Building Safety in Houston, TX (2026)
8 verified building safety rules for Houston, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Lead Paint
Houston follows federal EPA lead-based paint disclosure rules for pre-1978 housing and requires asbestos surveys before demolition or renovation. The Houston Health Department handles airborne lead paint complaints via 311.
Houston Lead-Based Paint and Asbestos Regulations
Some RestrictionsCity of Houston Housing and Community Development Department, Minimum Construction Standards v5.5 (April 22, 2024), § c. Lead Based Paint
c. Lead Based Paint For program homes that will receive rehabilitation, lead based paint attesting will occur under for all homes constructed prior to 1978. The City reserves the right to require the contractor to provide necessary inspections and clearances from a certified Lead Based Paint (LBP) assessor for lead hazard remediation. Also, the City...
Elevator Maintenance
Texas TDLR requires annual inspections of all elevators, escalators, and related equipment. Building owners must register equipment and maintain current certificates of compliance displayed in each elevator cab.
Houston Elevator Inspection and Maintenance Requirements
Some RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code §§ 754.014, 754.015 (Standards; Rules for Elevator Inspection)
Sec. 754.014. STANDARDS ADOPTED BY COMMISSION. (a) The commission by rule shall adopt standards for the installation, maintenance, alteration, operation, testing, removal from service, and inspection of equipment used by the public in:(1) buildings owned or operated by the state or a political subdivision; and(2) buildings that contain equipment that is open to the general public, includin...
Scaffold & Sidewalk Shed
Houston follows the 2021 International Building Code for scaffold and construction safety. Scaffolding on public rights-of-way requires a permit from the Houston Permitting Center. OSHA standards apply to all construction sites.
Houston Scaffold and Construction Site Safety
Some RestrictionsPest Control
Houston Code of Ordinances Chapter 10 requires property owners to keep premises free from insect and rodent infestation. The Houston Health Department runs Vector Control programs for mosquitoes and rodents, and issues abatement orders.
Houston Pest Control and Rodent Abatement
Some RestrictionsTexas Occupations Code Sec. 1951.005 (Local Regulation of Pesticide Sale or Use)
Sec. 1951.005. LOCAL REGULATION OF PESTICIDE SALE OR USE. (a) Except as provided by this section, a municipality or other political subdivision of this state may not adopt an ordinance or rule regarding pesticide sale or use. (b) This section does not limit the authority of a municipality or county to: (1) encourage locally approved and provided educational material concerning a pesticide;...
Fire Sprinkler Requirements
Houston Chapter 28 building amendments adopt the IRC sprinkler trigger thresholds for new commercial and multifamily construction. Texas state law preempts mandatory sprinklers in one and two-family homes despite IRC R313.
Fire Sprinkler Requirements In New Construction
Some RestrictionsTex. Local Government Code § 233.061
Sec. 233.061. AUTHORITY TO ADOPT AND ENFORCE FIRE CODE. (a) The commissioners court of a county with a population of over 250,000 or a county adjacent to a county with a population of over 250,000 may adopt a fire code and rules necessary to administer and enforce the fire code.(b) The commissioners court, or any municipality in the county, may contract with one another for the administration a...
Childcare Center Rules
Houston Chapter 28 requires childcare centers to meet IBC Group E or I-4 occupancy standards while Texas Health and Human Services Commission licenses operations, sets staff ratios, and inspects programs serving children outside their own homes.
Childcare Center Building Standards
Some RestrictionsDoor Locking Hardware
Houston Chapter 28 adopts International Fire Code Section 1010 governing door locking hardware on means of egress. Hardware must allow single-motion unlatching from the egress side, with limited exceptions for delayed-egress and access-controlled systems.
Door Locking Hardware Egress Rules
Some RestrictionsGreen Building Code
Houston has not adopted a mandatory green building code. Voluntary programs include the Houston Green Office Challenge, energy code updates, and LEED certification incentives offered through the Office of Sustainability for new commercial development.
Green Building Code And Office Challenge
Few RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 388.003
Sec. 388.003. ADOPTION OF BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. (a) To achieve energy conservation in single-family residential construction, the energy efficiency chapter of the International Residential Code, as it existed on May 1, 2001, is adopted as the energy code in this state for single-family residential construction. On September 1, 2016, the energy efficiency chapter of t...
Looking for Harris County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Houston city rules.
Building Safety in Harris County →