Texarkana, TX Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Habitability score threshold
- 5.0 points per unit / 12 months
- Inspection authority
- Building official, any complex, any time
- Max penalty
- $2,000, each day a separate offense
- Governing code
- 2015 International Property Maintenance Code
- Worst-weighted defects
- Sanitation, fire, hazards, exits: 3-4 pts
Summary
Texarkana runs the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code on every rental and scores apartment complexes on 14 safety factors; a 12-month habitability score over 5.0 gets the whole complex declared a substandard public nuisance.
When the habitability score for any 12-month period exceeds 5.0, the entire apartment complex shall be deemed as substandard. All apartment complexes which are determined after inspection by the building official to be substandard are hereby declared to be public nuisances and shall be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition or removal in accordance with the procedures and public hearing before the building and standards commission as set forth in this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
The chief building official can inspect any apartment or multifamily complex at any time, scoring violations across 14 categories, sanitation, structural hazards, fire hazards, faulty construction, overcrowding, exits and more, worth one to four points each. Points from all inspections in a rolling 12-month period are totaled and divided by the number of units; once that habitability score tops 5.0, the whole complex is declared substandard and a public nuisance, triggering a hearing before the building and standards commission and possible repair, rehabilitation, demolition or occupant relocation orders.
Violations & Fines
Violating this article is a misdemeanor carrying up to a $2,000 fine, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense: plus the city can order repair, demolition, or tenant relocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my apartment complex's habitability score exceeds 5.0?
What sets Texarkana's minimum habitability standard for rentals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Texarkana
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Texarkana to another location·View the Texas rental property rules overview
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