Dallas guide

How does renting an apartment in Dallas work?

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This article is part of our Moving to Dallas guide.

Last updated October 18, 2026

Renting an apartment in Dallas means picking from a large supply of mostly professionally managed complexes, paying a screening fee, signing a lease and setting up your own electricity. In October 2026, Apartments.com put the average one-bedroom at $1,407 a month and the average two-bedroom at $1,873. New supply has kept rents flat or falling, and more than half of Dallas-Fort Worth listings offered a move-in deal in August 2026.

Average 1-bedroom$1,407Dallas, Apartments.com, Oct 2026
Listings with a deal56.4%DFW studios to 2-beds, Realtor.com, Aug 2026
Deposit refund deadline30 daysafter move-out, Tex. Prop. Code 92.103
Late fee safe limit10%of rent, buildings with 5+ units, 92.019

How much does an apartment in Dallas cost in 2026?

Each source measures different listings, but the big sites line up closely:

UnitApartments.com (Oct 2026)RentCafe (Sept 2026)Zumper (Aug 2026)
Studio$1,264$1,245n/a
1 bedroom$1,407$1,417$1,270
2 bedrooms$1,873$1,858$1,810
3 bedrooms$2,360$2,249n/a

The trend is flat to down. Year over year, Apartments.com shows Dallas rent up 0.4% and RentCafe down 0.54%. Zumper’s medians fell faster: one-bedrooms down 13% and two-bedrooms down 13.4% from a year earlier. For the whole metro, Yardi Matrix put the average asking rent at $1,524 through May 2026, down 1.6% from a year earlier.

See what it costs to live in Dallas for the full budget and the best neighborhoods for newcomers for prices by area.

Why are so many Dallas apartments offering move-in deals?

Because Dallas built a lot of apartments, and owners are still filling them. Yardi Matrix counted 45,498 units under construction in the metro in mid-2026, with occupancy at 92.3% in April, down from a year earlier. Demand is strong, too: Northmarq reported nearly 20,000 units of net absorption in the first half of 2026, the most of any large U.S. market.

To compete, landlords offer concessions. Realtor.com found that 56.4% of studio, one- and two-bedroom listings in Dallas-Fort Worth offered one in August 2026, compared with 43.5% nationally. Common forms:

  • Free weeks or months of rent.
  • Waived fees, such as the application or admin fee.
  • Reduced deposits or free parking.

A deal often lowers the first year only, so ask what renewal rent will be. Get it in the lease, and ask whether you repay it if you leave early.

What happens when you apply for a Dallas apartment?

Large complexes follow a standard routine:

  1. Read the selection criteria. Texas law requires the landlord to make its written tenant selection criteria available when it hands you an application. It lists the reasons you can be turned down, such as criminal, rental or credit history and income.
  2. Pay the fees. Most properties charge a nonrefundable application fee per adult and an admin fee once you’re approved. Texas has no statewide cap on application fees, so ask for the total before you apply. If you’re rejected and never got the criteria, the landlord must refund the application fee.
  3. Prove your income. Each property sets a minimum, usually a multiple of the monthly rent. Pay stubs, bank statements or an offer letter are typical.
  4. Pass credit and background checks. The property pulls your credit, rental history and eviction records. A weak report may mean a larger deposit or a guarantor instead of a denial.
  5. Sign and pay move-in costs. Usually the deposit, first month’s rent and proof of renters insurance.

Should you use an apartment locator in Dallas?

Locators are common in Dallas. They send you complexes that fit your budget and area, and sometimes tour with you. The service is free to renters. The apartment community pays the locator a commission when you sign a lease. In Texas, a locator paid by an owner must hold a real estate broker or sales agent license, according to the Texas Real Estate Commission.

The upside is speed and local knowledge, useful if you’re moving from out of state. The trade-off is that locators mostly show buildings that pay commissions, so smaller landlords may not appear. Two tips:

  • Ask whether the list is limited to communities that pay the locator.
  • Name your locator on the application when it asks how you heard about the property, so the locator gets credit.

What does Texas law say about deposits, repairs and late fees?

Chapter 92 of the Texas Property Code sets the basic rules.

Security deposits

Texas sets no limit on how much a landlord can charge. The landlord must refund the deposit, or send an itemized list of deductions, within 30 days after you move out, once you give a forwarding address in writing. A landlord who misses that deadline is presumed to have acted in bad faith. Bad-faith withholding can cost $100 plus three times the amount kept and attorney’s fees.

