Austin, Texas: which zones SB 840 and SB 15 may open
Two Texas laws from 1 Sep 2025 make cities like Austin allow more homes. This page lists every Austin zone we read, by our check's answer.
Not legal advice; confirm with the city.
Run the free check
It reads the city's zoning map at the site and the distance rules. You get both laws' answers, each with its sources. The best answer is Likely. It is a screen, not a promise.
SB 840: homes in commercial zones
SB 840 makes a covered city allow apartments or mixed use where offices or shops are allowed. These are Austin's zones, from the City's code.
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Check the airport, military base and heavy-industry distances (Planner check needed).
Likely 12 zones
The zoning test points to yes. The free check still reads the site itself and the distance rules.
| Zone | City's code | Why |
|---|---|---|
| NO | §25-2-93 | NO allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| LO | §25-2-94 | LO allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| GO | §25-2-95 | GO allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| LR | §25-2-97 | LR allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| GR | §25-2-98 | GR allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| CBD | §25-2-100 | CBD allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| DMU | §25-2-101 | DMU allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| W/LO | §25-2-102 | W/LO allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| CS | §25-2-103 | CS allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| CS-1 | §25-2-104 | CS-1 allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| CH | §25-2-105 | CH allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
| IP | §25-2-123 | IP allows offices and shops, so SB 840 opens it to homes. |
Planner check needed 11 zones
A planner must read more before you rely on it.
| Zone | City's code | Why |
|---|---|---|
| CR | §25-2-96 | This zone allows only recreation and arts businesses, not offices or shops, so a planner confirms SB 840 applies. |
| L | §25-2-99 | This zone allows offices and shops only with a conditional use permit, so a planner confirms SB 840 applies. |
| R&D | §25-2-602 | This zone's uses are set by its own zoning ordinance. Read the ordinance. |
| AV | §25-2-622 | This is an airport zone, inside the 3,000 ft airport rule. Read the zoning ordinance. |
| PUD | §25-2-144 | A planned unit development sets its own uses. Read this PUD's ordinance. |
| P | §25-2-624 | A public zone allows businesses only alongside a public use. Read the zoning ordinance. |
| TOD | §25-2-147 | This transit district has its own use table. Read its station area plan. |
| NBG | §25-2-148 | North Burnet/Gateway has its own use table. Read its regulating plan. |
| ERC | §25-2-149 | East Riverside Corridor has its own use table. Read its regulating plan. |
| TN | §25-2-146 | A traditional neighborhood district has its own rules (Chapter 25-3). Read them. |
| TND | §25-2-146 | A traditional neighborhood district has its own rules (Chapter 25-3). Read them. |
Not covered 2 zones
SB 840 doesn't apply in these zones.
| Zone | City's code | Why |
|---|---|---|
| MI | §25-2-124 | MI allows heavy industry, so SB 840 doesn't apply here. |
| LI | §25-2-125 | LI allows heavy industry, so SB 840 doesn't apply here. |
No verdict 19 zones
SB 840 doesn't open these zones, so there's no verdict.
| Zone | City's code | Why |
|---|---|---|
| LA | LA allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| RR | RR allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| SF-1 | SF-1 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| SF-2 | SF-2 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| SF-3 | SF-3 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| SF-4A | SF-4A allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| SF-4B | SF-4B allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| SF-5 | SF-5 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| SF-6 | SF-6 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| MF-1 | MF-1 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| MF-2 | MF-2 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| MF-3 | MF-3 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| MF-4 | MF-4 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| MF-5 | MF-5 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| MF-6 | MF-6 allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| MH | MH allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| DR | DR allows homes but no offices or shops, so SB 840 doesn't open it. | |
| AG | Agricultural zoning: there's no verdict. | |
| UNZ | This land is unzoned, so there's no verdict. |
- Austin's code as published on Municode (no supplement date shown); §25-2-491's history ends 2014: Planner check needed.
- Austin hasn't published its own SB 840 changes on Municode, as read on 1 Nov 2026.
- SB 840 counts 3 or more homes as multifamily. Austin's code says 4 or more, but the state's 3 governs here.
- The 1,000 ft rule is about an existing heavy industrial use or site, not zoning. A heavy-industry zone nearby is only a hint.
- City limits come from the address. Check the site is inside Austin's city limits.
SB 15: small lots on 5-acre tracts
SB 15 caps lot size on new single-family tracts of 5 acres or more. This is the zoning test only.
Find 5-acre tracts in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso: 1 credit a tract checked.
Sign in, then run the SB 15 check on an address in one of those cities. The finder opens under its answer. New here? Create a free account.
Likely 8 zones
The zoning test points to yes. A site still needs 5 acres or more, no recorded plat and the distance checks.
| Zone | City's code |
|---|---|
| LA | §25-2-53 |
| SF-1 | §25-2-55 |
| SF-2 | §25-2-56 |
| SF-3 | §25-2-57 |
| SF-4A | §25-2-58 |
| SF-4B | §25-2-59 |
| SF-5 | §25-2-60 |
| SF-6 | §25-2-61 |
Planner check needed 13 zones
A planner must read more before you rely on it.
| Zone | City's code | Why |
|---|---|---|
| CBD | §25-2-100 | This land is zoned CBD. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
| DMU | §25-2-101 | This land is zoned DMU. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
| R&D | This land is zoned R&D, which sets its own uses by ordinance. Read the ordinance (Planner check needed). | |
| PUD | This land is zoned PUD, which sets its own uses by ordinance. Read the ordinance (Planner check needed). | |
| P | This land is zoned P, which sets its own uses by ordinance. Read the ordinance (Planner check needed). | |
| RR | §25-2-54 | This land is zoned RR. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
| MF-1 | §25-2-62 | This land is zoned MF-1. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
| MF-2 | §25-2-63 | This land is zoned MF-2. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
| MF-3 | §25-2-64 | This land is zoned MF-3. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
| MF-4 | §25-2-65 | This land is zoned MF-4. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
| MF-5 | §25-2-66 | This land is zoned MF-5. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
| MF-6 | §25-2-67 | This land is zoned MF-6. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
| DR | §25-2-143 | This land is zoned DR. Austin's code allows single-family homes here, but doesn't name it a single-family district (Planner check needed). |
Doesn't fit 22 zones
SB 15 covers only areas zoned for single-family homes.
| Zone | City's code |
|---|---|
| NO | |
| LO | |
| GO | |
| LR | |
| GR | |
| W/LO | |
| CS | |
| CS-1 | |
| CH | |
| IP | |
| MI | |
| LI | |
| CR | |
| L | |
| AV | |
| TOD | |
| NBG | |
| ERC | |
| TN | |
| TND | |
| MH | |
| AG |
No verdict 1 zone
There's no verdict for these zones.
| Zone | City's code | Why |
|---|---|---|
| UNZ | This land shows no city zoning, so there's no verdict. |
Sources
The City's code and zoning map, as our check reads them:
- Austin Land Development Code, §25-2-491 (Municode), read 1 Nov 2026
- City of Austin, Zoning (Small Map Scale), read 1 Nov 2026
- City of Austin, Jurisdictions, data of 30 Oct 2026
- Travis Central Appraisal District parcels (Travis County TNR)
- City of Austin, Subdivision (recorded subdivision boundaries), data of 30 Oct 2026
- City of Austin, Lot ID, data of 31 Oct 2026
- Travis County Clerk, official public records
The state laws: Local Government Code Chapter 218 and Chapter 211, on statutes.capitol.texas.gov.
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Not legal advice; confirm with the city.