Texas SB 15, explained
SB 15 stops big Texas cities from requiring large lots on new single-family tracts of 5 acres or more. Here is what it says, section by section.
Not legal advice; confirm with the city.
SB 15 is Acts 2025, 89th Legislature, Regular Session, Chapter 1127. It took effect on 1 Sep 2025. It is now Local Government Code Chapter 211, Subchapter D.
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.
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What the law says
Each line is one section, cited to the official code on statutes.capitol.texas.gov. Each was read on the official site on 1 Nov 2026.
| Section | What it says |
|---|---|
| Local Government Code §211.052(a)(1) | Only cities over 150,000 people, wholly or partly in a county over 300,000 (2020 census). |
| Local Government Code §211.052(a)(2)(A) | Only an area zoned for single-family homes. |
| Local Government Code §211.052(a)(2)(B) | Only a tract of 5 acres or more. |
| Local Government Code §211.052(a)(2)(C) | Only a tract with no recorded plat, which will be platted. |
| Local Government Code §211.052(b)(1) | Not within 1 mile of a law-enforcement training centre campus, in a county of 2,600,000 or more. |
| Local Government Code §211.052(b)(2) | Not within 3,000 ft of an airport or military base. |
| Local Government Code §211.052(b)(3) | Not within 15,000 ft of a military base, where a military airport overlay zone is designated. |
| Local Government Code §211.054(1)(A) | The city must allow lots of 3,000 sq ft; it can't require bigger. |
| Local Government Code §211.054(1)(B) | It can't require a lot wider than 30 ft or deeper than 75 ft. |
| Local Government Code §211.055(a)(1) | On a lot of 4,000 sq ft or less: setbacks no more than 15 ft front, 10 ft rear, 5 ft sides. |
| Local Government Code §211.055(a)(2)–(4) | No more than 1 parking space a home, none covered, none off-site. |
| Local Government Code §211.055(a)(5) | No more than 30% open space or permeable surface. |
| Local Government Code §211.055(a)(6) | It must allow three full storeys, each up to 10 ft floor to ceiling. |
| Local Government Code §211.055(b) | The city may require a shared driveway, single-family permit fees and impact fees on each small lot. |
| Local Government Code §211.055(a-1) | The city may still require setbacks for environmental features, erosion or waterways. Check creek and floodplain setbacks on this tract (Planner check needed). |
| Local Government Code §211.055(c) | In an aquifer recharge zone, the city may require more than 30% open space. Check whether this tract is in one (Planner check needed). |
| Local Government Code §211.057 | Homeowners' association rules and deed restrictions still apply under SB 15. A title search shows whether any bind this tract (Planner check needed). |
What our check doesn't give
- SB 15 covers a tract that will be platted. You'd need to file a new subdivision plat with the city.
- The law sets no total height in feet (Planner check needed).
- No lot count is shown: it needs a cited share for streets and drainage, which we don't hold yet.
Which cities it covers
Only cities over 150,000 people, wholly or partly in a county over 300,000 (2020 census). That is 19 cities. We read zoning maps in 5 of them.
- Houston: Houston has no zoning, so SB 15 and SB 840 don't apply here; Houston's own lot rules do (Planner check needed).
- San Antonio: zone by zone
- Dallas: zone by zone
- Austin: zone by zone
- Fort Worth: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- El Paso: zone by zone
- Arlington: zone by zone
- Corpus Christi: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Plano: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Lubbock: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Irving: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Garland: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Frisco: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Grand Prairie: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- McKinney: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Brownsville: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Killeen: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Pasadena: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
- Mesquite: covered; our check doesn't read its maps yet.
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Not legal advice; confirm with the city.