Arlington, TX

Arlington caps accessory dwelling units at 800 square feet and counts each toward the lot's maximum dwelling-unit total, but only requires one parking space per ADU. Units can sit…

Tarrant County does not regulate sheds in unincorporated areas. Texas counties have no general zoning authority (Tex. Loc. Gov. Code Ch. 232), and the county does not issue residential…

Texas has no tiny-home-specific statute. Any transportable, chassis-mounted dwelling that reaches 320 square feet is manufactured housing under Occupations Code Chapter 1201, built to…

Industrial noise in Arlington is regulated through Chapter 22 (Noise) and the zoning ordinance. Facilities in Light Industrial (LI) and Industrial Manufacturing (IM) districts near…

Aircraft noise in Arlington is governed almost entirely by the Federal Aviation Administration, not by the city. DFW International Airport, Dallas Love Field, Arlington Municipal…

Arlington does not have a standalone leaf blower ordinance or decibel cap specific to blowers. Gas and electric blowers are legal to operate, but they are subject to the general noise…

Arlington treats persistent barking, howling, or yelping as a public nuisance under Chapter 22 (Noise) and Chapter 5 (Animals). A dog that barks continuously for an extended period, or…

Arlington sets no municipal decibel or distance limit for car stereos or vehicle sound systems. Loud vehicle audio is enforced as "unreasonable noise" under the city's Nuisance…

Outdoor amplified music in Arlington requires compliance with Chapter 22 (Noise) and, for venues or events, specific use permits or special event permits. Entertainment District venues…

Tarrant County has no county noise ordinance for unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack zoning authority and cannot enact noise regulations. Noise complaints are handled under Texas…

Fireworks are completely banned inside Arlington city limits under authority of Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2154, which allows municipalities over 100,000 population to prohibit…

Arlington prohibits open burning of yard waste and trash citywide under Texas Commission on Environmental Quality rules and local fire code. Recreational fires in portable fireplaces…

Arlington is not classified as a state wildfire hazard zone and does not adopt the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code. Fire risk concentrates in western cross-timber…

Arlington follows Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 766 requiring smoke alarms in every sleeping area and outside each separate bedroom of all one- and two-family dwellings…

Arlington bans most outdoor burning within city limits. Authorized burns require a $1,000 permit and Fire Prevention inspection. Wind speed must be 5–16 mph, relative humidity above…

Selling, transporting, dispensing, or storing propane (LP-gas) in Texas requires a license from the Railroad Commission of Texas under Natural Resources Code Chapter 113. Only the…

Arlington allows a home occupation as an accessory use to a residence in every residential zoning district, plus the FBZ-TN and RMU form-based districts, under UDC Sec. 3.3.6.H as…

Arlington follows the Texas Cottage Food Law under Health and Safety Code Chapter 437, which allows individuals to sell certain non-potentially-hazardous foods made in a home kitchen…

Arlington prohibits any exterior signage identifying a home occupation at a residential property. No signs, window graphics, illuminated lettering, or yard signs advertising a home…

Arlington allows registered and licensed child-care homes in residential districts as home occupations under the Unified Development Code. State licensing through the Texas Health and…

Arlington Animal Services investigates suspected animal hoarding under Texas cruelty statutes when animals are kept in conditions causing harm. Cases are referred to Arlington Police…

Arlington requires cats over four months old to be vaccinated against rabies and registered with Arlington Animal Services. Cats running at large may be impounded, and free-roaming…

Arlington Animal Services requires sterilization of all dogs and cats adopted from the shelter or reclaimed after a second impoundment. The policy aims to curb overpopulation in…

Arlington Code of Ordinances Chapter 8 permits backyard chickens (hens only, no roosters) on lots at least 10,000 square feet, with coops set back from property lines. Traditional…

Arlington requires dogs on leash in public. Off-leash in designated parks only. License and rabies vaccination required. TX HSC §822.013 covers dogs at large.

