Dallas County, TX Ordinances (2026)

No county parking requirements for short-term rentals. Texas counties cannot zone or impose parking requirements. No guest parking ratios, no off-street parking mandates. State highway…

Dallas County imposes no platform-liability requirements on Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar STR hosting sites. Texas has no statewide platform mandate. City rules vary. Dallas Chapter 42B…

Dallas County does not impose a maximum number of short-term rental nights per year in unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack general authority to regulate STRs, and no…

TX state Hotel Occupancy Tax of 6% applies to all rentals under 30 consecutive days per TX Tax Code Chapter 156. Hosts must register with TX Comptroller. Platforms may collect state…

No Dallas County STR registration requirement for unincorporated areas. Texas has no state-level STR permit or registration requirement. Counties generally lack authority to regulate…

Texas allows open carry of holstered handguns by adults 21 and older without a permit. House Bill 1927 (2021) ended the License to Carry requirement. Long guns may also be openly…

House Bill 1927 (2021) lets most Texans 21 and older carry a handgun concealed without a permit anywhere in Dallas County. The optional License to Carry through Texas DPS still…

Texas Penal Code section 46.02(a-1), the Motorist Protection Act expanded by HB 1927, lets any adult legally entitled to possess a firearm carry a handgun inside their motor vehicle or…

Texas has no statewide source of income protection, and Dallas County has not adopted a county-level rule covering its 25 cities. Only the City of Dallas, through 2020 Chapter 46…

Texas has no statewide tenant relocation assistance law, and Dallas County has no county-level relocation ordinance. Tenants displaced by no-fault terminations, condemnation, or sale…

Dallas County does not regulate cash-for-keys voluntary buyout agreements. Texas Property Code Chapter 92 governs landlord-tenant relations and allows landlords and tenants to…

Texas allows landlords to end fixed-term leases at expiration and to terminate month-to-month tenancies with at least 30 days' written notice for any lawful reason. Dallas County has…

Texas Property Code Sections 92.101 through 92.110 set statewide security-deposit rules for all Dallas County rentals. Landlords must return the deposit within 30 days of move-out with…

Dallas County has not adopted a comprehensive tenant anti-harassment ordinance. Tenants countywide rely on Texas Property Code Section 92.331 retaliation rules and Section 92.0081…

No just-cause eviction protections. Texas is a landlord-friendly state with no county or state just-cause eviction requirements. TX Property Code Chapter 24 governs eviction…

Texas counties cannot generally zone land. Dallas County regulates only subdivision plats, floodplains, and on-site sewage facilities in unincorporated areas under Local Government…

Texas HB 2127, the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act effective September 2023, broadly preempts local labor regulation including paid sick leave. Dallas County cannot mandate paid leave…

Texas HB 2127 (2023) preempts local predictable scheduling laws. Dallas County has no scheduling ordinance and is barred from adopting one. Federal FLSA overtime is the only floor.

Texas Labor Code Section 62.0515 preempts any city or county from setting a minimum wage above the federal $7.25 per hour floor. Dallas County cannot enact a higher local wage.

Filming inside a Dallas County building requires written approval from the commissioners court, plus a copy of the film script submitted with the rental request. Productions pay a…

In unincorporated Dallas County, filling, blocking, or letting a drainage easement clog with debris, sediment, or vegetation is a public nuisance under Sec. 34-93(10). County nuisance…

Any new construction, alteration, or land-use change inside Dallas County's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area needs a Development Permit from the Floodplain Administrator, the Director…

New and substantially improved buildings in Dallas County's mapped floodplain must sit at least two feet above the base flood elevation. Article V of Chapter 42 sets that freeboard for…

Dallas County sits within the Dallas-Fort Worth ozone nonattainment area, where TCEQ Rule 30 TAC 114.512 limits commercial heavy-duty vehicle idling to five minutes. Locally adopted by…

TCEQ TPDES construction general permit TXR150000 requires erosion controls for sites disturbing 1+ acre. Dallas County SWMP covers construction site runoff control. Storm Water…

Texas has no statewide cool roof mandate, and Dallas County applies cool roof specifications only to its own facilities through capital project standards. Private buildings follow the…

Discarding refuse on county-owned land, utility easements, or any property not authorized for it is a public nuisance under Sec. 34-93. Nuisance Abatement staff investigate and can…

No county bulk pickup service. Private haulers may offer bulk pickup for additional fee. Illegal dumping of bulk items prohibited under TX HSC Section 365.012 with penalties scaling by…

No county trash collection service. Residents must contract with private waste haulers. TX HSC Chapter 343 requires rubbish not accumulate to nuisance levels. Illegal dumping…

Dallas County's Nuisance Abatement Division enforces a set list of public nuisances in the unincorporated area: overgrown weeds, accumulated junk, unsanitary conditions, unsafe…