Repairs

The landlord must make a diligent effort to fix conditions that materially affect an ordinary tenant’s health or safety, including hot water below 120°F. You must be current on rent and give notice where you pay rent, then follow up in writing (or send the first notice by certified or trackable mail). Seven days is presumed a reasonable time to repair. If the landlord still fails, remedies can include ending the lease or repairing and deducting the cost. Damage you or your guests cause is on you.

Late fees

A late fee must be in the written lease and can start only once rent is two full days late. A fee is presumed reasonable at up to 10% of the month’s rent in a building with more than four units, or 12% in a building with four or fewer.

Can you break a lease in Texas?

Usually only by paying a reletting fee or rent until the unit is re-rented. Texas law lets some renters leave early without owing future rent:

  • Family violence (92.016). You give a copy of a protective order, or documentation from a health care provider, mental health provider or advocate, plus 30 days’ written notice, then move out.
  • Sexual assault or stalking (92.0161), if it happened on the premises within the past six months.
  • Military service (92.017). Servicemembers and their dependents can end a lease for entering service, a permanent change of station or a deployment of 90 days or more.

If your lease fails to mention these rights, a tenant who uses them is also released from past-due rent.

What changed in Texas evictions in 2026?

Senate Bill 38, passed in 2025, speeds up eviction cases filed on or after January 1, 2026:

  • Notice to vacate is generally three days unless the lease says otherwise. It can be mailed, handed to someone 16 or older or left inside the unit; email counts only if you agreed in writing.
  • Trial must be held 10 to 21 days after the landlord files.
  • Appeals must be filed within five days, with a sworn statement that you aren’t appealing just to delay. You must pay rent into the court registry while the appeal is pending, or the landlord can get a writ of possession without a hearing.

If you get an eviction notice, contact legal aid right away.

What should you set up before move-in?

  • Electricity. Most of Dallas has a deregulated market. Oncor owns the lines and handles outages, but you pick a retail provider and plan. The Public Utility Commission of Texas runs PowerToChoose.org to compare plans.
  • Water, sewer and trash. Dallas Water Utilities serves the city. Large complexes often bill these back to you through a third-party company, so ask how charges are figured. To open your own account, use DallasGo online or call (214) 651-1441. A deposit appears on your first bill unless you qualify for a waiver, such as 12 months of on-time payments with another utility.
  • Renters insurance. The law doesn’t require it, but many landlords do. The Texas Department of Insurance notes a landlord’s policy won’t cover your things. Renters policies cover belongings, liability and temporary living costs, but usually not floods; flood coverage is separate and typically starts about 30 days after purchase.
  • Flood disclosure. Since January 1, 2022, landlords must give you a separate written notice saying whether they know the unit is in a 100-year floodplain or flooded in the past five years.
  • Parking. Many buildings in Uptown, downtown and other dense areas charge for garage or reserved spots. Ask the monthly cost.
  • Pets. Expect some mix of a pet deposit, a one-time fee and monthly pet rent, plus breed or weight limits. Get every charge in writing.

For the full timeline, see our Dallas moving checklist, or start at the moving to Dallas hub.

Ready to compare buildings? Our sister site, DallasApartmentBuildings.com, is a free directory of Dallas apartment buildings. Each listing shows the year built, size, pet policy and amenities, and you can browse every building A–Z.

What else should you plan for before moving to Dallas?

Our Moving Guides cover the parts of a move that work the same way in every big city:

Frequently asked questions about renting in Dallas

Is it a good time to rent in Dallas?

Conditions favor renters. Rents were flat to falling in 2026, and Realtor.com found deals on more than half of DFW listings in August.

How much is a security deposit in Dallas?

Texas sets no cap, so it varies by property and your credit. It must be returned, or deductions itemized, within 30 days after move-out.

Do I have to pay an apartment locator?

No. Locators are paid by the apartment community when you sign. They must hold a Texas real estate license.

Who do I call for electricity in a Dallas apartment?

You choose a retail electricity provider, often through PowerToChoose.org. Oncor delivers the power and handles outages.

Sources

Go Big City Team
Author: Go Big City Team

More Dallas questions

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Next step: see the full Moving to Dallas guide for rent, costs, transit, weather, jobs and neighborhoods in one place.

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