This section sets requirements for creating and recording a condominium declaration, limits when a declarant may convey a unit interest, and requires tax-related documents for filing condominium plats or replats.
Sec. 82.051. CREATION OF CONDOMINIUM. (a) A condominium may be created under this chapter only by recording a declaration executed in the same manner as a deed by all persons who have an interest in the real property that will be conveyed to unit owners and by every lessor of a lease the expiration or termination of which will terminate the condominium or reduce its size. The declaration shall be recorded in each county in which any portion of the condominium is located. (b) A declarant may not convey an interest in a unit until each holder of a mortgage on the unit immediately before conveyance has executed a consent to declaration, and the consent has been recorded, or is recorded concurrently with the conveyance, as part of the declaration or an amendment to the declaration. (c) If a recorded declaration is not properly executed, that defect may be cured by a subsequent execution conforming to Subsection (a). After an execution defect is cured by authority of this subsection, the declaration is retroactively effective on the date it was first recorded. (d) A county clerk shall, without prior approval from any other authority, record declarations and amendments to declarations in the real property records and record condominium plats or plans in the real property records or in books maintained for that purpose. If a county clerk maintains a book for the condominium plat records, the book shall be the same size and type as the book for recording subdivision plats. (e) This chapter does not affect or diminish the rights of municipalities and counties to approve plats of subdivisions and enforce building codes as may be authorized or required by law. (f) A person may not file for record or have recorded in the county clerk's office a plat, replat, or amended plat or replat of a condominium unless the plat, replat, or amended plat or replat has attached to it an original tax certificate from each taxing unit with jurisdiction of the real property indicating that no delinquent ad valorem taxes are owed on the real property. If the tax certificate for a taxing unit does not cover the preceding year, the plat, replat, or amended plat or replat must also have attached to it a tax receipt issued by the collector for the taxing unit indicating that the taxes imposed by the taxing unit for the preceding year have been paid. This subsection does not apply if a taxing unit acquired the condominium for public use through eminent domain proceedings or voluntary sale. (g) This chapter does not permit development of a subdivision golf course, as defined by Section 212.0155(b), Local Government Code, without a plat if the plat is otherwise required by applicable law. A municipality may require as a condition to the development of a previously platted or unplatted subdivision golf course that the subdivision golf course be platted or replatted. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 244, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1994. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 289 (H.B. 989), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1092 (H.B. 3232), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 27.001(77), eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 574 (H.B. 2025), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.