Dallas-Fort Worth

In Dallas County, PowerToChoose shows Oncor as the delivery utility for ZIP codes such as 75201 and 75225, where residents choose a retail electric provider. A ZIP result can't confirm who serves one address, so check yours at PowerToChoose.org. Garland is the main Dallas County exception: city-owned Garland Power & Light serves about 85% of its residents. Denton has its own city utility, Denton Municipal Electric, and the City of Weatherford runs Weatherford Electric. CoServ Electric, a member-owned cooperative, serves parts of Collin and Denton counties, and co-op areas are outside retail choice unless the co-op opts in.

The North Texas Municipal Water District is the wholesale supplier for Collin County member cities including Allen, Frisco, McKinney and Plano. Watering rules are set city by city: as standing year-round rules, Dallas and Fort Worth both bar sprinkler watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Fort Worth allows none on Mondays.

Hail is part of the local record. The May 5, 1995 Mayfest storm dropped softball-size hail and caused an estimated $2 billion in damage in Tarrant and Dallas counties, and tornadoes struck Fort Worth and Arlington on March 28, 2000. The roofing guide covers how a Texas roof claim is paid. In Tarrant County the Texas A&M Forest Service confirmed the emerald ash borer in December 2018, around Eagle Mountain Lake; see the tree service guide before you hire for ash trees.

Outside city limits the counties differ sharply. Unincorporated Tarrant County requires no residential building permits and enforces no zoning, though homes built for resale need a posted notice and inspection. Parker County issues no building permits or certificates of occupancy. Rockwall County goes the other way: all contractors working there must register with the county and show their Texas state license and Texas driver's license.

Inside cities, registration is a city matter. Dallas registers contractors who pull permits, Arlington requires general and construction contractors to register before a building permit, and Fort Worth charges $168.75 a year for building, plumbing/irrigator, sign, moving and wrecking contractors. Ask for the registration along with the state license; the plumbing guide explains the license side.

Each county has its own appraisal district: Dallas Central (DCAD), the Tarrant Appraisal District, Collin Central, the Parker County Appraisal District and the Central Appraisal District of Johnson County in Cleburne, while Denton County points owners to dentoncad.com. Under Texas law a protest is generally due by May 15 or 30 days after the appraisal notice is delivered, whichever is later; DCAD's 2026 deadline for real property was May 15, 2026.

Dallas County places

The Dallas County Appraisal Review Board received more than 250,000 protests for 2026.

• Dallas
• Preston Hollow (Dallas neighborhood)
• Highland Park
• Garland
• Irving
• Mesquite
• Grand Prairie
• Carrollton
• Richardson

Tarrant County places

• Fort Worth
• Arlington
• Bedford
• North Richland Hills
• Southlake
• Grapevine

Collin County places

Septic repairs in Collin County that touch half or more of an existing system must be permitted as a new system.

• Plano
• Frisco
• McKinney
• Allen
• Prosper

Denton County places

• Denton
• Lewisville
• Flower Mound
• Little Elm
• Highland Village
• Corinth
• Lantana
• Argyle
• Double Oak

Rockwall County places

The City of Rockwall lies entirely within Rockwall County.

• Rockwall

Parker County places

• Weatherford

Johnson County places

Burleson sits partly in Johnson County and partly in Tarrant County, so check which appraisal district values your address.

• Burleson