Dallas County residents can report a suspected public nuisance verbally or in writing to the Nuisance Abatement Division, or the county can catch it during a routine field inspection…

Dallas County must investigate a reported nuisance within seven days under Sec. 34-141(b). Once a violation is confirmed, the owner gets 30 days to abate it, and the county reinspects…

Burning combustible material outside a spark-containing enclosure is a misdemeanor in unincorporated Dallas County under Sec. 38-1, fined up to $1,000. On state ozone-alert days, Sec…

Unincorporated Dallas County bans burning combustible material outside an enclosure that contains all flames and sparks, so an open fire pit without a screen or containment violates…

Outdoor burning is prohibited in unincorporated Dallas County unless a daily burn permit is issued by the Dallas County Fire Marshal. Burns must be at least 300 ft from any building…

TX Local Government Code Section 352.051 allows county commissioners to restrict fireworks in unincorporated areas during drought or disaster. TX Occupations Code Chapter 2154 governs…

Dallas County's outdoor-burning ban under Sec. 38-1 expressly exempts charcoal grills, so grilling is allowed without the enclosure requirement that applies to open fires. The county…

Dallas County outright bans keeping any dangerous wild animal, as that term is defined under Texas Health and Safety Code chapter 822, subchapter E, anywhere in the county. Owning…

No county breed-specific legislation. Texas has no statewide breed ban. TX HSC Chapter 822 regulates dangerous dogs based on behavior, not breed. Counties cannot enact breed…

Texas has no statewide spay-neuter mandate, and Dallas County does not require sterilization. Cities choose their own rules: Dallas requires intact-pet permits, while many suburbs and…

No county beekeeping restrictions. TX Agriculture Code Chapter 131 governs apiary registration statewide. Beekeepers must register hives with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service. No…

No county livestock restrictions. Texas counties cannot zone or restrict agricultural activity. TX Agriculture Code and TX Animal Health Commission govern livestock health, disease…

Native birds are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 64. Dallas County has no separate bird ordinance. Removing nests, eggs, or…

Dallas County requires dogs on leash in public. Off-leash in designated parks only. License and rabies vaccination required. TX HSC §822.013 covers dogs at large.

Dallas County has no dedicated cat ordinance. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 826 mandates rabies vaccination for cats over four months. Dallas County HHS oversees rabies control…

Texas does not prohibit retail pet sales statewide, and Dallas County imposes no countywide pet-store sourcing ban. Dallas City Code Section 7-3.1 limits retail sales to rescue and…

Dallas County has no county-specific hoarding ordinance. Texas Penal Code 42.092 governs cruelty to non-livestock animals; Dallas County Sheriff investigates in unincorporated areas…

No county pool construction permit for residential pools. Dallas County Fire Code applies only to commercial and multi-family 4+ unit structures. TX HSC Chapter 757 pool barrier…

TX Health and Safety Code Chapter 757 requires pool enclosures for residential pools deeper than 18 inches. Minimum 48-inch fence height. Self-closing, self-latching gates with latches…

No county industrial noise ordinance. TCEQ 30 TAC Chapter 101 addresses general air quality complaints but does not set specific industrial noise limits. TX Penal Code Section 42.01…

No state or county regulation on construction hours in unincorporated areas. Texas has no statewide construction-hours law and counties cannot enact noise ordinances. Only TX Penal…

No county outdoor music regulations. No permit requirements, no time restrictions, no decibel limits. Only TX Penal Code Section 42.01 applies if noise is unreasonable. Deed…

No county or state regulation on leaf blower use in unincorporated Dallas County. Texas counties lack authority to enact noise ordinances. Only TX Penal Code Section 42.01 applies if…

No county signage ordinance for home businesses. Texas counties cannot regulate signs through zoning. TX Transportation Code restricts signs on state highway rights-of-way. HOA…

Dallas County does not license or zone home daycares: child-care regulation is handled by Texas DFPS / HHSC under Tex. Human Resources Code Ch. 42. Care for up to 3 unrelated children…

No county generator noise ordinance. No time-of-use restrictions or decibel limits. TX Penal Code Section 42.01 applies to unreasonable noise. Generators unregulated at county level.

