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Dallas County, TX Code Violation Reporting: Common Violations (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Sec. 34-93(1)-(12)
Weed height limit
18 inches
Junk accumulation limit
10 days visible
Pool fence minimum
4-foot self-latching fence
Enforcing division
Nuisance Abatement Division

Summary

Dallas County's Nuisance Abatement Division enforces a set list of public nuisances in the unincorporated area: overgrown weeds, accumulated junk, unsanitary conditions, unsafe structures, unfenced pools, and hazardous flea markets, under Sec. 34-93.

City-specific rules exist: Carrollton, Garland, and Dallas have their own common violations rules that differ from Dallas County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

(2) Keeping, storing or accumulating rubbish or any unused, discarded or abandoned object, including newspapers, vehicles, refrigerators, stoves, furniture, tires and cans, on premises in a neighborhood for ten days or more, unless the rubbish or object is completely enclosed within a building or is not visible from a public street. (3) Maintaining premises in a manner that creates an unsanitary condition likely to attract or harbor mosquitoes, rodents, vermin or disease-carrying pests. (4) Allowing weeds to grow on premises in a neighborhood if such weeds are located within 300 feet of another residence or commercial establishment.

Full Breakdown

Sec. 34-93 of the Dallas County Code enumerates the specific conditions the county treats as public nuisances subject to abatement in the unincorporated area. Weeds over 18 inches tall within 300 feet of another residence or commercial building qualify under subsection (4). Keeping unused, discarded, or abandoned items such as vehicles, refrigerators, stoves, furniture, tires, and cans on a premises for ten days or more, unless enclosed in a building or hidden from a public street, qualifies under subsection (2). Subsection (3) covers premises maintained in a manner that creates unsanitary conditions likely to attract mosquitoes, rodents, or other pests, and subsection (5) covers structurally unsafe or dilapidated buildings that present a fire, health, or safety hazard.

Subsection (6) requires an unprotected swimming pool on abandoned or unoccupied property to have either a four-foot fence with a self-latching gate a child cannot open, or a cover a child cannot remove. Subsection (7) treats a flea market operated as a fire hazard as a nuisance, and subsection (12) covers surface discharge from an on-site sewage disposal system as defined by Health and Safety Code Sec. 002. The Nuisance Abatement Division, supervised by the Director of Unincorporated Area Services, fields these complaints and coordinates with the sheriff's department, fire marshal, and public works staff.

Violations & Fines

Sec. 34-94 treats an unabated violation of any Sec. 34-93 category as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $50 to $200 for a first offense within a year, rising to $200 to $1,000 plus up to six months in jail for a repeat offense, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a code violation in unincorporated Dallas County?
Sec. 34-93 lists twelve categories, including overgrown weeds over 18 inches, junk left out ten days or more, unsanitary conditions, structurally unsafe buildings, unprotected pools on vacant property, and hazardous flea markets.
How tall can weeds get before they violate county code?
Sec. 34-93(4) makes weeds over 18 inches a nuisance if the growth sits within 300 feet of another residence or commercial establishment.
Do abandoned swimming pools need to be fenced?
Yes. Sec. 34-93(6) requires an unprotected pool on abandoned or unoccupied property to have a four-foot fence with a child-proof latched gate, or a cover a child cannot remove.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Dallas County

All Dallas County rules

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