Bellaire, TX

Bellaire's fence regulations under Section 24-512 govern shared boundary fences between neighbors. Fences on shared property lines may be up to 8 feet in side and rear yards. The…

Bellaire requires permits for fence construction and replacement through Development Services. A property survey is required with the permit application. Fences must comply with…

Bellaire enforces comprehensive fence regulations covering setbacks, maintenance, visibility, and construction standards. Fences must be maintained in good condition, may not encroach…

Bellaire prohibits barbed wire, razor wire, and electric fences in residential areas. Front yard fences must use open-style materials like wrought iron or picket. Solid privacy fences…

Bellaire adopted a strict short-term rental ordinance in late 2025 that prohibits STRs of 30 days or fewer in all residential zoning districts. STRs are only permitted in certain…

Bellaire's STR ordinance sets parking requirements based on a property's existing driveway and garage capacity. Guest vehicles must park on-site and may not overflow onto residential…

Short-term rental guests in Bellaire must comply with the city's noise ordinance, which sets 60 dB quiet-hour limits and 75 dB daytime limits in residential zones. The STR ordinance…

Short-term rentals in unincorporated Harris County are subject to 15% total hotel occupancy tax: 6% state + 7% county + 2% Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. Applies to stays of…

Texas state law (HB 3391 and Property Code Section 202.007) protects the right to collect rainwater and prohibits cities and HOAs from banning rainwater harvesting systems. Bellaire…

Bellaire requires property owners to control weeds on their property as part of general vegetation maintenance. Weeds exceeding 12 inches are treated the same as overgrown grass and…

Bellaire does not mandate native plant use in residential landscaping but permits replacing traditional lawns with native or drought-tolerant species. The city's property maintenance…

Trees and shrubs planted inside a Harris County road or flood-control right-of-way must stay clear of the pavement and sightlines. County rule Ch. 41, Subchapter 41B, Sec 25 requires…

Removing or destroying any tree, shrub, or other plant life in a Harris County park requires the Park Superintendent's consent: there's no blanket right to trim, dig up, or take…

Harris County has no regulations on artificial turf in unincorporated areas. No county permit is required for installation. Texas Property Code §202.007 limits HOA authority to…

Home daycare operations in Bellaire are regulated at the state level by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. State law distinguishes between listed family homes (1-3…

Harris County has no sign ordinance for unincorporated areas. Business signs on residential property are unrestricted at the county level. Deed restrictions and HOA covenants commonly…

Texas Cottage Food Law (HSC §437.001) allows home-based food sales up to $75,000 per year without a food establishment permit. Harris County has no additional cottage food…

Bellaire prohibits keeping livestock on residential property. Goats, sheep, horses, cattle, pigs, and other farm animals are not permitted in any residential zoning district regardless…

Bellaire Code Chapter 6 requires dogs to be restrained or under the owner's control at all times when off the owner's property. Dogs running at large within city limits are subject to…

Bellaire does not have a specific beekeeping ordinance. Texas law generally permits beekeeping statewide, but Bellaire's animal nuisance provisions under Chapter 6 apply to bees if…

Unincorporated Harris County requires a microchip ID number before HCPH Veterinary Public Health will license any dog or cat over three months old. Dangerous dogs face a separate…

Texas has no statewide spay-neuter mandate, and Harris County does not require sterilization. Cities choose their own rules: Houston requires intact-animal permits under Chapter 6…

Harris County has no dedicated cat ordinance. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 826 mandates rabies vaccination for cats over four months old. Harris County Public Health Veterinary…

Native birds are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 64. Harris County has no separate bird ordinance. Removing nests, eggs, or…

Animal hoarding in unincorporated Harris County is addressed through Harris County Animal Control. Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 821 covers dangerous dogs and cruelty. Texas Penal…

Harris County does not have breed-specific legislation (BSL) banning any dog breed. However, dogs classified as 'dangerous' face strict requirements: mandatory registration ($50/year)…

Harris County regulates dangerous wild animals under county regulations and Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822. Keeping lions, tigers, bears, primates, and other specified…

