Texas homeowners have some new laws, rights to know. Here’s what’s changed
Owning a home in Texas comes with more than just mortgage payments and maintenance — there’s also what insurance may or may not cover if you need it.
On top of that, new laws, court rulings and local policies are changing what homeowners can legally do and how fast certain property disputes can move through court.
Some of the changes may give homeowners more power, while others still come with legal risks.
Here’s a quick guide to a variety of rules, rights and protections that affect your home.
- A federal appeals court covering Texas recently struck down the nearly 158-year-old federal ban on home distilling, ruling it unconstitutional, but you still can’t fire up a still in your kitchen without federal approval and excise taxes paid to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, according to the ruling from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Texas property owners dealing with squatters got a faster legal path under Senate Bill 1333, which lets owners file an affidavit with the sheriff to have trespassers removed without going through full eviction proceedings, as outlined in the law that took effect in September 2025.
- Don’t try to handle a squatter yourself by changing locks, hauling out belongings or shutting off utilities — Texas law treats that as a self-help eviction and can backfire if the person turns out to have tenant rights, making court eviction the required route in landlord-tenant cases.
- Residential streets in Fort Worth default to a 30 mph speed limit under the Texas Transportation Code unless signs say otherwise, and neighbors who want speed cushions installed must go through the city’s Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program — which often requires signatures from two-thirds of property owners on the street, as explained by the City of Fort Worth.
- Finally, homeowners insurance generally covers burst pipes, roof damage and falling limbs when the damage is sudden and unexpected, but claims can be denied if insurers find negligence — like shutting off the heat or skipping pipe insulation, per guidance from the Texas Department of Insurance.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
Tiffani Jackson
Fort Worth Star-Telegram