Just cause eviction rules in Austin, TX — sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances — list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Austin City Code Chapter 4-14 (Ord. 20221027-023, Oct. 2022) requires landlords with 5+ units to give a 7-day notice of proposed eviction before any notice to vacate. Texas HB 2127 (eff. Sept. 1, 2023) preempts local eviction rules; the Third Court of Appeals upheld HB 2127 in July 2025.
Austin Ordinance 20221027-023 amended City Code Chapter 4-14 to require landlords to deliver a written notice of proposed eviction at least seven days before any notice to vacate, plus a tenant fact sheet. The pre-notice rule applies only to landlords owning five or more residential units (about 54% of Austin renter households). Exemptions: imminent physical-threat conduct, on-premises criminal activity, insured casualty loss making the unit unusable, and intentional damage. Texas HB 2127 (Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, the Death Star bill) took effect September 1, 2023, expressly preempting local property-code regulation including evictions. The Texas Third Court of Appeals upheld HB 2127 on July 18, 2025, so Chapter 4-14 remains on the books but its enforceability is in serious doubt.
Chapter 4-14 violations historically carried civil fines up to $500 per day under Code § 1-1-99. After the July 2025 Third Court of Appeals ruling upholding HB 2127, Austin's authority to enforce Chapter 4-14 is in serious doubt.
Austin, TX
Austin City Code Chapter 9-2 establishes citywide quiet hours from 10:30 PM to 7:00 AM, during which sound plainly audible across a property line in resident...
Austin, TX
Austin enforces Texas Transportation Code Chapter 683 and Austin City Code Chapter 12-5: a vehicle on public right-of-way is abandoned if inoperable for more...
Austin, TX
Austin Land Development Code Chapter 25-2 Subchapter F caps residential fences at 6 feet in side and rear yards and 4 feet in front yards without a permit. C...
Austin, TX
Austin City Code Chapter 3-4 requires dogs in public to be restrained on a leash no longer than 6 feet, with limited exceptions for designated off-leash area...
Austin, TX
Consumer fireworks are illegal to possess, use, or sell within Austin city limits. Violations can carry fines up to $2,000. Permits are issued only for profe...
Austin, TX
Austin imposes no general restriction on year-round lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays on private residential property. The sign code (LDC 25-10...
See how Austin's just cause eviction rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.