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…

Bellaire regulates street parking through Chapter 30 (Traffic and Vehicles) with restrictions on specific streets, time limits, and no-parking zones. The city enforces parking rules to…

Bellaire restricts the parking of commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods. Large commercial trucks, heavy equipment, and vehicles with commercial signage or markings are…

Bellaire prohibits storage of abandoned, junked, or inoperable vehicles on residential property or public streets. Vehicles without current registration, flat tires, missing parts, or…

Bellaire generally allows overnight parking on residential streets but restricts oversized vehicles, commercial vehicles, and trailers from overnight street parking. Vehicles must be…

Harris County's tow truck ordinance, Subchapter 28G, covers only tows a law enforcement officer initiates, and only in the unincorporated parts of the county. It does not reach a…

Texas Transportation Code section 544.011 makes only the local authority responsible for painting and maintaining curb markings such as red, yellow, and white zones. Harris County…

Bellaire regulates above-ground swimming pools under the same building and safety standards as in-ground pools. Pools exceeding 24 inches in water depth require compliance with the…

Bellaire enforces the 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) and 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) for residential pool barriers, adopted under Chapter 9 of the…

Bellaire Code Chapter 6 (Animals and Fowl) prohibits keeping dogs that create excessive noise disturbing neighbors. Barking dog complaints are handled by Bellaire PD and Code…

Bellaire's noise ordinance sets specific decibel limits for amplified music: 60 dB maximum in residential zones during quiet hours and 75 dB during non-quiet hours, measured at the…

Bellaire's noise ordinance prohibits all lawn care activities, including leaf blower use, during quiet hours regardless of noise level. During non-quiet hours, leaf blowers must comply…

Bellaire enforces detailed quiet hours under its noise ordinance adopted in 2023. Quiet hours run Sunday through Thursday from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM (11:00 PM to 7:00 AM on Fridays…

Bellaire prohibits all construction activity during quiet hours regardless of noise level. Construction is permitted only during non-quiet hours: 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM Sunday through…

Industrial noise in unincorporated Harris County is addressed through the county's nuisance provisions. The Houston-Galveston area's large petrochemical industry generates significant…

Discharging fireworks of any kind is illegal within Bellaire city limits. The city ordinance prohibits all consumer fireworks including firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles, and…

In unincorporated Harris County, an operational fire permit covers LP-gas storage, but homes are exempt if their tank system tops out at 500 gallons water capacity, individually or…

Smoke alarms in Harris County homes are governed by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 766.002 and, for rentals, Texas Property Code Sections 92.251 to 92.262. Section 766.002…

All outdoor burning in unincorporated Harris County is prohibited during active burn bans enacted by Commissioners Court. Exceptions exist for enclosed fires, non-commercial cooking…

Harris County is not in a designated wildfire risk zone. The humid Gulf Coast climate and urban development minimize wildfire risk. Periodic burn bans are enacted during drought…

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…

Bellaire requires a building permit for residential solar panel installations under Chapter 18 (Building Codes). Texas Property Code Section 202.010 prohibits HOAs from banning solar…

Texas Property Code Section 202.010 strongly protects homeowners' rights to install solar energy devices. HOAs in Bellaire cannot effectively prohibit solar panels and may only impose…

Bellaire does not have a specific ordinance restricting holiday decorations on private residential property. Seasonal displays including lights, yard decorations, and holiday-themed…

Texas Election Code Section 259.002 protects the right to display political signs on private property and prohibits cities and HOAs from banning them. Bellaire may regulate sign size…

Bellaire regulates garage sale signs through its sign ordinance. Temporary garage sale signs are permitted on private property during the sale but may not be placed in public…

Harris County requires a written County Engineer permit for any sign visible from a county toll road's main-traveled way, and generally bars new off-premise signs and billboards near…

Off-premise signs, including billboards, are barred from toll-road frontage in Harris County, and electronic 'spectacular' displays are limited to slow-changing time, weather, or stock…

Along a Harris County toll road, most signs visible from the main-traveled way need a written permit from the County Engineer. Ch. 41, Subchapter 41F, Sec 5 carves out an exception for…