Tarrant County has no breed-specific ordinance. TX H&S Code 822 and Lillians Law govern dangerous dogs by behavior, not breed. Texas law preempts counties and cities from banning…

Texas keeps beekeeping light-touch: registration with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service is voluntary, not required to own hives. Beekeepers may register annually with the chief…

Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 822 Subchapter E governs ownership of dangerous wild animals: lions, tigers, bears, primates, and more. Owners must register with their county or…

Texas lets hunters bait and feed game animals, including deer, on private property statewide. Baiting is unlawful on most public land, for wild turkey in the East Zone, and for all…

Arlington encourages native and drought-tolerant landscaping through water-conservation programs and does not restrict homeowners from replacing turf with native plants. Texas Property…

Arlington requires a tree Preservation Plan for all development under UDC Section 5.2.3. Residential sites over one acre must preserve at least 35 percent of their tree inventory…

Arlington prohibits property owners from allowing weeds, rank vegetation, or noxious plants to grow above 12 inches anywhere on their lot. The nuisance-vegetation ordinance also…

Arlington does not ban residential artificial turf but may regulate its use through zoning in front-yard landscape areas and drainage standards. HOAs often restrict artificial turf…

Rainwater harvesting is fully legal in Tarrant County. Texas Property Code 202.007 prohibits HOAs from banning rainwater systems, though HOAs may set reasonable aesthetic standards…

Above-ground pools in Arlington capable of holding water deeper than 24 inches require a building permit and must meet the same barrier, electrical, and setback standards as in-ground…

Arlington requires all residential swimming pools capable of holding water 24 inches deep or more to be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high with self-closing, self-latching…

Arlington's Unified Development Code limits residential fences to 4 feet in front yards and 8 feet in side and rear yards. Fences cannot obstruct corner visibility triangles, drainage…

Arlington restricts electric fences to the IM Industrial Manufacturing district and bans them outright in the Downtown Form-Based Zoning District and Entertainment District overlay…

Arlington reviews every fence permit application against UDC Sec. 5.3.4.A.1, Single-Family and Two-Family Residential Fencing, revised by Ordinance No. 26-019. The standards apply in…

Tarrant County has no good-neighbor fence ordinance. Disputes are governed by Texas common law. Boundary fences on the property line are typically jointly owned with cost sharing…

Arlington does not cap the number of nights a host may rent out a portion of their home each year. Extended home-share arrangements are allowed without separate annual night limits…

Arlington places primary compliance and tax-collection responsibility on the host or operator, not on listing platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo. Platforms collect state hotel-occupancy tax…

Arlington's short-term rental ordinance caps guest occupancy based on bedroom count, typically two guests per bedroom plus up to two additional, with an overall ceiling tied to the…

Arlington's short-term rental ordinance does not impose a blanket annual night cap on hosted STRs, but certain zoning overlays and the Entertainment District rules can limit operations…

Arlington STRs must comply with general noise ordinance. Many cities impose stricter quiet hours for rentals. Complaints can trigger permit review.

STRs in Tarrant County owe 6 percent Texas state HOT plus 7 to 9 percent city HOT. Tarrant County has no county HOT. Fort Worth and Arlington charge 9 percent, Grapevine 7 percent…

Tarrant County cities require STRs to provide off-street parking based on bedroom count. Fort Worth and Arlington require at least 2 off-street spaces, with more added for larger…

Tarrant County has no short-term rental registration or permit requirement for unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack zoning authority and cannot regulate STR operations. STR…

New multi-family and mixed-use residential developments in Arlington must install electric vehicle charging under the city's Green Building Performance Standards, Construction Chapter…

Arlington has no blanket citywide overnight parking ban, but specific streets post no-overnight-parking signs between 2 AM and 6 AM, and HOAs commonly impose private overnight…

Arlington prohibits parking commercial vehicles on public streets less than 38 feet wide. Mobile homes cannot be parked outside permitted locations. Exceptions for active…

Tarrant County abandoned vehicle enforcement follows Texas Transportation Code Chapter 683. Vehicles left 48+ hours on public roads or inoperable 72+ hours may be tagged, towed, and…

Texas Occupations Code chapter 2308 sets the statewide rules for nonconsent towing and vehicle booting. A vehicle owner has 14 business days to demand a hearing in the justice court…

A carnival, circus, or festival-style amusement ride in Arlington needs a special event/temporary outdoor event permit from the Building Official before operations begin, under UDC…

Arlington cannot require employers to provide paid sick leave. Texas HB 2127 (the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, 2023) preempts municipal employment regulations, voiding earlier…

Arlington cannot set a local minimum wage. Texas Labor Code Section 62.0515 preempts cities from raising wages above the state floor, which mirrors the federal $7.25 per hour…

Arlington cannot mandate predictive scheduling, advance shift notice, or predictability pay. Texas HB 2127 preempts local labor regulation, leaving scheduling rules entirely to private…

Arlington's Unified Development Code requires dumpsters and other trash and recycling service areas in Form-Based Zoning Districts to sit behind buildings, on a concrete pad, and…

Arlington requires bins to be placed at the curb for collection and stored out of view after pickup. Carts must not block sidewalks or traffic.

