Dallas, TX Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Dallas City Code §§ 27-30 to 27-42
- Who must register
- Non-owner-occupied single-family, duplex, condo rentals
- Annual fee (2025)
- $74 per single dwelling unit
- Registration term
- Expires one year after registration date
- Inspection
- Discretionary city inspection; self-certification optional
Summary
Owners of single-family and other non-owner-occupied rentals in Dallas must register each unit annually with Code Compliance before leasing. The 2025 fee is $74 per single dwelling unit and covers an initial inspection; owners can opt into voluntary self-certification instead of a mandatory city inspection.
(a) Rental properties and condominium associations must provide a complete registration to the director annually. (b) A registration application for a ... single dwelling unit rental property ... that was not previously required to register must be submitted before the owner leases the property .... (e) The annual registration fee for a single dwelling unit rental property is: ... (3) $74 on or after October 1, 2025 per single dwelling unit rental property.
Full Breakdown
Dallas City Code Chapter 27, Article VII requires every owner of a rental dwelling, including single-family houses, duplex units, and individual condos, to file a complete annual registration with the Code Compliance director before leasing (Sec. 27-31). The single dwelling unit fee is $74 as of October 1, 2025, and includes the initial inspection. Under Sec. 27-42, the director inspects single-family rentals whenever public health or safety warrants and runs random audits; owners can instead self-certify, inspecting each unit at every tenancy, keeping forms five years, and producing them within 72 hours on request. Operating or leasing an unregistered rental is a separate daily offense (Sec. 27-30).
Violations & Fines
Operating or leasing a dwelling unit without a complete, current registration is a separate criminal offense under Sec. 27-30, enforced by Dallas Code Compliance through notices of violation and citations, with each day a distinct offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to register a house I rent out in Dallas?
Does Dallas inspect single-family rentals?
Are any owners exempt from registration?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dallas
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Dallas to another location·View the Texas rental inspections overview
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Inspection Programs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle inspection programs.