Rural Buyer’s Checklist

Outside city limits, the buyer has to check things a city lot handles for you. Each section below says what to check, which Polk County office to call and where to look it up yourself.

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First, check where the property sits

Inside the city limits of Livingston, Corrigan, Onalaska or Goodrich, building permits go to that City Hall, and Livingston and Corrigan City Halls also issue 911 addresses. Within 2,000 feet of Lake Livingston, septic permits go to the Trinity River Authority, not the county.

Water / private well

Ask whether the property is on a private well, a water supply corporation or a city system, and who the provider is.
Get the well’s driller report. Wells drilled since 2003: TWDB Groundwater Data Viewer. Older wells: TCEQ Water Well Report Viewer.
Have the water tested by a lab before closing, at least for bacteria and nitrates.
Ask the age of the pump, pressure tank and any filters or treatment equipment.

Who to call

Lower Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (new wells): (936) 327-9531

Look it up

Buying property with a private well

Septic (OSSF)

Request the septic permit file. The county has no online lookup; call or email the Permit Department with the address.
Within 2,000 ft of Lake Livingston, request the file from the Trinity River Authority instead.
Ask for the maintenance contract and recent service reports. Aerobic systems need an ongoing maintenance contract.
Planning to add a bedroom or building? Ask whether the current system is permitted for it.

Who to call

Polk County Permit Department: (936) 327-6820 ext. 1 · [email protected]
Trinity River Authority, Lake Livingston Project (lake properties): (936) 365-2292

Buying a home with a septic system

Foundation and building

On pier-and-beam homes, ask about past leveling work and whether any warranty transfers.
Ask whether additions, barns and shops were permitted (City Hall inside city limits, county outside).
Check outbuildings, slabs and driveways for cracks or settling.

Who to call

Polk County Permit Department: (936) 327-6820 ext. 1
Inside city limits: Livingston (936) 327-4311 · Corrigan (936) 398-4126 · Onalaska (936) 646-5000 · Goodrich (936) 365-2228

Foundation questions when buying

Survey, access and the deed

Get a current survey showing boundaries, easements and encroachments.
Confirm legal road access, and whether the road is county-maintained or private.
Ask the title company about pipeline, utility and access easements.
Ask whether mineral or timber rights convey.
Check for deed restrictions or an HOA, especially in lake subdivisions.
Confirm the property has a 911 address (outside Livingston and Corrigan, the county issues them).

Who to call

Polk County Clerk, Research Department: (936) 327-6804
Polk County Permit Department: (936) 327-6820 ext. 1

Buying land with a shop, barn or slab

Flood zone

Look up the flood zone and get flood insurance quotes before making an offer.
Ask the seller for an elevation certificate if one exists.
Building in a flood zone requires an elevation certificate and a floodplain permit.
Ask whether the property has flooded or had a flood insurance claim.

Who to call

Polk County Floodplain Administrator, through the Permit Department: (936) 327-6820 ext. 1

Look it up

FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Drainage and flood zones

Value, exemptions and taxes

Look up acreage, improvements, exemptions and taxing units on the appraisal district site.
Don’t budget from the seller’s tax bill; homestead and over-65 exemptions end when the property sells.
If the land has an agricultural or timber valuation, ask what’s required to keep it and what happens if the use changes.
Check that taxes are paid up to date.

Who to call

Polk Central Appraisal District: (936) 327-2174
Polk County Tax Assessor-Collector: (936) 327-6801

Look it up

Property Tax Explainer

Lake Livingston properties

Ask whether docks, piers and bulkheads have Trinity River Authority permits, and get copies.
Ask the bulkhead’s age and condition.
Compare the property’s elevation with the lake’s normal pool of 131 ft above sea level, and check the flood zone.
Confirm whether the septic system is permitted through TRA.

Who to call

Trinity River Authority, Lake Livingston Project: (936) 365-2292

Look it up

TRA online permits and licenses

Ask which electric provider serves the property and the cost to run service to a new building site.
Check internet options at the exact address.
Ask the seller for a year of electric bills, especially with well pumps or aerobic septic.

Look it up

FCC National Broadband Map

Questions to ask the seller or listing agent

Is the property on a private well? When was it drilled, and has the water been tested?
Is the septic conventional or aerobic? When was it last pumped or serviced, and is there a maintenance contract?
Has the property ever flooded, and is there an elevation certificate?
Have there been foundation repairs or leveling? Is there a transferable warranty?
Were all additions, shops and outbuildings permitted?
Do mineral or timber rights convey? Are there pipeline or utility easements?
Does the property have an agricultural or timber valuation?
For lakefront: are the dock, pier and bulkhead permitted by TRA?

Office directory

Polk County Permit Department · (936) 327-6820 ext. 1 · [email protected] · 602 E. Church St., Suite 141, Livingston, TX 77351 · Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Trinity River Authority, Lake Livingston Project · (936) 365-2292 · 5170 S. FM 1988, Livingston, TX 77351
Polk Central Appraisal District · (936) 327-2174 · [email protected] · 114 Matthews St., Livingston, TX 77351
Polk County Tax Assessor-Collector · (936) 327-6801 · 416 N. Washington Ave., Livingston, TX 77351
Polk County Clerk, Research Department (deeds and recorded documents) · (936) 327-6804 · 410 E. Church St., Suite A, Livingston, TX 77351
Lower Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (new wells) · (936) 327-9531
City Halls · Livingston (936) 327-4311 · Corrigan (936) 398-4126 · Onalaska (936) 646-5000 · Goodrich (936) 365-2228

This checklist is general information, not legal, engineering or real estate advice, and it is not a complete list for every property. PolkTX is not a real estate brokerage and its publisher is not a licensed agent. Office details come from the Polk County Permit Department, the Texas Comptroller’s county directory, the Trinity River Authority and the Texas Water Development Board. Confirm requirements with the office before relying on them. Office details last checked: October 9, 2026.

Rural Buyer’s Checklist

First, check where the property sits

Water / private well

Septic (OSSF)

Foundation and building

Survey, access and the deed

Flood zone

Value, exemptions and taxes

Lake Livingston properties

Power and internet

Questions to ask the seller or listing agent

Office directory