Vacant lots in Bellaire must be maintained to the same standards as improved properties. Owners must keep vegetation mowed, remove debris, and prevent the lot from becoming a nuisance…

Bellaire enforces strict property maintenance standards to preserve its residential character. Properties must be kept free of accumulated junk, debris, tall weeds, and structural…

Bellaire provides weekly curbside trash and recycling collection through a contracted solid waste hauler. Trash is collected once per week and recycling on a separate day. Residents…

Bellaire offers scheduled bulk item pickup for large items that do not fit in standard bins. Residents must schedule pickup through Public Works. Accepted items include furniture…

Dumping or accumulating refuse, junk, or rubbish outside a closed receptacle for 10 or more days on unincorporated Harris County property is a public nuisance. The county Health…

Harris County has no mandatory recycling ordinance for unincorporated areas. Recycling availability depends on private waste hauler contracts and MUD services. Texas does not mandate…

Cannabis cultivation is illegal in Texas, including in Bellaire. Texas has not legalized recreational or medical marijuana, and growing cannabis plants at home is a felony offense…

Texas does not allow recreational cannabis dispensaries. The Texas Compassionate Use Program permits only a small number of state-licensed dispensing organizations to produce and…

Texas Health and Safety Code section 481.121 makes any marijuana cultivation a criminal offense in Harris County. Even a single plant is illegal. The Compassionate Use Program lets…

Harris County has no cannabis buffer-zone rules because Texas does not license recreational dispensaries. The state Compassionate Use Program issued only three medical dispensers…

Bellaire requires rental properties to comply with the city's certificate of occupancy and property maintenance standards. While the city does not have a formal rental registration…

Bellaire has no rent control ordinance. Texas state law under Government Code Section 214.902 prohibits municipalities from adopting rent control unless a governor-declared housing…

Texas allows landlords to end fixed-term leases at expiration and to terminate month-to-month tenancies with at least 30 days' written notice for any lawful reason. Harris County has…

Texas has no statewide source of income protection, and Harris County has not adopted a county-level rule covering its 30-plus cities. Houston has not adopted a citywide source of…

Texas Property Code Sections 92.101 through 92.110 set statewide security-deposit rules for all Harris County rentals. Landlords must return the deposit within 30 days of move-out with…

Texas has no just-cause eviction protections. Harris County landlords can terminate month-to-month leases with proper notice without stating a reason. Evictions follow Texas Property…

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…

Federal Tobacco 21 (PL 116-94) and Texas Health and Safety Code section 161.082 ban sale of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapor products, and any tobacco to anyone under 21 in Harris…

Texas House Bill 1771 (2023), codified at Health and Safety Code section 161.0876, preempts cities and counties from restricting flavored tobacco, menthol cigarettes, or vape flavors…

Harris County Sheriff and constables respond to loud party calls in unincorporated areas under Texas Penal Code 42.01 disorderly conduct, the Harris County Sound Order limiting noise…

Possessing or drinking alcohol in a Harris County park is banned by default under Section 17 of the park rules, except at specific pavilions, golf courses, and community buildings the…

Texas has no statewide outdoor smoking ban. Harris County does not regulate outdoor smoking on private property in unincorporated areas. Cities including Houston enforce their own…

Harris County has no separate panhandling ordinance. Aggressive solicitation that involves threats, blocking pedestrians, or unwanted touching is prosecuted by Sheriff and constables…

Texas Penal Code Section 42.01(a)(10) makes exposing your anus or genitals in a public place reckless of who might be offended a Class C misdemeanor. Harris County Sheriff and…

Texas HB 2127, the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act effective September 2023, broadly preempts local labor regulation including paid sick leave. Harris County cannot mandate paid leave…

Texas Labor Code Section 62.0515 preempts any city or county from setting a minimum wage above the federal $7.25 per hour floor. Harris County cannot enact a higher local wage for…

New construction in Harris County's floodplain must be elevated well above base flood, not just to it, under the county's post-2023 freeboard rule.

