Building Safety in Houston, TX (2026)

City 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...

Tex. 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...

Tex. 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...

Houston Code of Ordinances §§ 10-731, 10-735(a)

Sec. 10-731. - In general. The fire department may inspect each licensed child-care home and each registered child-care home at least once every 12 months. Sec. 10-735. - Inspections. (a)Only the city's fire department may conduct a fire inspection of licensed and registered child-care homes in the city under this article. The inspector shall provide to the care giver a written summary of the ...

Tex. 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...

Houston Code of Ordinances § 28-466(g)(6)

Provide and maintain an operable smoke alarm and, if any gas utility is provided, a carbon monoxide detector in each sleeping area, kitchen, and laundry area. The owner or operator shall ensure that these devices remain in good working order.

Houston Code of Ordinances § 10-4

Where construction or other work is being done contrary to the provisions of this Code, the Construction Code or the Fire Code, or is being done in an unsafe or dangerous manner, the building official may order the work stopped by notice in writing served on the person engaged in doing or causing the work to be done, and the person shall forthwith stop the work until authorized to recommence it...

Houston Code of Ordinances § 1-2 (definition of "Construction Code"); see also § 10-1(a)

Construction Code means the City of Houston Construction Code, as amended from time to time by the city council, which code consists of various texts setting forth requirements relating to building construction and safety, namely: City of Houston Building Code, also known as the Building Code; City of Houston Electrical Code, also known as the Electrical Code; ...

Houston Code of Ordinances § 10-1

Nothing in this Code or the ordinance adopting this Code shall be deemed to repeal or affect the validity of the Construction Code. The Construction Code is published as a separate code. The Construction Code, as amended, is hereby continued in full force and effect to the same extent as if set out in full herein, save and except any provisions which may be in conflict with any provision of thi...