Irving, TX Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

Section 8-32(a) authorizes the city to inspect the condition of all existing residential and nonresidential structures and premises citywide without prior notice to the owner, manager, or occupant. Admittance then splits into two tracks. Subsection (b)(1) covers emergencies: when extreme hazards are known to exist that may involve imminent injury, loss of life, or severe property damage, city employees or their designated representatives may enter dwellings, dwelling units, or hotel rooms at any time, day or night. Subsection (b)(2) covers routine inspection work: at all reasonable times, city employees may enter, examine, and survey multi-family dwelling communities, dwellings, dwelling units, hotel rooms, common areas, and all other premises citywide.

If the occupant, manager, or person in charge refuses entry, the inspector is authorized to use the resources provided by law, which in practice means seeking a warrant or other court process, to gain access rather than simply walking away. This entry authority, adopted by Ordinance 2008-9000 on October 2, 2008, is what feeds the city's broader multi-family oversight: § 8-33 separately requires the code enforcement director to assess every multi-family dwelling community for a risk rating at least once each calendar year, with follow-up inspections as needed, and an owner dissatisfied with a rating can pursue an appeal under § 8-34.