Galveston County sets no smoke-alarm ordinance. Statewide, Texas Property Code requires landlords to install at least one smoke alarm in each separate bedroom of a rental dwelling; new construction follows the adopted building code.
There is no county smoke-detector code because Texas counties cannot adopt building or housing codes for unincorporated areas. For rentals, statewide Property Code Ch. 92, Subchapter F controls: a landlord must install and maintain smoke alarms, and these duties override local ordinances. New homes and remodels are governed by the building code a city adopts (International Residential Code) or, for unincorporated construction, by any voluntarily adopted code and manufacturer/insurer requirements. Owner-occupied existing homes have no state retrofit mandate, though the state fire marshal strongly recommends alarms on every level and in each sleeping area.
A landlord who fails to install or repair required alarms faces tenant remedies under Property Code 92.259, including court orders, damages, and civil penalties.
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See how Galveston County's smoke detectors rules stack up against other locations.
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