How long does an eviction take in Dallas?
For unpaid rent in Dallas County, expect about 4 weeks from notice to lockout under Texas's deadlines, or 3 to 8.5 weeks if it's contested. Cases go to Dallas County Justice of the Peace Courts (eviction); Dallas County constables serve and enforce.
Not legal advice. Estimates from public sources, checked Oct 17, 2026. Laws vary by county and city; talk to a local attorney before you act.
The Dallas eviction timeline
These deadlines come from Texas law, as on the Texas page; we found no separate city notice period for nonpayment. City rules and court backlogs are below.
- 1
Notice to pay or leave
3 days3 days' notice to vacate (or to pay or vacate for first-time late payers) unless the lease says otherwise (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005)
- 2
File and get a judgment
10–21 days · typical 14No written answer usually required; hearing 10-21 days after filing
- 3
Judgment to lockout
7–14 daysWrit of possession no sooner than the 6th day after judgment; 24-hour warning before execution
- 4
If the tenant appeals
5-day window5 days to appeal; tenant must pay rent into the court registry to stay
Real-world court wait: we found no official or reputable statistic for this court, so the timeline is a rule-based estimate. unverified
Can the tenant pay and stay? First-time late payers get a pay-or-vacate notice; repeat late payers can get a plain notice to vacate. official source Source ↗
What an eviction costs in Dallas
Local court and marshal fees, plus national lawyer estimates. The calculator above adds them to your lost rent.
Court filing fee
Dallas County Justice Courts$54Dallas County JP courts charge $134 to file an eviction with service on one defendant: the $54 filing fee plus $80 constable service (2026 schedule)
Serving the tenant
Dallas County constables$80Dallas County constable service of an eviction (forcible entry and detainer) citation $80; $80 per extra defendant (effective Jan 1, 2026)
Sheriff or marshal lockout
Dallas County$405Writ of possession $405: $5 court fee + $400 constable service; constables add $50 per deputy-hour after two hours (2026 schedules)
Lawyer, uncontested case
National estimate$500–$1,500Flat fees commonly charged when the tenant doesn't fight it. Not specific to this city; big-city rates run higher.
Lawyer, contested case
National estimate$2,000–$5,000+When the tenant contests the case. Not specific to this city.
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2024, 1-year$1,599/moDallas median gross rent, ±$34; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro: $1,718 (±$13); Cook County $1,668 (±$20). The calculator starts here; change it to your rent.
City and state rules that change the answer
Each rule is tagged with whether it comes from city or state law.
Just-cause eviction rules: No state law
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Rent control or stabilization: No city law
Texas cities can't adopt rent control unless the governor approves it during a disaster-related housing emergency (Tex. Loc. Gov't Code § 214.902)
Right to counsel for tenants: No state law
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Seasonal or weather limits: No state law
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Required mediation or pre-filing program: No state law
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Relocation payments (no-fault evictions): No city law
None found in the city and state sources we checked
Local rules landlords often miss
No city pre-notice anymore: Dallas repealed its 2022 'notice of proposed eviction' ordinance (Ord. 32346) on Sept 10, 2025 (Ord. 33224)
No city pre-notice anymore: Dallas repealed its 2022 'notice of proposed eviction' ordinance (Ord. 32346) on Sept 10, 2025 (Ord. 33224).
Since Jan 1, 2026 (SB 38), constables must try to serve the eviction citation within 3 business days and execute a writ of possession within 3 business days
Since Jan 1, 2026 (SB 38), constables must try to serve the eviction citation within 3 business days and execute a writ of possession within 3 business days; if they don't, the landlord may use another qualified law-enforcement officer.
Summary disposition (new Rule 510.10, effective Jan 1, 2026): with a sworn petition the landlord can ask for judgment without a trial
Summary disposition (new Rule 510.10, effective Jan 1, 2026): with a sworn petition the landlord can ask for judgment without a trial; the tenant has 4 days after service to respond, and the judge holds a trial only if facts are genuinely disputed.
The writ of possession can't issue before the 6th day after judgment and must issue within 60 days (90 for good cause)
The writ of possession can't issue before the 6th day after judgment and must issue within 60 days (90 for good cause); it can't be executed after day 90 (Rule 510).
Dallas scores 89 out of 100
Same formula as the state score, with city and state protections counted together. The statewide Texas score is 89.
Dallas eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in Dallas?
For unpaid rent, about 4 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 3 to 8.5 weeks, based on Texas's notice and court deadlines. We found no official statistic on actual court wait times here, so this is a rule-based estimate.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Dallas?
The court filing fee is $54 (Dallas County Justice Courts). The sheriff or marshal lockout fee is $405 (Dallas County). Serving the tenant costs $80. Lawyer fees are extra (national rough estimate $500-$1,500 uncontested).
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Dallas?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in Dallas costs a landlord roughly $2,500 to $3,500: about 4 weeks of lost rent at the median rent of $1,599/month (about $1,500), court and service fees of about $539-$539, and lawyer fees of about $500-$1,500 (a national estimate). A contested case running about 8.5 weeks can pass $5,700. These are EvictionMath estimates (Census ACS 2024 rent); they leave out rent owed before the notice, turnover and re-rent time.
What tenant protections apply in Dallas?
We found no just-cause, rent-control or right-to-counsel rules.
Can a tenant in Dallas stop the eviction by paying?
First-time late payers get a pay-or-vacate notice; repeat late payers can get a plain notice to vacate.
What local rule do landlords in Dallas often miss?
No city pre-notice anymore: Dallas repealed its 2022 'notice of proposed eviction' ordinance (Ord. 32346) on Sept 10, 2025 (Ord. 33224).
Sources and last-checked dates
Not yet verified for Dallas: court wait. Fields we couldn't source are labeled unverified, never guessed. Download the data: cities.json · cities.csv.
- Notice periodofficial sourcestatutes.capitol.texas.gov ↗
- Court deadlinesofficial sourceguides.sll.texas.gov ↗
- Judgment to lockoutofficial sourcesll.texas.gov ↗
- Appealofficial sourcetarrantcountytx.gov ↗
- Filing feeofficial sourcedallascounty.org ↗
- Filing fee (backup)secondary sourcedallascounty.org ↗
- Service feeofficial sourcedallascounty.org ↗
- Lockout feeofficial sourcedallascounty.org ↗
- Lockout fee (backup)secondary sourcedallascounty.org ↗
- Right to cureofficial sourcestatutes.capitol.texas.gov ↗
- Rent controlofficial sourcelaw.justia.com ↗
- Median rentofficial sourcewww2.census.gov ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcefiles.amlegal.com ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcecapitol.texas.gov ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcetxcourts.gov ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcetxcourts.gov ↗
Get an email if Dallas's rules change
One short email when notice periods, fees or tenant protections change. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.