Dumping trash where it doesn't belong is illegal in Arlington. Spilling or dropping waste from a vehicle onto a street or another person's property without consent is a misdemeanor…

Tarrant County does not operate residential trash collection in unincorporated areas. Residents contract with private haulers such as Waste Management or Republic Services for weekly…

Tarrant County has no mandatory recycling rule for unincorporated areas. Residents may add curbside recycling as an optional hauler service at an additional monthly fee. Participation…

Awnings, canopies and other shading structures may project over Arlington's public right-of-way only if the owner signs an encroachment agreement with the city. Structures must clear…

Arlington stopped issuing its own mobile food permits on September 1, 2023. Food trucks now operate under a Tarrant County Public Health Mobile Food Unit annual permit, which requires…

Arlington mobile food establishments can't vend within one block of an elementary, junior high, or middle school, can't stop to sell for more than 30 minutes outside an approved event…

Arlington confines a stand-alone mobile food establishment to the DT-FBZ-CMU, DT-FBZ-Core, and DT-FBZ-Gateway zoning districts, tied to an underlying restaurant, bar, brewery/winery…

Before an Arlington HOA can levy a fine for a covenant, bylaw, or rule violation, Texas Property Code Chapter 209 forces it to mail written notice first, describe the violation, state…

Deed restrictions in Arlington are enforced by the homeowners association under Texas Property Code Chapter 209, not by the city. Before fining or suing an owner, the association must…

ACCs in Tarrant County HOAs follow TX Property Code 209.00505 after HB 3571 (2021): limited management-company control, written denial reasons, and owner appeal rights. State law…

HOA disputes in Tarrant County follow TX Property Code 209.006 notice and cure, 209.007 hearing rights, and HB 614 (2023) fine procedures. Owners may mediate, sue in district court, or…

Tarrant County HOAs levy assessments under TX Property Code 209. Collection follows 209.0062 payment plans, 209.008 attorneys fees limits, and 209.009 foreclosure limits barring…

Texas Property Code Chapter 209 governs residential subdivision homeowners associations, not condominium associations and not associations that are themselves subject to the Public…

Property Code Section 202.007 voids any homeowners association rule that bans drought-resistant landscaping or water-conserving natural turf, and Section 202.008 bars fines for a brown…

Texas Property Code section 202.012 stops homeowners associations from banning display of the U.S. flag, the Texas flag, or an official U.S. armed forces flag. An association can…

A Texas property owners' association cannot sell your home at a trustee's sale the way a mortgage lender can. Tex. Prop. Code Section 209.0092 requires the association to obtain a…

Texas Property Code Section 209.016 sets no cap on how much of a subdivision an association can rent out, no minimum lease term, and no grandfather clause: a declaration can still ban…

Arlington does not require just cause for eviction at lease end. Landlords may decline to renew month-to-month or fixed-term leases without stating a reason, subject only to Texas…

Texas has no analog to Californias AB 1482 statewide rent cap, so Arlington landlords face no disclosure requirement about rent-increase caps or just-cause coverage. Texas Property…

Arlington has no city-specific tenant anti-harassment ordinance. Tenants rely on Texas Property Code §92.0081 prohibiting lockouts and utility shutoffs and §92.331 banning retaliation…

Arlington does not prohibit landlord refusal of Section 8 housing-choice vouchers or other lawful sources of income. Texas Local Government Code §250.007 expressly preempts local…

Arlington has NO local rent control ordinance. Tex. Local Gov't Code § 214.902 preempts Texas cities from enacting rent control absent a declared disaster-related housing emergency and…

Arlington tenants were briefly protected by the federal CDC and CARES Act eviction moratoriums from 2020 through August 2021, but Texas courts and the Texas Supreme Court resumed…

Arlington landlords follow Texas Property Code §92.103, which requires return of a tenants security deposit within 30 days of move-out, accompanied by an itemized list of any…

Arlington has NO local just-cause eviction ordinance. Texas is a no-cause termination state under Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001: a month-to-month tenancy may be ended by either party on 30…

Under Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005, a Texas landlord must give a defaulting or holdover tenant at least three days' written notice to vacate before filing a forcible detainer (eviction)…

Under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.052 a landlord must make a diligent effort to repair conditions that materially affect an ordinary tenant's health or safety after proper notice. Section…

