Fort Worth, Texas residential lease guide: registration, Oncor, eight JP courts

Fort Worth splits rental registration by unit count and by conduct. Three or more units on a tract means annual registration at $13 per unit under the Multifamily Inspection & Registration Program; a one- or two-family rental is registered only if it has “fire safety and/or public health and sanitation code violations,” at $200 per unit with violations, or if it sits in the TCU overlay district (Rental Registration, Multifamily program). Around that sit the usual North Texas facts: Oncor delivers the electricity and the tenant chooses the provider, Fort Worth Water is the city’s own utility, and Tarrant County has eight justice courts, one per precinct. The city also extends into Denton, Parker and Wise counties. The sections below give each point its source as read in September 2026.

Registration and the clause that follows

The multifamily program defines its scope as “three or more units under the same roof (triplexes); three or more on one lot under the same ownership; or three or more units on connecting lots all owned by the same person,” with annual registration at a $13 flat fee per rental unit. It also carries the Crime-Free Multi-Housing rule: in a complex of eight or more units, property managers, assistant managers and leasing agents “authorized to execute a lease with prospective tenants … must attend an eight-hour training within six months of hire date” (Multifamily Inspection & Registration Program). For a house or duplex, registration is conduct-based — violations trigger it — and voluntary otherwise. Whichever applies, the lease should contain an access clause for city inspections on reasonable notice and should name the local contact the city can reach. See the Fort Worth registration guide for fees and the TCU overlay rule.

Electricity: Oncor delivers, the tenant chooses

Fort Worth lies in the ERCOT competitive area created by Utilities Code §39.102. Oncor Electric Delivery owns the lines and meters and points new customers to “Start New Electric Service: PowertoChoose.org,” because Oncor does not sell power. The utilities clause should say 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. A landlord who keeps the account and bills back must state the amount and method in writing.

Water: Fort Worth Water

Fort Worth Water is a city department “providing water, wastewater and reclaimed water services to a more than 1.4 million people in Fort Worth and surrounding communities,” reachable at 817-392-4477. Name it in the utilities clause and say whose name is on the account. For 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: eight courts, one per precinct

“There are eight Justice Courts in Tarrant County,” the county explains, each a trial court for civil cases up to $20,000 (Tarrant County — Justice of the Peace Courts). JP 4’s eviction page adds that “a claim for rent may be joined with an eviction case if the amount of rent due and unpaid is not more than $20,000” 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 late before the month of the notice. For an address in the Denton, Parker or Wise County part of the city, the court is that county’s.

Two more Fort Worth clauses

Short stays. Ordinance 26005-02-2023 amended Chapter 7 of the city code to regulate short-term rentals (ordinance text). The registration mechanics and fees were not verified on a current city page for this guide; a subletting clause requiring the owner’s written consent for any stay under 30 days keeps the decision with the owner.
Renter’s rights page. Code Compliance publishes a renter’s rights and guidelines page; tenants will read it, so the lease’s repair-reporting route should match what the city tells them to expect.

WHAT TO WRITE IN A FORT WORTH LEASE
Clause	What changes for a Fort Worth address	Source
Registration and access	3+ units: registered at $13 per unit; 1–2 units: registered at $200 per unit only with fire or sanitation violations; access clause for city inspections	Multifamily program · Rental Registration
Staff training	8+ units: leasing staff complete the 8-hour Crime-Free Multi-Housing training within 6 months	Multifamily program
Electricity	Tenant opens a retail electric account with any provider; Oncor delivers and handles outages	Oncor · Utilities Code §39.102
Water	Fort Worth Water account holder named; allocation method if master-metered	Fort Worth Water · 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

What changes in Fort Worth

Apartments of three or more units are registered at $13 per unit a year; houses and duplexes are registered ($200 per unit) only when they carry fire or sanitation violations, or sit in the TCU overlay.
Complexes of eight or more units must put leasing staff through an eight-hour Crime-Free Multi-Housing training.
Electricity is retail-choice through Oncor; water is the city’s own utility.
Tarrant County has eight justice courts, one per precinct; the county address directory tells you which.
Parts of the city lie in Denton, Parker or Wise County.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to register a rental house in Fort Worth?

Only if it has fire safety or public health and sanitation code violations — then registration is mandatory at $200 per unit with violations — or if it is in the TCU overlay district (Rental Registration). Otherwise registration is voluntary.

Can my tenant choose their electricity provider in Fort Worth?

Yes. Fort Worth is in the competitive area under Utilities Code §39.102; Oncor delivers the power and sends new customers to PowerToChoose.org to pick a retail provider (Oncor).

Where is an eviction filed in Fort Worth?

In the Tarrant County justice court of the precinct where the property is located — the county has eight (Tarrant County JP Courts). Use the county’s address directory to find the precinct; an address in the Denton, Parker or Wise County part of the city files there.

What is Crime-Free Multi-Housing in Fort Worth?

A city requirement that managers and leasing agents in complexes of eight or more units attend an eight-hour training within six months of hire (Multifamily Inspection & Registration Program).

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.