Tarrant County, TX Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Texas counties, including Tarrant County, lack general zoning authority to set building height limits on typical unincorporated parcels. There is no countywide height cap in unincorporated Tarrant County. Instead, structure heights are governed by several overlapping rules. The IRC enforces maximum stories and building height for wood-frame residential construction (typically 3 stories and 60 feet or less for conventional construction). FAA regulations under 14 CFR Part 77 limit structure heights near airports, which is especially relevant in Tarrant County because of DFW International Airport, Alliance Airport, Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Meacham International, and Arlington Municipal; any structure over 200 feet (or lower within conical approach zones) requires FAA Form 7460-1 review. Recorded subdivision plats and deed restrictions commonly cap heights at 2 to 2.5 stories or 35 feet in residential sections of DFW suburban subdivisions, and HOA CCRs often add architectural control review under Texas Property Code 209.00505. Within incorporated cities, municipal zoning sets height limits: typically 35 feet in single-family districts, 45 to 60 feet in multifamily, and higher in commercial or downtown zones. Always check recorded plats, the relevant city code, and FAA obstruction evaluation if near an airport.