Under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.019 a residential late fee must be reasonable and may be charged only if written in the lease and the rent stays unpaid two full days after due. A fee is…

Under Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001, either party may end a month-to-month tenancy by giving notice, and the tenancy ends on the later of the date in the notice or one month after notice is…

In Texas a squatter can claim title only through adverse possession, with periods that shorten as the claim strengthens: 3 years under title or color of title (§ 16.024), 5 years with…

Arlington enforces the International Energy Conservation Code and other International Code Council standards adopted by Chapter 10 of the City Code. Builders must meet insulation…

Arlington requires fire sprinkler systems in most new commercial buildings, multifamily structures, and certain large single-family homes under the locally adopted International Fire…

In Arlington it is unlawful to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, or demolish any building or structure without first obtaining a building permit from the city's Building…

Elevators in Arlington fall under the Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 754 elevator program administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Annual inspections by…

Arlington commercial and multifamily buildings must follow International Building Code egress hardware rules so doors release in a single motion during emergencies. Special hardware is…

Federal and Texas rules require lead-based paint disclosures before sale or rent of pre-1978 housing in Arlington. Renovations must use EPA Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting…

Arlington childcare centers must comply with the Texas Health and Human Services minimum standards plus local building, fire, and zoning codes. Inspections include fire egress, lead…

Scaffolding safety in Tarrant County follows federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L for construction and 29 CFR 1910.28 for general industry. Texas has no state OSHA plan; Federal OSHA…

Texas Health and Safety Code §161.0815 bars selling tobacco or e-cigarettes to anyone under 21; Arlington retailers must verify ID and face DSHS-led enforcement and license actions.

Arlington has not banned flavored tobacco or menthol; Texas does not authorize local flavor bans, so retailers may sell flavored vape and tobacco products subject only to federal FDA…

Arlington enforces general obstruction-of-sidewalk and entertainment-district public-conduct rules but has no broad sit-lie ordinance criminalizing sitting or lying on public…

The same Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act analysis that preempted plastic bag bans also blocks Arlington from banning expanded polystyrene foam takeout containers used by local…

After the 2018 Texas Supreme Court ruling in Laredo Merchants Association v. Laredo, Arlington cannot ban or tax single-use plastic checkout bags; only voluntary retailer programs…

Texas preemption of local container regulations and the absence of state straw rules mean Arlington restaurants may freely offer plastic straws without on-request restrictions.

Texas banned municipal red light cameras through HB 1631 in 2019, ending Arlington photo-enforcement programs. Existing camera contracts were phased out, and no civil penalties for…

Arlington has not authorized large-scale dockless e-scooter operations. Limited shared-mobility deployments require city permits and operational agreements, with most riding occurring…

Arlington maintains a growing bike-lane network with on-street striped lanes and shared-use trails connecting UTA, the Entertainment District, and major parks. Cyclists follow Texas…

Texas lets golf carts onto public roads in four defined situations rather than by general permission: inside a platted master planned community, on a beach open to vehicular traffic…

Massage establishments in Arlington must hold a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation license and a city certificate of occupancy. Therapists need individual TDLR licenses; the…

Arlington licenses sexually oriented businesses under Chapter 4 of the City Code with strict 1,000-foot buffers from churches, schools, parks, and residential zones. Operators and…

Tobacco retailers must hold a Texas Comptroller cigarette and tobacco permit. Sales to anyone under 21 are prohibited under Texas Health and Safety Code 161.0815, with exceptions for…

Arlington secondhand dealers and pawn shops must register with APD, photograph and report all purchased items daily through the LeadsOnline system, and hold inventory for at least 15…

A tow company running non-consent tows that originate in Arlington must register its wrecker with the city, and every tow truck must carry a state TDLR permit. Texas law lets Arlington…

Every Arlington food establishment must conspicuously display its most recent inspection letter grade in public view, per Health Chapter Sec. 4.08(A). Permit holders must also show the…

Arlington property owners must keep buildings free of rodent and insect infestations under the citys Property Maintenance Code and Texas Property Code habitability standards. Repeat…

All Arlington food-service workers must hold a Texas Department of State Health Services accredited food-handler card within 60 days of hire under Texas Health and Safety Code §438.

Arlington follows Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 363 on special waste; loose syringes in household trash are prohibited and must be placed in approved sharps containers.

