Carrollton, TX Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)
Key Facts
- Listed hazard
- Non-functional interior door locking devices
- Standard cure period bypassed
- No 30-day notice for imminent dangers
- DCO power
- Immediate repair, removal, or occupancy restriction
- Refusal consequence
- Court order/abatement warrant, § 97.09(C)(3)
- Cost recovery
- Lien on property for abatement costs
Summary
A hotel, short-term rental, or bed-and-breakfast room with a broken or missing interior door lock is an imminently dangerous condition under Carrollton's lodging code, and the Designated City Official can immediately restrict the room from use or abate the hazard without the normal 30-day notice process that applies to other violations.
Any condition which is reasonably believed to be imminently dangerous to the life, limb, health, or safety of the occupants of the premises or to the public, may result in a court summons. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, non-functional smoke detectors, lack of or non-functional interior door locking devices, windows which do not open, or which open but fail to stay open, sewer leaks, inoperable telephones, or telephones that fail to connect to the emergency 911 telephone number.
Full Breakdown
09(C) of the Carrollton Code of Ordinances, part of Chapter 97's enforcement article adopted by Ordinance 4291 on December 2, 2025, lists lack of or non-functional interior door locking devices alongside non-functional smoke detectors, windows that will not open or stay open, sewer leaks, and phones that cannot reach 911 as conditions reasonably believed to be imminently dangerous to the life, limb, health, or safety of occupants or the public. 09(F) allows for other violations. Instead, after reasonable notice to the owner, operator, or manager, the DCO can immediately abate the danger, which can include repairing or removing the hazardous condition, restricting the room or premises from occupancy, or another abatement method the DCO decides is necessary; the owner must stop using the space within whatever time the DCO's notice sets.
09(C)(3) lets the city seek a court order or an inspection and abatement warrant. 09(D) and (E). The rule applies across hotels, short-term rentals, and bed and breakfasts alike.
Violations & Fines
Operating a hotel, STR, or B&B guest room with a broken or missing interior door lock risks immediate DCO abatement, including restricting the room from use, without the standard 30-day cure period. Refusing the DCO entry to inspect or fix the hazard lets the city seek a court order or abatement warrant, and the city can bill its abatement and relocation costs back to the owner as a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a dangerous door lock under Carrollton's lodging code?
Does an STR owner get 30 days to fix a broken door lock?
Can the city charge the owner for fixing a bad door lock itself?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Carrollton to another location·View the Texas building safety overview
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