Texas
Buying Land in Kerr County, Texas
Kerr County -- Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt, and the Guadalupe River corridor through the Hill Country -- is still working through the aftermath of the deadliest flood in its history. See our standalone flood-zones page for the full account; this hub covers the rest of what's genuinely distinct here: a dedicated groundwater district, county-run septic permitting, and appraisal-district rules that reach directly into the county's hunting-lease economy.
The July 2025 flood: covered in full on its own page
Kerr County's defining recent event is the Guadalupe River flash flood of July 4, 2025, which killed at least 107 people in the county -- more than any other county in the broader central-Texas flood disaster -- including campers and counselors at Camp Mystic. Because the aftermath is genuinely substantial and still developing (a state investigation, a new statewide law restricting where youth-camp cabins may sit in a floodplain, and a new county-run flood-warning siren system built with the Upper Guadalupe River Authority), we cover it on a standalone flood-zones page rather than compressing it here. If you're evaluating any parcel near the Guadalupe River or its North or South Fork, start there, then confirm current floodplain and floodway status for the specific tract directly with Kerr County Engineering (3766 TX-27, Kerrville, 830-896-9046, floodplain@kerrcountytx.gov) -- or, inside Kerrville or Ingram city limits, with that city's own floodplain administrator instead of the county.
Septic permitting: the county runs its own program
Kerr County Environmental Health Department holds TCEQ authorized-agent status for on-site sewage facilities, handling permit applications, subdivision OSSF review, site evaluations, inspections, and tank-abandonment oversight directly rather than sending applicants to a TCEQ regional office. Reach the department at 550 Earl Garrett Street, Suite 100, Kerrville (830-896-9020) to confirm current fees and site requirements before budgeting a system -- and note that a floodplain determination may factor into siting review for a lot near the river, so coordinate with County Engineering on timing.
Groundwater: a single dedicated district covers the whole county
Rather than relying on the general rule-of-capture default described in our Texas state hub, every well drilled in Kerr County answers to the Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District, created by the 72nd Legislature in January 1991 specifically to manage and study the county's aquifers. HGCD's rules sort beneficial groundwater uses into those that require a district permit before drilling or operation and those -- typically domestic and livestock use -- that are exempt from permitting but must still be registered with the district. Confirm which category your intended use falls into, and any spacing or production rules that apply, directly with HGCD (125 Lehmann Drive, Suite 202, Kerrville) before finalizing a well plan.
Hunting leases, wildlife exemptions, and the appraisal district's actual bar
Hunting leases and guest-ranch tourism are a real part of Kerr County's land economy -- the state-run Kerr Wildlife Management Area sits in the county, and deer-lease land changes hands regularly. But the Kerr Appraisal District's wildlife-management valuation (the mechanism that lets qualifying land keep an agricultural-style tax valuation while managed for wildlife instead of livestock) is not automatic just because a tract is leased for hunting. Kerr CAD's stated thresholds require a minimum of 20 acres generally, or as little as 14.5 acres if the tract sits inside a qualifying wildlife-management cooperative or association, plus documented use of at least three recognized management practices -- habitat control, erosion control, predator control, supplemental water, supplemental food, or population census work -- with photographic and dated evidence of the work itself, not just wildlife photos. If a wildlife exemption is part of the deal's economics, confirm the specific parcel's current qualifying status and documentation directly with Kerr CAD before closing, rather than assuming a seller's exemption transfers automatically.
Subdivision rules and no general zoning
As in most rural Texas counties, Kerr County has no general zoning ordinance for its unincorporated area. The Commissioners Court does regulate land division through Subdivision Rules & Regulations approved November 26, 2007, covering plat procedures, road standards, drainage, and utility requirements for new subdivisions outside any city's extraterritorial jurisdiction -- administered day to day through the Road & Bridge and Engineering departments. Given how much of the county's development activity in recent years has run through floodplain-adjacent review, confirm the current adopted subdivision text and any amendments directly with the county before relying on an older downloaded copy for a specific tract.
Who to Call Before Buying Land in Kerr County
Kerr County has no general zoning ordinance for its unincorporated area, consistent with the statewide default. For a parcel inside Kerrville or Ingram city limits, contact that city's own planning and floodplain-administration office instead of the county -- Kerrville's floodplain administrator can be reached at (830) 258-1410 and Ingram's at (830) 367-5115.
Floodplain / Stormwater
Kerr County Engineering -- Floodplain Administration
Floodplain determinations, floodplain development permits, and FEMA flood-zone status for unincorporated county land near the Guadalupe River and its forks.
Septic / Onsite Wastewater
Kerr County Environmental Health Department -- OSSF
On-site sewage facility (septic) permits, site evaluations, subdivision OSSF review, and inspections -- Kerr County is a TCEQ authorized agent.
Wells / Private Water
Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District (HGCD)
Well registration versus permit requirements and any spacing or production rules for a well anywhere in Kerr County.
Subdivision & Land Development
Kerr County Road & Bridge / Engineering
New subdivision plats and manufactured-home-community rules under the county's Subdivision Rules & Regulations (approved 11/26/2007) for unincorporated land.
Assessor / Property Tax
Kerr Central Appraisal District
Assessed value, property tax, and agricultural or wildlife-management valuation status -- including current acreage minimums and documentation requirements -- for a specific parcel.
Recorder / Clerk / Land Records
Kerr County Clerk
Recorded deeds, plats, and easement history for a specific parcel.
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Get local guidanceTopics Specific to Kerr County
Sources
- Remembering Texas Hill Country: 1 year since the heartbreaking flooding disaster killed 135 on July 4 — FOX Weather (accessed 2026-09)
- Death toll in Kerr County from Fourth of July flood reaches 107 — News 4 San Antonio (KABB/WOAI) (accessed 2026-09)
- Environmental Health Department -- OSSF — Kerr County, Texas Government (accessed 2026-09)
- Kerr County Engineer — Kerr County, Texas Government (accessed 2026-09)
- Flood Damage & Permitting Guide — Kerr County, Texas Government (accessed 2026-09)
- Home -- Headwaters GCD — Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District (accessed 2026-09)
- Wildlife Exemption in Kerr County — Wildlife Exemption (independent land-management consultancy, cross-checked against Kerr CAD guidance) (accessed 2026-09)
- Kerr County Subdivision Rules & Regulations, Approved November 26, 2007 — Kerr County, Texas Government (accessed 2026-09)
Last reviewed 2026-09