Rental licence requirements in Dallas, TX

Requirements taken from official city sources, quoted and dated.

Yes — a licence or registration is required
ProgramSingle-Family Rental Registration and Inspection Program
Issuing departmentCode Compliance Services, Single Family Rental Program (3112 Canton Street, Dallas, TX 75226; 214-671-RENT / 214-671-7368; ccsrentalprogram@dallascityhall.com)

Apply on the city website →

Who must register

Owners of rental properties not occupied by the owner: single-family homes, duplex units and individual condominium units. Verbatim from the city's official FAQ: "All non-owner occupied structures, which include single family homes, duplex units, and individual condominium units." Registration is per unit: an Owner's Self Inspection Checklist is filed for each home / each duplex unit / each condo unit. EXEMPTIONS (an Affidavit of Exemption is filed): the property is not rented; the owner held a homestead exemption on the property within the last 2 years; the property was rented for no more than 30 days during the previous 12 months; the only occupants are relatives by blood or marriage. NOTE: the list of exemptions comes from the 2017 version of the FAQ PDF; its currency as of 2026 is not confirmed.

Fee

$74.00 — verbatim, "a non-refundable fee of $74.00 ... for each dwelling or unit", annually, for each home or unit. Effective October 1, 2025. There is no refund when the property is sold: "There are no refunds of registration fees for single family rental properties".

Renewal

Annually. The official program page: "required to register their properties annually". The older official FAQ adds that the registration is valid "for one year from the date of registration" and that the application is filed "60 days before the current registration expires" (wording from the 2017 version; verify before publication).

Inspection

Yes, at two levels. (1) An annual owner self-inspection: "an annual Owner's Self Inspection Checklist with the affidavit for each dwelling or unit". (2) A city inspection: "the City of Dallas will conduct an inspection at least once every five years, but not more frequently than once a year". It is performed by a City Code Officer and covers the interior, exterior and grounds. The number of complaint-based inspections is not limited. For properties with a clean record there is a Self-Certification Program (added to Ch. 27-42 in December 2021) that reduces the frequency of graduated inspections.

What tenants must receive

Language of the lease, verbatim from the city's official FAQ: "Upon the occupant's request, the written lease must be provided in the occupant's primary language if that is: English, Spanish, or Vietnamese." In addition, Chapter 27 defines a CRIME PREVENTION ADDENDUM as "an addendum to a residential lease or rental agreement for the use of rental property as required by Section 27-43 of this chapter" — the set of properties for which it is mandatory was not determined within this review.

Penalty for operating unlicensed

Verbatim from the city's official FAQ: "Failure to register a single family rental may result in a notice of violation by a City of Dallas Code Officer and citations may be issued if the property is not registered as required." Specific fine amounts are NOT stated on the public official pages and are deliberately not given here: a range of $200-$2000 appeared in search results, but it could not be confirmed on a city page.

What the ordinance says

From the official Code Compliance program page: "Beginning on October 1, 2025, owners of rental properties (single-family homes, duplexes, and condo units) in the City of Dallas will be required to register their properties annually by submitting an online registration application, a non-refundable fee of $74.00 and an annual Owner's Self Inspection Checklist with the affidavit for each dwelling or unit. The program also requires the City of Dallas to conduct a comprehensive inspection at least once every five years. (Ref: Chapter 27)" — Dallas City Code, Chapter 27 "Minimum Property Standards", Article VII (registration and inspection of rental property and condominiums); Sec. 27-42 — Self-Certification; Sec. 27-43 — Crime Prevention Addendum. The program was approved by City Council on 28.09.2016 and launched on 01.01.2017; the current procedure and fee took effect on 01.10.2025. The number of the specific registration section (presumably 27-40) is deliberately omitted — it is unconfirmed, see notes.

Source: https://dallascityhall.com/departments/codecompliance/Pages/single-family-program.aspx · checked 2026-08-14

This is a reference, not legal advice. City fees and rules change; confirm on the official page linked on each city before acting.

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