Dallas County does not require short-term rentals to be primary residences. Texas counties lack the detailed residential-use zoning authority cities have, and no Texas statute imposes a statewide primary-residence STR rule. City-level rules in Dallas, Irving, and Plano vary; some are paused by litigation.
Primary-residence-only rules limit STRs to homes the operator actually lives in, banning whole-home investor STRs. Dallas County government has no such ordinance for unincorporated areas, which represent a small footprint within this densely incorporated county. TX Local Government Code Chapter 232 limits county authority to plat approval and certain subdivision standards, not residential-use zoning. The City of Dallas adopted Chapter 42B in 2023 with zoning that effectively pushed whole-home STRs toward primary residences; that ordinance was partly enjoined by a Dallas County district court in 2024. Cities like Plano and Grapevine have their own STR rules. The Texas Legislature has considered preemption bills limiting city STR authority, but none has fully passed.
Not applicable at the county level. Investor-owned STRs in unincorporated areas face no county primary-residence requirement. City violations are enforced by each municipality's code compliance staff under municipal STR ordinances.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Carrollton, TX
Carrollton prohibits storing abandoned, inoperable, or unregistered vehicles on public streets or visible on private property. Vehicles may be tagged and tow...
Carrollton, TX
Carrollton regulates electric vehicle charging infrastructure for residential and commercial properties. Building codes may require EV-ready parking in new c...
Carrollton, TX
Carrollton regulates overnight parking on public streets. Many areas restrict parking between certain hours or require permits for overnight street parking.
Carrollton, TX
Carrollton requires pool barriers meeting safety codes to prevent drowning. Fences must be at least 4 to 5 feet tall with self-closing, self-latching gates.
Carrollton, TX
Carrollton requires permits for retaining walls above a certain height, typically 4 feet. Engineering review may be required for taller walls.
Carrollton, TX
Carrollton restricts or prohibits intentional feeding of wildlife including deer, coyotes, and bears. Feeding wildlife creates public safety hazards and nuis...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Dallas County.
See how Carrollton's primary-residence-only rule rules stack up against other locations.
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