Missouri City, TX Frost Line Depth: 12 in

Verified

12in

30 cm · 1 ft

Set in the building code Missouri City has adopted.

Source and how we checked

Document: library.municode.com

Climate: 8 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Thompsons 3 Wsw, 8 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

0 of 1nearby verified codes use the same depth
8nights a year at or below 32 °F
100%of nearby soil rated “none” for frost action (USDA)

How deep is the frost line in Missouri City?

Missouri City's building authority sets the frost line depth at 12 in (30 cm). Footings, piers and other permanent supports must reach at least this depth (IRC R403.1.4.1).

Who sets the frost line depth in Missouri City?

Texas leaves the frost line depth to each city or county, and Missouri City fills it in when it adopts the residential code. The value above comes from Missouri City’s own document on library.municode.com. See how Texas sets frost line depth.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Missouri City?

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Missouri City: dig at least 12 in (30 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Minimum depths in Missouri City with a 12 in frost line
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	12 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	12 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	18 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	12 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Missouri City?

Missouri City never averages a low below freezing. 8 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 43.2 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Thompsons 3 Wsw station, 8 mi away, elevation 70 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	43.2	47.3	52.9	58.3	66.3	72.1	74.2	74.1	70	60.7	51.8	45.6
High	62.7	66.6	72.4	78.9	85.4	90.4	92.1	93.3	89.2	82.1	72.3	65.1

Missouri City has fewer freezing nights than 139 of the 168 other Texas places we track. The Texas median is 32. Coldest: Amarillo; mildest: Brownsville.

What frost line depth do towns near Missouri City use?

One official code near Missouri City is verified.

Official frost line depths near Missouri City
Place	Verified frost line	Distance
Houston	6 in	18 mi away

How likely is the soil in Missouri City to heave?

None 100%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Missouri City as 100% none for frost action (main soils: Brazoria, Lake Charles, Gessner).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

How do you confirm the frost line before you dig in Missouri City?

Call 811 at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Missouri City building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 12 in unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

Missouri City at a glance

Frost line depth: 12 in
County: Fort Bend County
Population (2023 est.): 76,773
Mean annual temperature: 69.5 °F
ZIP codes (9): 77071 · 77085 · 77459 · 77469 · 77477 · 77479 · 77489 · 77545 · 77583