No county HVAC noise ordinance. Texas counties cannot enact noise regulations. Only TX Penal Code Section 42.01 applies if unreasonable. No setback or sound barrier requirements for…

Texas Health and Safety Code section 361.0961 preempts cities and counties from regulating containers and packages, which the Texas Supreme Court Laredo case extends to polystyrene…

Texas Health and Safety Code section 361.0961 and the 2018 Laredo Supreme Court decision preempt city and county regulation of single-use packaging, which restaurant lawyers extend to…

The Texas Supreme Court ruling in City of Laredo v. Laredo Merchants Association (2018) invalidated municipal plastic-bag bans under Health and Safety Code section 361.0961. Dallas…

FAA regulations govern recreational drone use. Texas Government Code Chapter 423 preempts local drone ordinances. Counties cannot create separate drone rules. FAA TRUST test required…

TX HSC Chapter 343 nuisance abatement applies to vacant lots: weeds over 36 inches, rubbish accumulation, and stagnant water within 300 ft of a residence are nuisances. Dallas County…

TX HSC Chapter 343 declares certain property conditions public nuisances: junk vehicles, excessive weeds, rubbish accumulation, stagnant water. Dallas County DUAS enforces nuisance…

No county fence neighbor dispute ordinance. Texas is not a shared-fence-cost state. TX Property Code governs boundary disputes. Fence placement disputes are civil matters between…

No county fence height restrictions. Texas counties cannot zone or regulate fence heights. No permit required for residential fences. HOA/deed restrictions are the primary constraint…

No county fence material restrictions. Only pool barriers have state material restrictions (no chain-link per TX HSC Ch. 757). HOA architectural standards may restrict materials in…

Dallas County does not run a turf replacement rebate, but member cities and water utilities including Dallas, Frisco, and Plano offer SmartScape and turf-conversion incentives…

Texas has no statewide E-Verify requirement for private employers. State agencies and contractors must use E-Verify under a 2014 executive order. Dallas County requires it for its own…

Texas SB 4 (2017) prohibits any county, city, or sheriff from adopting sanctuary policies or refusing ICE detainers. Dallas County is not a sanctuary jurisdiction and the Sheriff…

Dallas County Health and Human Services Vector Control monitors rodents and mosquitoes countywide, while Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 343 lets the county abate rodent harborage…

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 438 requires food handlers to complete an accredited course within sixty days of hire. DCHHS verifies cards and Certified Food Manager credentials…

Texas Property Code Chapter 92 makes landlords statewide responsible for habitable rentals including bed bug remediation. DCHHS responds to complaints in unincorporated Dallas County…

Texas Transportation Code 552.005 requires pedestrians crossing outside marked crosswalks to yield right-of-way to vehicles in Dallas County. There is no specific jaywalking offense…

Passive panhandling is constitutionally protected speech in Texas after Reed v. Town of Gilbert. Aggressive panhandling that touches, blocks, or threatens a person can be charged as…

Texas has no statewide outdoor smoking ban; the Smoke-Free Workplace framework reaches indoor public places only. Dallas County does not regulate outdoor smoking countywide. Cities…

Texas Local Government Code 250.008 lets counties regulate noise only in unincorporated areas. Dallas County's Sheriff enforces state Penal Code 42.01 disorderly conduct (unreasonable…

Texas does not have a stand-alone public urination statute, but Penal Code 42.01 disorderly conduct and 21.08 indecent exposure cover the conduct in Dallas County. The Dallas County…

Texas amended IRC R313 to make residential fire sprinklers optional for one- and two-family homes. Dallas County does not require home sprinklers in unincorporated areas, but…

Daycare centers in Dallas County must be licensed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Child Care Regulation division. Dallas County HHS handles local sanitation…

Texas strongly supports rainwater harvesting. TX Water Code Section 16.0121 promotes collection. TX Property Code Section 202.007 prohibits HOAs from banning rainwater harvesting…

Dallas County does not regulate artificial turf on residential property in unincorporated areas. State law under Texas Property Code 202.007 limits an HOA's ability to ban synthetic…

Dallas County does not regulate residential planting choices in unincorporated areas, and Texas Property Code 202.007 bars HOAs from banning drought-tolerant landscaping, including…

TX HSC Chapter 343 declares weeds over 36 inches within 300 ft of a residence a public nuisance. Weeds creating unsanitary conditions (mosquito/rodent habitat) are also nuisances…

TX Property Code Section 202.010 prohibits HOAs from banning solar energy devices. HOAs may require prior approval but cannot unreasonably deny. Solar roof tiles included per HB 431…

No county permit specifically for solar panel installation on residential properties. TX Property Code Section 202.010 protects homeowners from HOA bans on solar devices. Utility…

Tobacco, cigar, and e-cigarette retailers in Dallas County must hold a Texas Comptroller permit under Tax Code Chapters 154 and 155 and Health & Safety Code Chapter 161. Dallas County…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1956 governs crafted-metal dealers (gold and silver buyers) statewide with DPS registration. Dallas County does not license general secondhand dealers…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 455 makes massage therapy a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation program; Dallas County does not issue its own massage licenses. The Dallas…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2308 makes the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation the sole licensing authority for tow operators and vehicle storage facilities in Dallas…

Texas counties have very limited zoning power, so Dallas County does not run a sexually oriented business licensing program. Each Dallas County city, including Dallas, Irving, Garland…

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 146 requires every tattoo and body-piercing studio in Dallas County to hold a Texas Department of State Health Services license. Dallas County HHS…

