Is your Dallas rental truly ready for tenants and inspections? Keeping a property compliant protects your investment, prevents fines, and creates a safer home for your residents. If you manage a house, duplex, condo, or an apartment community in the City of Dallas, you must meet local minimum standards and your state obligations. This guide gives you a clear checklist, the key thresholds, and what to expect from registration and inspections. Let’s dive in.
Dallas rules at a glance
Dallas rentals are governed by two layers of requirements you must follow at the same time:
- City of Dallas minimum property standards under Chapter 27 of the Dallas City Code. These are Dallas-specific rules Code Compliance enforces, including inspections and temperature thresholds. Review the official code in Dallas Chapter 27.
- Texas landlord–tenant law under the Texas Property Code, Chapter 92. These are statewide duties, such as repairs, notice, and deposits. See the Texas Property Code, Chapter 92.
City programs you must know
- Multi-tenant properties: Apartments and other properties with multiple units must register and complete graded inspections. The City inspects at least once every three years and offers a Self-Certification option for high-scoring properties. Managers must keep contact info current with Code Compliance. Learn more on the City’s Multi-Tenant program page.
- Single-family rentals: Single-family homes, duplexes, and condo units must register annually and are inspected at least once every five years, with complaint-based inspections possible at any time. The program includes a required Owner Self-Inspection Checklist. Details are on the Single-Family Rental Program page.
Fees and forms
City registration fees and program details change from time to time. Always confirm current requirements and fee amounts on the City’s Multi-Tenant program page and the Single-Family Rental Program page before you pay.
Minimum standards you must meet
Dallas Chapter 27 requires you to keep every rental safe, sanitary, and in working order. Key items inspectors look for include:
- Structural soundness: Floors, foundations, roofs, stairs, rails, and guardrails must be secure and in good repair. See Dallas Chapter 27.
- Doors, windows, and security: Weather-tight openings with operable locks and secure exterior doors and windows. See Dallas Chapter 27.
- Plumbing and hot water: Working kitchen sink and at least one toilet, lavatory, and tub or shower, with potable water. Hot water must reach at least 110°F at the outlet as required by Dallas Chapter 27.
- Heating and cooling: Heat must maintain at least 68°F in habitable rooms. If you provide air conditioning, it must cool rooms to at least 15°F below the outside temperature and not above 85°F, subject to code exceptions. Standards are in Dallas Chapter 27.
- Electrical safety: No exposed wiring. Switches, outlets, and cover plates must be present and safe. See Dallas Chapter 27.
- Smoke alarms and CO: Install and maintain smoke alarms as required by state law and local code. Review the statewide rules in the Texas Property Code, Chapter 92.
- Pest control: Address insect or rodent infestations promptly. The City flags infestations during inspections. See the City’s Multi-Tenant program page.
- Exterior upkeep: Remove trash, mow high weeds, repair broken windows and decayed wood, and address pool and fence safety. See the City’s Multi-Tenant program page.
Pre-listing compliance checklist
Use this quick run-through before you advertise or sign a lease:
- Confirm and complete the correct City registration for your property type and keep proof of registration. Start on the Single-Family Rental Program page or the Multi-Tenant program page.
- Update leases with required notices and a clear address or contact for repair requests, consistent with the Texas Property Code, Chapter 92. Provide a lease in the tenant’s primary language on request if applicable under City provisions in Dallas Chapter 27.
- Test heat and, if present, air conditioning to meet Dallas performance standards in Chapter 27.
- Verify hot water reaches at least 110°F at the outlet per Chapter 27.
- Check plumbing for leaks, proper drainage, and required fixtures.
- Inspect electrical systems for missing cover plates or damaged components.
- Install and test smoke alarms and any required carbon monoxide devices. See Texas Property Code, Chapter 92.
- Confirm doors, windows, and locks operate correctly and meet security device duties under state law.
- Treat any pest issues and remove exterior debris; address pool and fence safety if present.
- Document the condition with photos, videos, and a signed move-in checklist.
- Set up 24-hour contact info for maintenance and keep it current with the City where required.
Handling repair requests the right way
Texas law requires you to act after proper notice from a tenant. When a tenant is current on rent and gives notice to the person or place where rent is paid, you must make a diligent effort to repair conditions that materially affect health or safety. The duty to repair is in the Texas Property Code, Chapter 92.
If you do not respond within a reasonable time, the statute provides tenant remedies, which can include repair-and-deduct within limits, rent reduction, court orders, and in some cases lease termination. Follow the notice and timing rules in the Texas Property Code, Chapter 92 to avoid disputes.
Passing City inspections
Expect graded inspections for multi-tenant properties and periodic inspections for single-family rentals. Fix violations promptly and keep records of the repairs. High-performing multi-tenant properties may qualify for a Self-Certification option, and the City has referenced a 90-plus inspection score as a benchmark in program materials. Check current rules on the Multi-Tenant program page.
Some issues fall outside Code Compliance, such as mold, inoperable elevators, evictions, and certain utility shutoffs tied to unpaid rent. For City enforcement scope and contacts, start with the Multi-Tenant program page.
Top violations to avoid
- Inoperable HVAC or failure to meet temperature standards
- Insufficient hot water
- Exposed wiring or missing electrical cover plates
- Missing smoke alarms
- Insect or rodent infestations
- Holes in walls, ceilings, or floors
- Broken doors or windows and unsound stairs or rails
- Trash overflow, high weeds, and pool safety issues
The City highlights these common problems in its program materials on the Multi-Tenant program page.
Security deposits in Texas
You must return a tenant’s security deposit or provide an itemized deduction list within 30 days after the tenant surrenders the property and gives a forwarding address. Review the timing and documentation guidance from the Texas State Law Library’s page on security deposit refunds.
Keep clean records
Good documentation protects you and speeds up compliance checks.
- Save registration confirmations, inspection reports, repair invoices, photos, and all tenant notices.
- Track HVAC filter changes, smoke alarm tests, and hot water settings.
- Keep management contact details current with the City and in your lease.
Ready to optimize your rental strategy or prepare a property for the market in Dallas or southern DFW? Reach out to Krissy Mireles for local guidance on buying, selling, or positioning an investment home with confidence.
FAQs
Dallas registration requirements for rentals
- Both multi-tenant and single-family rentals must register with the City program that applies to the property; start with the City’s Single-Family Rental Program page or Multi-Tenant program page.
Hot water temperature standard in Dallas rentals
- Dallas Chapter 27 requires hot water at a minimum of 110°F measured at the outlet; see Dallas Chapter 27.
Heat and A/C standards when tenants report issues
- You must act diligently after proper notice; heat must maintain at least 68°F and, if provided, A/C must cool per Chapter 27 standards; review Dallas Chapter 27 and the Texas Property Code.
Inspection frequency for Dallas rentals
- Multi-tenant properties are inspected at least once every three years and single-family rentals at least once every five years, with complaint-based inspections possible; see the City’s program pages.
Issues outside Dallas Code Compliance
- Mold, inoperable elevators, evictions, and certain utility shutoffs related to unpaid rent are outside Code Compliance’s direct enforcement; see the Multi-Tenant program page.
Security deposit return timeline in Texas
- Return deposits or provide an itemized deduction list within 30 days after surrender and receipt of a forwarding address; see the Texas State Law Library on security deposit refunds.
