Culvert Permit Guide for Kaufman County, TX

Kaufman County Culvert Permit Requirements

Kaufman County regulates culvert installations within the county road right-of-way under its Subdivision and Land Regulations, specifically Section 11.03. Any culvert that crosses or is installed within the county right-of-way requires a permit from the county before work begins. This applies equally to new installations and to replacements of existing culverts.

The permit process is not bureaucratic friction. It exists because a culvert installed at the wrong size or wrong elevation can block county road drainage, cause flooding on neighboring properties, or create a safety hazard at the road edge. The Commissioner's office reviews each application to confirm the proposed culvert is correctly sized for the drainage conditions at that location and meets the county's technical standards for end slope, end treatment, and cover depth.

Kaufman County is the fastest-growing county in Texas, with over 209,000 residents and 5.6% population growth in the most recent measurement period. That growth translates to hundreds of new driveway culvert applications each year as residential development expands into previously agricultural land along county roads. The Development Services office processes these applications in the order received.

When Is a Permit Required

A Kaufman County culvert permit is required for:

• New driveway culvert installations within the county right-of-way
• Replacement of an existing culvert with the same or different size pipe
• Any modification to an existing culvert (extension, cap, relocation)
• New driveway access that requires a culvert crossing of the drainage ditch
• Culvert installations within the right-of-way on any county-maintained road

The permit is not required for culverts entirely on private property with no county road drainage ditch involvement. In practice, virtually all residential driveway culverts in Kaufman County cross the right-of-way and require the permit, because county road drainage ditches run along both sides of most rural county roads.

The Kaufman County Permit Process

The Standard Culvert Application is submitted to Kaufman County Development Services at 101 N. Houston Street, Kaufman TX 75142. The Development Services office is the first point of contact; the Commissioner's office for your precinct then reviews the application and contacts the property owner.

The review timeline is 3-5 business days. During that window, the Commissioner's office reviews the proposed culvert size and location against the drainage conditions at that site. The Commissioner contacts the property owner to confirm the culvert specifications, including the required pipe diameter, installation date, and any site-specific requirements. The property owner (or contractor) must coordinate with the Commissioner before installation begins.

After approval, the permit is valid for 12 months from the approval date. If the installation doesn't happen within that 12-month window, the permit must be renewed. We recommend submitting the permit application as early as possible in the project planning process to avoid installation delays.

The Standard Culvert Application PDF is available from the county at kaufmancounty.net/465/Standard-Culvert-Application. General information about the culvert permit program is at kaufmancounty.net/369/Culvert-Permits.

What TxDOT Requires on State Roads

If your driveway accesses a state-maintained road, TxDOT has separate permit requirements that apply in addition to the Kaufman County permit. State-maintained roads in Kaufman County include US-80, US-175, and various FM roads maintained by TxDOT under its highway system.

TxDOT Access Management permits regulate driveway approaches, culverts, and drainage on state highway right-of-way under Title 43 of the Texas Administrative Code. TxDOT has its own specifications for driveway approach width, culvert diameter, pipe material, end treatment, and headwall design that may differ from Kaufman County requirements. When both permits are required, the more restrictive specification governs.

TxDOT Access permits in Kaufman County go to either the TxDOT Dallas District or Tyler District depending on your specific location. TxDOT review timelines vary but are typically 2-4 weeks. Starting the TxDOT permit process early, before or simultaneously with the county permit, is important for projects on state highway frontage.

Application Checklist

A complete Standard Culvert Application for Kaufman County typically includes:

• Property owner name, address, and contact information
• Location of the proposed culvert (county road name, approximate milepost or cross street)
• Proposed culvert pipe size (diameter) and material (CMP or HDPE)
• Proposed culvert length
• Simple site plan showing the driveway location, road edge, and drainage ditch
• Ditch profile dimensions (depth, width) at the culvert location
• Proposed installation date (flexible, but included on the form)

We prepare this information from our field measurements during the estimate visit and submit the complete application. The Commissioner's office may modify the proposed pipe size based on their assessment of the drainage conditions at your location. If they specify a larger size than proposed, that change is reflected in the final quote before installation begins.

Common Permit Delays

Most permit delays in Kaufman County come from incomplete applications. A missing site plan, unclear location description, or inconsistent information between the application and the applicant's description requires follow-up from the Commissioner's office that adds days to the review timeline. We avoid these delays by submitting complete, accurate applications with field-measured dimensions.

A second common delay source is the applicant being unreachable when the Commissioner's office calls to confirm specifications. The Commissioner contacts the property owner (not the contractor) to discuss the permit requirements. We advise every client to expect a call from a Kaufman County precinct Commissioner's office during the 3-5 business day review window and to respond promptly.

During peak construction periods (spring through early summer in Kaufman County), Development Services receives a higher volume of applications and review can run the full 5 business days. Planning culvert installations for fall or winter often means faster permit turnaround.

Culvert Permits Kaufman County: Frequently Asked Questions