Arlington, Texas residential lease guide: STR zone, annual apartment inspections

Two Arlington rules reach into the lease. The first is about short stays: under Ordinance 19-014 a short-term rental — “any residential structure, or a portion thereof, used for lodging accommodations to occupants for a period of less than 30 consecutive days” — is allowed only in the RM-12 and RMF-22 residential districts, in non-residential and mixed-use districts for existing structures, and inside a designated STR Zone about a mile around the Entertainment District (City of Arlington — Short-Term Rentals). The second is about apartments: Code Compliance inspects every apartment complex and extended-stay property each year and charges the owner per unit (Multi-Family Property Inspection Program). Around those sit Oncor retail choice for electricity, a city water utility whose rates rose 6.37% for fiscal year 2027, and Tarrant County’s eight justice courts. Each point below carries the page it was read on in September 2026.

Subletting: the clause the STR Zone requires

Because the STR ordinance ties the use to zoning, a tenant who lists a house in an ordinary single-family district for weekend stays creates a zoning violation the owner answers for. The STR Zone is bounded on the north by E. Lamar Boulevard, on the west by Center Street, on the south by E. Abram Street and on the east by the southbound State Highway 360 frontage road, and the city publishes it as an open-data layer (Short Term Rental Zone). Outside that zone and the RM-12 and RMF-22 districts, the lease should simply prohibit stays of under 30 days. Inside it, a permit through ArlingtonPermits.com and liability insurance are required, and the owner — not the tenant — should be the permit holder. See the Arlington registration guide.

Electricity: Oncor delivers, the tenant chooses

Arlington is inside the ERCOT competitive area opened by Utilities Code §39.102; Oncor Electric Delivery owns the wires and directs new customers to “Start New Electric Service: PowertoChoose.org.” The utilities clause states that the tenant opens a retail electric account in the tenant’s name from the start date with any provider serving the address, and that outages are reported to Oncor. Bill-backs, if any, need the amount and method in writing.

Water: Arlington Water Utilities

Arlington Water Utilities is a city department providing water and sanitary sewer, with customer care at 817-275-5931, a 24-hour emergency line at 817-459-5900 and online service requests. The council’s fiscal-year 2027 budget raised “Water and Sanitary Sewer Fees: For the average residential user: a 6.37% increase to their monthly bill, resulting in an increase from $80.10 to $85.20” (City of Arlington, September 2026) — a figure worth knowing when the lease says who pays. In a master-metered building, Water Code §13.5031 requires the rental agreement to describe the allocation method and state the average unit bill.

Eviction venue: Tarrant County’s eight courts

“There are eight Justice Courts in Tarrant County,” each with civil jurisdiction to $20,000 (Tarrant County JP Courts); JP 4’s eviction page explains that a rent claim of up to $20,000 may be joined and that the county’s Comprehensive Address Information Directory identifies the precinct for an address (JP 4 — Eviction cases). Property Code §24.0041 fixes venue in that precinct since January 1, 2026, and §24.005 now requires a notice to pay rent or vacate for a tenant who was not previously late.

Apartments: annual inspection and the access clause

Code Compliance “inspects apartment complexes and extended stay properties in Arlington” every year, charging $22.36 per unit for apartment complexes and $86.04 per unit for extended-stay properties, with a $150 re-inspection fee, under the Uniform Housing Code chapter of the city code (Multi-Family Property Inspection Program). An apartment lease in Arlington should therefore carry an access clause for the annual city inspection on reasonable notice, and the on-site file should hold the current inspection report.

WHAT TO WRITE IN AN ARLINGTON LEASE
Clause	What changes for an Arlington address	Source
Subletting	No stays under 30 days unless the property is in the STR Zone, RM-12 or RMF-22 and the owner holds the permit	Short-Term Rentals · STR Zone map
Electricity	Tenant opens a retail electric account with any provider; Oncor delivers and handles outages	Oncor · Utilities Code §39.102
Water	Arlington Water Utilities account holder named; allocation method if master-metered	Arlington Water Utilities · Water Code §13.5031
Notices and venue	Tarrant County JP precinct from the address directory; pay-or-vacate notice for a first late payment	Tarrant County JP · Property Code ch. 24
Access (apartments)	Annual city inspection admitted on reasonable notice	Multi-Family Property Inspection Program

What changes in Arlington

Short-term rentals are confined to an STR Zone around the Entertainment District and to the RM-12 and RMF-22 districts — a house elsewhere cannot be listed for short stays.
Every apartment complex is inspected annually by the city at $22.36 per unit; extended-stay properties at $86.04.
Water and sewer bills rose 6.37% for the average residential user in the FY2027 budget.
Electricity is retail-choice through Oncor; the city sells the water.
Tarrant County’s eight justice courts, found through the county address directory.

Frequently asked questions

Can I rent my Arlington house on a short-term basis?

Only if it is in the STR Zone around the Entertainment District or in the RM-12 or RMF-22 zoning districts (or, for existing structures, a non-residential or mixed-use district), and only with a city permit and liability insurance (City of Arlington).

Can my tenant choose their electricity provider in Arlington?

Yes. Arlington is in the competitive area under Utilities Code §39.102; Oncor delivers and points new customers to PowerToChoose.org (Oncor).

Where is an eviction filed in Arlington?

In the Tarrant County justice court of the precinct where the property is located — one of eight (Tarrant County JP Courts). The county’s address directory gives the precinct.

Does Arlington inspect apartments every year?

Yes. Code Compliance’s Multi-Family Property Inspection Program inspects apartment complexes and extended-stay properties annually, at $22.36 and $86.04 per unit respectively (program page).

Sources

Rules change and the right answer can depend on the home, the city, the lease and the timing. These are the official pages this guide relies on; check them before signing, charging a fee, sending a notice or making a legal decision.

General information for U.S. landlords, with a Texas focus. This guide is not legal, tax or accounting advice. Consult a qualified professional for your situation. Written by the rentalfreelease.com Editorial Team; last reviewed September 19, 2026.