Texas requires E-Verify for state agencies and state contractors under Government Code 673.002. Arlington does not impose its own city-wide E-Verify mandate, but state-funded projects…

Arlington is not a sanctuary city. Texas SB 4 (2017) bars cities, counties, and police departments from limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities or refusing to honor…

Arlington imposes a 9% city Hotel Occupancy Tax on rooms costing $2 or more per day, stacked on top of the 6% Texas state HOT for a combined 15% rate, one of the higher hotel taxes in…

Arlington bans smoking and vaping inside all city-owned buildings, vehicles, and within 25 feet of public entrances. City parks, trails, and public playgrounds are smoke-free; private…

Arlington prohibits open alcohol containers in public streets and parks under Chapter 9 of the City Code, with limited exceptions inside licensed Entertainment District venues at AT&T…

Arlington Code prohibits unreasonably loud gatherings audible 50 feet from the property line. APD can issue citations and, on a second response within 90 days, bill the host for police…

Texas has no recreational cannabis. Public marijuana use, possession, and consumption are illegal anywhere in Arlington under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 481, with only narrow…

Arlington Water Utilities offers rebates for homeowners converting thirsty turf grass to drought-tolerant landscaping. The program reimburses up to 250 dollars for qualified projects…

New development in Arlington's Form-Based Zoning Districts must install pedestrian lighting certified by Darksky International, capped at 16 feet tall and spaced no more than 75 feet…

Multi-level parking garages in Arlington's Form-Based Zoning Districts must angle all exterior lighting downward to cut glare spilling onto neighboring right-of-way and residential…

Arlington puts every multi-family complex, duplex, and extended-stay hotel on a mandatory city inspection roll and bills the owner a recurring inspection fee to enforce the Uniform…

Digital billboards are allowed in Arlington only in the GC, LI, and IM districts along I-20, I-30, SH 360, and US 287, and only by converting an existing billboard, each subject to…

Political signs in Arlington are protected by the First Amendment and Texas Election Code. Texas law (Election Code §259.003) specifically protects the right to display political signs…

Only Texas Compassionate Use Program licensees may deliver low-THC cannabis to qualified patients; Arlington has no recreational delivery rules because such delivery is illegal…

Texas prohibits all personal cannabis cultivation; even a single home plant violates state controlled-substances law, and Arlington has no separate ordinance because state law forbids…

Texas allows only low-THC medical cannabis under the Compassionate Use Program; Arlington has no recreational dispensary buffers because no recreational retail is lawful statewide.

Cannabis cultivation is illegal in Texas. Texas has one of the most restrictive cannabis laws in the nation. The Texas Compassionate Use Program (TCUP) allows very limited medical use…

Texas has very limited cannabis dispensaries operating under the Compassionate Use Program (TCUP). Only state-licensed dispensing organizations may distribute low-THC cannabis…

Arlington enforces stormwater management regulations through its Stormwater Management Department and the city's Code of Ordinances. The city operates under a Phase I MS4 NPDES permit…

Arlington regulates development in FEMA-designated flood hazard areas through its Floodplain Administration program. The city participates in the National Flood Insurance Program…

Erosion and sediment control in Tarrant County is required under TCEQ TXR150000 for sites 1 acre or larger, plus MS4 rules. Common BMPs include silt fence, rock check dams, and…

Texas prohibits damaging, destroying, or removing a sand dune or its vegetation seaward of a dune protection line or within a critical dune area unless a permit authorizes the work…

Arlington actively enforces property blight standards through its Code Compliance division. Property owners must maintain their properties free of accumulated junk, debris, abandoned…

Vacant lot owners in Tarrant County must keep lots free of weeds over 12 inches, rubbish, and junked vehicles under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 343. Failure to abate triggers a…

Arlington sets front setbacks as the greater of the applicable sub-district standard or the minimum needed to meet sidewalk and Furnishing Zone requirements. Side and rear building…

Arlington's Form-Based Zoning Districts cap new building height at 45 feet within 75 feet of a shared line with a Traditional Neighborhood sub-district or any existing single-family…

Arlington requires building and electrical permits for solar panel installations. Texas Property Code §202.010 protects homeowners' right to install solar energy devices and limits HOA…

TX Property Code 202.007 bars Tarrant County HOAs from banning solar. HOAs may impose limited aesthetic conditions but cannot reduce efficiency or raise cost by more than 10 percent…

Recreational drones in Tarrant County are governed by FAA 14 CFR Part 107 and 49 USC 44809. Drones 250 grams or more must register. Texas Government Code Chapter 423 restricts…

Tarrant County does not regulate HVAC condenser or chiller noise in unincorporated areas. The International Mechanical Code governs installation but noise output is not addressed.