Pawnbrokers in Dallas County are licensed under Texas Finance Code Chapter 371 by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC). The county adds no parallel license, but the Dallas…

Cannabis home cultivation is illegal in Texas. TX HSC Chapter 481 classifies marijuana as a Schedule I substance. No county exception. Possession of any amount is a criminal offense…

Dallas County has no recreational cannabis dispensary buffer-zone rules because Texas does not allow recreational dispensaries. Compassionate Use Program (CUP) sites face no…

Texas has no recreational cannabis program, so no social-equity licensing exists in Dallas County. The state's narrow Compassionate Use Program (CUP) licenses three dispensing…

Texas prohibits all personal cannabis cultivation. Growing even one plant violates TX Health and Safety Code Section 481.120, treated as possession with intent to deliver based on…

Hemp and CBD retail in Dallas County operates under standard commercial zoning per TX Agriculture Code Chapter 122, which permits hemp-derived sales. Recreational cannabis dispensaries…

Texas prohibits all recreational cannabis delivery. Compassionate Use Program low-THC products may be delivered to qualifying patients only by the three licensed dispensing…

Dallas County designates historic markers and monuments through its 15-member Historical Commission, not through a zoning or landmarks board. A state historical marker cannot be…

California's Mills Act does not exist in Texas. Texas Tax Code Section 11.24 lets cities and counties exempt part or all of designated historic property's appraised value from local…

No county ordinance restricting garage sale signs on private property. TX Transportation Code prohibits signs on state highway ROW. Signs on county road ROW may be removed. HOA rules…

No county regulation on holiday displays. TX Property Code Section 202.011 limits HOA authority over religious displays (25 sq ft per door). First Amendment protects seasonal…

TX Transportation Code Chapter 683 governs abandoned and junked vehicles statewide. TX HSC Chapter 343 declares junk vehicles within 300 ft of a residence a public nuisance. Dallas…

Texas Transportation Code Section 544.011 gives official painted curb markings the force of regulatory signs across all of Dallas County. Red curbs prohibit stopping; yellow indicates…

TX Transportation Code §545.307 allows restricting commercial vehicle parking on residential streets 10 PM-6 AM where posted (requires 25% resident petition). No county ordinance…

General parking on county roads governed by TX Transportation Code. No county-specific parking ordinance. Dallas County Sheriff enforces state traffic law. TX Trans Code §545.307…

No county overnight parking restrictions. Texas counties cannot enact parking ordinances for public roads beyond state law. Overnight parking on private property is unrestricted…

TX Property Code Chapter 209 governs HOA assessments. Liens allowed for unpaid assessments but foreclosure requires specific procedures including notice and payment plan offers. County…

Texas law requires HOAs to provide written architectural guidelines and fair review procedures, with statutory protections for solar, flags, and xeriscape.

Texas HOAs must follow strict notice, hearing, and fine procedures before enforcing covenants, with mandatory cure periods for most violations.

TX Property Code Chapters 202 and 209 govern POA procedures statewide. HOAs must provide open board meetings, annual meetings, and financial reports. County has no role in HOA…

Dallas County's 7% Hotel Occupancy Tax under Texas Tax Code Chapter 352 applies only to lodging in unincorporated Dallas County. City hotels in Dallas, Irving, Garland, and other…

Federal Tobacco 21 (PL 116-94) and Texas Health and Safety Code section 161.082 ban sale of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapor products, and any tobacco to anyone under 21 in Dallas…

Texas House Bill 1771 (2023), codified at Health and Safety Code section 161.0876, preempts cities and counties from restricting flavored tobacco, menthol cigarettes, or vape flavors…

Texas does not grant counties general Euclidean zoning authority. Dallas County has minimal unincorporated land, so agricultural zoning decisions largely fall to cities. Local…

Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 251, the Right to Farm Act, protects established agricultural operations from nuisance suits when neighbors arrive after farming began. Dallas County…

Texas Tax Code Chapter 171 imposes a single state franchise tax on most businesses operating in Dallas County. Texas does not allow city or county business gross-receipts taxes, so…

Dallas County has no solicitor permit requirement for unincorporated areas. Door-to-door solicitation is governed by state consumer protection laws. Texas counties lack authority to…

Dallas County has no 'no-knock' registry or ordinance for unincorporated areas. 'No Soliciting' signs on private property are enforceable through Texas criminal trespass law…

Dallas County does not operate a countywide bicycle network. Bike lanes are designed and maintained by individual cities and TxDOT on state highways. DART runs regional transit, and…

No county garage sale ordinance. No permit required, no frequency limits, no time restrictions. TX Tax Code requires sales tax collection for regular sellers. HOA rules may restrict…

Texas is a one-party consent state. Under Texas Penal Code §16.02, only one party to a conversation must consent to recording. This applies to both in-person conversations and phone…