecan Valley Groundwater Conservation District — Pecan Valley Groundwater Conservation District (accessed 2026-09)
- Pecan Valley Groundwater Conservation District -- Frequently Asked Questions — Pecan Valley Groundwater Conservation District (accessed 2026-09)
- Pecan Valley GCD — Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts (accessed 2026-09)
- OSSF Application Package — DeWitt County, Texas Government (accessed 2026-09)
- Complete Revised Subdivision Regulations (Signed Order) — DeWitt County, Texas Government (accessed 2026-09)
- Rural Restrictions within DeWitt County — DeWitt County, Texas Government (accessed 2026-09)
- Eagle Ford Shale | DeWitt County, TX — EagleFordShale.com (accessed 2026-09)
- DeWitt County Appraisal District — DeWitt County Appraisal District (accessed 2026-09)
Last reviewed 2026-09