Tarrant County and its municipalities do not have specific ordinances banning or restricting bamboo. If bamboo spreads onto neighboring properties, it may be addressed under general…

Tarrant County defers to the Texas Department of Agriculture's noxious weed list for prohibited species. The state list includes giant salvinia, water hyacinth, and certain thistles…

Texas HB 1686 (effective 2023) prohibits HOAs and municipalities from banning front-yard vegetable gardens. Tarrant County residents can grow edible gardens in their front yards…

Residential security cameras are legal in Tarrant County without a permit. Texas law allows recording video on your property and publicly visible areas. Cameras must not be directed…

Texas is a one-party consent state for audio recording. Only one party to a conversation must consent. Video recording in public spaces is legal, but recording in private areas where…

Texas HB 1819 (88th Legislature, 2023), codified at Local Government Code 370.008 (originally 370.007), prohibits all Texas municipalities and counties from adopting or enforcing…

Texas authorizes License to Carry (LTC) holders to carry concealed handguns statewide under Government Code Chapter 411. Since 2021, permitless constitutional carry under HB 1927 also…

Texas Local Government Code Section 229.001 broadly preempts municipal regulation of firearms, ammunition, knives, and related accessories. Cities cannot adopt or enforce ordinances…

Texas authorizes open carry of holstered handguns statewide for adults 21 and older under Penal Code 46.02 and HB 910 (2015). Long guns may be openly carried subject to disorderly…

Texas Penal Code 46.02(a-1) lets any non-prohibited adult carry a handgun inside a personally-owned or leased motor vehicle or watercraft without a License to Carry. Since HB 1927…

Texas nonprofits can conduct bingo only under a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which absorbed the Texas Lottery Commission's charitable bingo program on…

Texas Local Government Code Chapter 234, Subchapter E lets any county's commissioners court license, zone, and inspect "game rooms": for-profit businesses with six or more skill or…

Texas Penal Code § 47.02(a) makes betting at cards, dice, or any game of chance a Class C misdemeanor. Section 47.02(b) supplies a defense: gambling that happens in a private place…

Texas licenses no retail sportsbook and no betting app. Placing a wager on the outcome of a game, contest, or a player's performance is a criminal offense under Penal Code §…

The Texas Legislature has authorized exactly one vehicle checkpoint program, and it has nothing to do with alcohol. Government Code Section 411.0095 lets the Department of Public…

Texas has never enacted an express statutory right to film police, so the legal boundary for a bystander with a phone is set by the offense of Interference with Public Duties, Texas…

Texas Penal Code Section 38.02 makes it a crime to refuse your name, residence address, or date of birth only after a peace officer has already lawfully arrested you. Being detained on…

No Texas statute obliges a driver to consent to a vehicle search, and none requires an officer to warn you that you may refuse. What Texas law does require is a paper trail: Article…

Texas Local Government Code Chapter 212 and Agriculture Code Chapter 251 limit municipal authority to zone or regulate land qualified for agricultural use appraisal. Counties have no…

The Texas Right to Farm Act, Agriculture Code Chapter 251, protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits and local regulations after one year of operation. HB…

Texas regulates extra lighting by color, count, height and aim rather than by naming underglow. Transportation Code Section 547.305 bars any lamp showing red from directly in front of…

Texas grants no square inches of windshield to a camera. Transportation Code Section 547.613(a)(1) makes it a misdemeanor to operate a vehicle with an object or material placed on or…

Texas banned motorcycle lane splitting in plain words on September 1, 2023. Transportation Code Section 545.0605(a)(3)(B), added by House Bill 4122 of the 88th Legislature, says the…

Texas outlaws license plate covers in Transportation Code Section 504.945(a)(7), which makes it an offense to display a plate carrying a coating, covering, protective substance or…

Texas does not prohibit owning, mounting or using a radar detector in a private passenger vehicle. The one radar offense in the vehicle equipment chapter, Transportation Code Section…

Texas is one of the states that never wrote a studded tire calendar. Transportation Code Section 547.612(c) is the whole of the law: a tire on a moving vehicle may not carry a block…

Texas allows film down to 25 percent light transmission on both front side windows and on the windshield strip, with a matching ceiling of 25 percent luminous reflectance, and it sets…