Tex. Prop. Code Ann. §§ 92.001–92.355 § 92.156
REKEYING OR CHANGE OF SECURITY DEVICES.
Operative Text
Sec. 92.156. REKEYING OR CHANGE OF SECURITY DEVICES. (a) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (e), a security device operated by a key, card, or combination shall be rekeyed by the landlord at the landlord's expense not later than the seventh day after each tenant turnover date.(b) A landlord shall perform additional rekeying or change a security device at the tenant's expense if requested by the tenant. A tenant may make an unlimited number of requests under this subsection.(c) The expense of rekeying security devices for purposes of the use or change of the landlord's master key must be paid by the landlord.(d) This section does not apply to locks on closet doors or other interior doors.(e) If a tenant vacates the premises in breach of a written lease, the landlord may deduct from the tenant's security deposit the reasonable cost incurred by the landlord to rekey a security device as required by this section only if the lease includes a provision that is underlined or printed in boldface type authorizing the deduction. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 357, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1072 (H.B. 2404), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2016.
Under Texas Property Code § 92.156, landlords are required to rekey key-, card-, or combination-operated security devices at their own expense within seven days after each tenant turnover. Tenants may request additional rekeying or security device changes at any time—with no cap on the number of requests—though those additional changes are paid for by the tenant. If a tenant leaves in breach of a written lease, the landlord may deduct rekeying costs from the security deposit only when the lease contains a conspicuously formatted clause—underlined or in boldface—explicitly authorizing that deduction.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Compliant operators under § 92.156 track each tenant turnover date and ensure that all key-, card-, or combination-operated locks (excluding closet and other interior doors) are rekeyed within seven days, covering that cost themselves. When a tenant requests additional rekeying or device changes, operators document the request and bill the tenant for those costs, keeping records of each transaction since tenants may make unlimited requests. If a departing tenant has breached a written lease, operators who wish to deduct rekeying costs from the security deposit should verify that the lease contains a clearly formatted—underlined or boldface—authorization clause, as § 92.156(e) requires that specific language before any such deduction is permissible.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 92.156 of the Texas Property Code gives tenants the right to move into a unit whose locks have already been rekeyed at the landlord's expense within seven days of the prior tenant's departure. Tenants may request additional rekeying or security device changes as many times as needed, though those requests are generally paid for by the tenant. If a landlord improperly withholds security deposit funds for rekeying costs without the boldface or underlined lease clause required by § 92.156(e), tenants may have grounds to challenge that deduction through a local justice court or by contacting a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 28, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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