Tarrant County, TX Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)

902 preempts local rent control throughout the state, making it unlawful for Tarrant County or any city within the county to adopt an ordinance that regulates the amount of rent a landlord may charge tenants. The statute, enacted in 1987 and amended over time, states that a municipality or county may not enact an ordinance that controls the amount of rent charged for privately produced housing. A limited exception permits a local government to declare a housing emergency, with specific findings, and adopt temporary controls, but the emergency declaration process is narrow and rarely used.

The Texas Association of Realtors and landlord groups have successfully challenged attempts to enact rent control in various Texas cities. Landlords in unincorporated Tarrant County are therefore free to set rents at any market rate and to increase rents at lease renewal without any cap set by ordinance. Lease terms still govern the timing of increases during a lease period. Notices of rent increase must generally be given per the lease terms or, for month-to-month tenancies, typically at least 30 days in advance. Tenants who cannot afford rent increases may seek assistance from programs such as the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) or local nonprofits, but they cannot challenge the rent amount through a rent control mechanism.