Applications
There is no fee to apply for a Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan (BCCP) Incidental Take Permit. Habitat determinations are provided within three weeks of the receipt of a completed application. You may create a free account and submit your application through our Travis County permitting system.
If you need to navigate to this application after creating your free account, select ‘Apply For A Permit’, then ‘TNR Permits (Development Permits)’, ‘Get Started on a New Application’, and finally ‘BCCP Incidental Take Permit (Endangered Species)’. BCCP staff will begin processing the application once it is completed and submitted. You can manage and track the progress of your application in your account, but if you have any questions, please contact us through the comments section of your application on the dashboard or by email.
Neither submitting a BCCP permit application nor receiving a habitat determination letter from the County obligates an applicant to obtain a BCCP permit. Landowners always have the option to consult with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) to address mitigation concerns. To learn more about your options for compliance with the Endangered Species Act, see Development in Endangered Species Habitat.
Once an application is submitted, the County will calculate a mitigation fee for the proposed project to obtain a BCCP permit. This mitigation fee is calculated using the habitat map and corresponding mitigation fee zones; calculations are rounded to the nearest tenth of an acre. Mitigation fees are applicable to the entire legal tax parcel(s) in which the project will occur. Because the BCCP is a streamlined alternative to working with USFWS, the County is not able to assess mitigation quotes for only a portion of a legal tax parcel. Incomplete applications or any deviation from this process may extend the permit processing time.
Only infrastructure projects such as roads, utility infrastructure, and cell towers can be mitigated based on project area. Infrastructure projects are assessed by the BCCP Infrastructure Process administered by the City of Austin. For more information about participating, see BCCP Infrastructure Process.
The regional BCCP Permit is currently in an active renewal process with USFWS - with formal confirmation from USFWS the BCCP Permit will remain in-effect, as-is, and enforceable beyond May 2, 2026 until the renewal process is completed (3-5 years). For more details, see the BCCP Officer's memo and presentation from the November 14, 2025 BCCP Coordinating Committee Meeting (agenda item 2 backup materials).
BCCP Incidental Take Permit Fee Schedule and Commitment
The golden-cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) is an endangered bird found in western Travis County. Photo by Julia Land.
Fee Schedule:
- Golden-cheeked warbler Zone 1 (confirmed habitat) = $5,500/acre
- Golden-cheeked warbler Zone 2 (unconfirmed habitat) = $2,750/acre
- Black-capped vireo habitat = $0/acre (species delisted in 2018)
- Karst Zone = $1,000/ acre
Applicants who choose to obtain a BCCP permit will be required to sign a contract. The BCCP permit and contract, entered into between the applicant and the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Coordinating Committee, will be recorded in Travis County's real property records. BCCP permits and contracts run in perpetuity with the land, similar to an easement.
Terms of a BCCP Incidental Take Permit
After the participation contract is signed and a BCCP Incidental Take Permit (formerly referred to as a BCCP Participation Certificate) is issued, the permittee is free to begin clearing for construction. However, clearing is subject to the terms and conditions of the contract and may not be conducted from March 1 through August 31 on properties containing golden-cheeked warbler habitat.
Additionally, if and when construction activity uncovers new caves or significant karst features, such work must cease and the local USFWS Ecological Services office should be notified to check the cave for endangered species. Landowners may get assistance from karst geological or biological consultants to assist in expediting USFWS clearance for construction to resume.
The BCCP permit must be posted at the construction site from the time clearing begins until construction is completed.
For more information about BCCP permits, please contact us.
Special Provisions
BCCP Special Provisions permits are available for landowners whose property meets certain legal requirements. The single-family residential lot provision applies to landowners who are building one single-family home on a lot that was legally recorded on or before May 04, 1990, which will result in an area of disturbance of no more than 0.75 acres (approximately 32,670 square feet). Other Special Provisions such as the Agricultural Provision apply to ongoing ranching and farming operations.
The BCCP Agricultural Provision is not related to the Texas Central Appraisal District’s (TCAD) Wildlife Exemption or Agricultural Exemptions / Special Valuations. For more information about the TCAD property tax exemption programs, please see https://traviscad.org/faqs#exemptions.
Legal Requirements
Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan
Excerpted from the March 1996 Habitat Conservation Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement, pages 2-48, 2-49
Updated July 2007
Special Provisions Certificate
The intent of the BCCP is to pay for the acquisition of the regional habitat with the private sector funding component being derived primarily from the sale of Incidental Take Permits purchased voluntarily by developers who might expect to benefit directly from participation.
However, it is also the intent of the BCCP to minimize or eliminate the financial burden of the following types of private landowners outside the preserve area:
- Ranchers and farmers in pursuit of legitimate and standard agricultural practices;
- Builders of single-family home residences on individual lots, tracts, or parcels in existence prior to May 4, 1990;
- Small landowners (100 acres or less) who wish to do very low density residential development (one single-family home residence per 15 acres and up).
Consequently, after issuance of the regional Permit, a Special Provisions Certificate for construction of single-family dwellings on existing lots will be available through the Permit Holder(s) for $2,000 and for ranchers and farmers for $1,500 (see details below for qualifications).
Single-Family Residential Lot Provision
This provision applies to two categories of landowners:
- One single-family unit constructed on a legal lot, legal tract, or a legally recorded single parcel in Travis County if the lot, tract, or parcel was in existence on or before May 4, 1990; or
- A tract of 100 acres or less which existed as a legal tract on or before May 4, 1990, developing low-density single-family home residences of not more than one home per 15 acres.
In either case, the following five tests must be met:
- The lot, tract, or parcel must be located outside the designated preserve boundaries.
- Unless special circumstances can be shown by the applicant, the area of disturbance for direct impact would be limited to 0.75 acre (approximately 32,670 square feet), including the house, driveway, utility access lines, septic field, and lawn area.
- Lot holders may participate by purchase of a Special Provisions Certificate for $2,000, which would be used for BCCP preserve system land acquisition and preserve system needs.
- For any lot, tract, or parcel three acres or larger, a habitat determination of the area to be cleared will be made and is currently proposed to be recorded at the Real Property Records of Travis County. This determination will be based on habitat zones within the tract as outlined in the simplified version.
- If the cleared area becomes part of a subdivision process in the future, the landowner may participate in the Plan for the subdivision by paying the balance per acre (i.e., the total fee level at the time of development minus the Special Provision Certificate amount previously paid).
Agricultural Provision (Ranching and Farming)
- The BCCP mitigates for incidental “take” resulting from any ongoing ranching and farming practice (such as fence and pasture maintenance and stock tank construction) which occurs in Travis County (but not inside the designated preserve areas). Therefore, such activities are permissible under the Plan and do not require the acquisition of Participation Certificates. Ongoing ranching and farming is defined as having a 1-d-1 (Open Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal by the Travis Central Appraisal District.
- However, if a rancher or farmer intends to clear an area for new structures (i.e., barns, paddocks, etc.), then he or she may purchase a Participation Certificate at a cost of $1,500 per acre of clearance. At that time, a habitat determination of the area to be cleared will be made and is currently proposed to be recorded at the Real Property Records of Travis County. If the cleared area becomes part of a subdivision process in the future, the landowner may participate in the Plan for the subdivision by paying the balance per acre (i.e., the total fee level at the time of development minus the Special Provision fee previously paid).
