McKinney's Relaxed Approach to Rental Property Rules: What's Allowed

McKinney maintains 124 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with rental property rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where McKinney falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Rental Registration

McKinney does not require general rental property registration. Short-term rentals (under 30 days) require separate registration through the city Finance Department for Hotel Occupancy Tax collection.

Key details: Long-Term Registration: Not required. STR Registration: Required for HOT. Inspections: Not required. HOA Rules: May apply.

Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find McKinney gives residents more flexibility on rental registration.

Rent Control

McKinney has NO local rent control ordinance. Tex. Local Gov't Code § 214.902 preempts Texas cities from enacting rent control absent a declared disaster-related housing emergency and governor approval. The McKinney Code of Ordinances contains no rent stabilization chapter.

Key details: Local Ordinance: None — no city rent control. Preemption Statute: Tex. Local Gov't Code § 214.902. Month-to-Month Notice: 1 month, Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001. Security Deposit Return: 30 days after surrender (§ 92.103). Enforcement: Texas state courts — no city rent board.

No city cap exists. A retaliatory rent increase — within six months of a protected tenant act — exposes the landlord to a civil penalty of one month's rent plus $500 plus actual damages and attorney fees under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.333.

McKinney is more permissive than most cities when it comes to rent control. That said, there are still limits.

Just Cause Eviction

McKinney has NO local just-cause eviction ordinance. Texas is a no-cause termination state under Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001 — a month-to-month tenancy may be ended by either party on 30 days' written notice without stating a reason. Fixed-term leases may be terminated for breach under Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 24.

Key details: Local Ordinance: None — state law governs. Month-to-Month Termination: 30-day notice, no cause required (§ 91.001). Notice to Vacate: 3 days minimum, Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005. Retaliation Window: 6 months from protected act (§ 92.331). Eviction Court: Collin County Justice of the Peace court.

There is no McKinney city forum for enforcing just-cause grounds. A tenant may raise retaliation as a defense in the justice-court forcible-detainer suit and may sue under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.333 for one month's rent plus $500, actual damages, court costs, and attorney fees. Wrongful lockouts trigger one month's rent plus $1,000 under § 92.0081.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find McKinney gives residents more flexibility on just cause eviction.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, McKinney gives residents more room on rental property rules. 3 of the 3 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

All of the above reflects McKinney's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.