North Richland Hills, TX Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

North Richland Hills zoning treats carports as accessory structures and regulates both placement and materials. Permanent carports attached to the dwelling or larger than 200 square feet require a building permit through NRH Planning and Inspections. Carports located in front yards or in front of the front building line of the primary dwelling are generally prohibited in single-family districts because the city wants to preserve streetscape appearance and prevent converted front-yard parking pads. Carports placed behind the front building line, in side yards past the front of the house, or in rear yards must meet the same 3-foot side and rear setbacks as other accessory buildings and cannot extend into utility easements. Exterior materials (posts and roof) must be compatible with the primary dwelling, and tarp-on-frame portable car shelters used as permanent structures violate the code. PD zoning, Town Center, and Transit Oriented Development districts may have stricter standards and require masonry posts or metal frames matched to building colors. Commercial carports and fuel canopies are handled through site plan review.