Owners outside a municipality must prepare a plat when dividing land into certain parts, and the plat must be filed, recorded, and acknowledged as required.
Sec. 232.001. PLAT REQUIRED. (a) The owner of a tract of land located outside the limits of a municipality must have a plat of the subdivision prepared if the owner divides the tract into two or more parts to lay out: (1) a subdivision of the tract, including an addition; (2) lots; or (3) streets, alleys, squares, parks, or other parts of the tract intended by the owner of the tract to be dedicated to public use. (a-1) A division of a tract under Subsection (a) includes a division regardless of whether it is made by using a metes and bounds description in a deed of conveyance or in a contract for a deed, by using a contract of sale or other executory contract to convey, or by using any other method. (b) To be recorded, the plat must: (1) describe the subdivision by metes and bounds; (2) locate the subdivision with respect to an original corner of the original survey of which it is a part; and (3) state the dimensions of the subdivision and of each lot, street, alley, square, park, or other part of the tract intended to be dedicated to public use or for the use of purchasers or owners of lots fronting on or adjacent to the street, alley, square, park, or other part. (c) The owner or proprietor of the tract or the owner's or proprietor's agent must acknowledge the plat in the manner required for the acknowledgment of deeds. (d) The plat must be filed and recorded with the county clerk of the county in which the tract is located. (e) The plat is subject to the filing and recording provisions of Section 12.002, Property Code. (f) The commissioners court may require a plat application submitted for approval to include a digital map that is compatible with other mapping systems used by the county and that georeferences the subdivision plat and related public infrastructure using the Texas Coordinate Systems adopted under Section 21.071, Natural Resources Code. A digital map required under this subsection may be required only in a format widely used by common geographic information system software. A requirement adopted under this subsection must provide for an exemption from the requirement if the owner of the tract submits with the plat application an acknowledged statement indicating that the digital mapping technology necessary to submit a map that complies with this subsection was not reasonably accessible. (g) A plat is considered filed on the date the applicant submits the plat, along with a completed plat application and the application fees and other requirements prescribed by or under this subchapter, to: (1) the commissioners court; or (2) the county authority responsible for approving plats. (h) The commissioners court or the county authority responsible for approving plats may not require an analysis, study, document, agreement, or similar requirement to be included in or as part of an application for a plat, development permit, or subdivision of land that is not explicitly required by state law. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 624, Sec. 3.05, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 422, Sec. 8, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 979, Sec. 29, eff. June 16, 1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 129, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 550 (H.B. 2033), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 866 (H.B. 3697), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.