New homes in Harris County's 100-year floodplain must sit above the base flood elevation before a development permit issues.

TCEQ Rule 30 Texas Administrative Code 114.512 limits commercial vehicles over 14,000 pounds to five minutes of idling in the eight-county Houston-Galveston-Brazoria nonattainment…

Harris County has no cool-roof or reflective-roof mandate because Texas counties lack adopted building-code authority for unincorporated areas. The 2015 International Energy…

Unincorporated Harris County requires a Stormwater Quality (SWQ) Permit for new development and significant redevelopment before construction, administered by the County Engineer under…

Construction sites in unincorporated Harris County need an SWQ Permit with a site plan showing erosion control measures, and must remove temporary structural erosion controls within 30…

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…

Flying a drone or model aircraft in a Harris County park is banned outside specifically designated areas, and even there the aircraft must stay within the operator's line of sight…

Harris County has no local drone ordinance. Recreational drone use in unincorporated areas follows FAA regulations and Texas Government Code Chapter 423, which restricts drone…

Licensed boarding homes in unincorporated Harris County must keep working carbon monoxide detectors close to sleeping areas under the county's Boarding Home Regulations.

Licensed 24-hour daycare centers in unincorporated Harris County must install a manual fire alarm system with voice/alarm communication, connect sprinklers to the alarm, and provide…

Harris County requires boarding home facilities to fit interior doors properly, install locking hardware for resident privacy, and make sure closet and bathroom locks release from…

Harris County requires staged elevation inspections for floodplain development permits: a pre-framing elevation certificate, then a final elevation certificate before habitation…

Licensed boarding homes in unincorporated Harris County must hard-wire smoke detectors in every bedroom, hallway, corridor, laundry room and basement area. The county's Boarding Home…

Every Harris County floodplain development permit holder in the unincorporated county must post the permit at the jobsite, keep the road clear of construction soil, and let the County…

Texas Local Government Code section 233.153 prohibits Harris County from requiring residential fire sprinklers in new one or two-family homes. The Harris County Fire Marshal applies…

In unincorporated Harris County, interior home renovations aren't governed by a county building code. Harris County Fire Code Sec 102.5 hands residential construction entirely to the…

Holding a special event in a Harris County park requires the Park Superintendent's written permission plus liability insurance and paid off-duty peace officers.

In unincorporated Harris County, the Fire Marshal requires an operational Special Event permit for any outdoor fair, carnival, or vendor market drawing 100 or more people, with added…

Any outdoor event in unincorporated Harris County that draws more than 2,500 people, or more than 500 if most attendees are under 21 and alcohol is present, needs a mass-gathering…

Building a sidewalk, driveway, or culvert across Harris County right-of-way in unincorporated areas requires a permit from the County Engineer before construction begins, under the…

In unincorporated Harris County, no one may obstruct access to county or flood-control right-of-way, and landscaping over 30 inches or monuments cannot be placed in ROW corner…

In unincorporated Harris County, repairing or rebuilding a sidewalk in a county right-of-way needs a County Engineer permit under the driveway and culvert regulations, unless the…

Electrical signs visible from Harris County toll roads are capped at 10 bulbs of 100 watts on a single 120-volt circuit, must carry a sunshade screen dimmer, and can't use…

New Harris County subdivisions must plant one or two caliper-inch trees per single-family lot, and builders may install them in the county right-of-way instead of the yard if a…

Every new single-family lot platted in unincorporated Harris County must carry front-yard trees sized to the lot: one tree on lots of 5,000 square feet or less, two on anything larger…

Removing a specimen tree of 12 inches or larger in caliper from a Harris County road or flood-control right-of-way triggers a mandatory removal and replacement plan. Ch. 41, Subchapter…

When work in a Harris County Flood Control District right-of-way removes a 'desirable' tree, the ROW user must replace it inch for inch with the same or a similar species. Ch. 41…

New homes on non-conforming lots in unincorporated Harris County must set the finished floor at least 12 inches above the highest adjacent grade or street crown.

The Harris County Historical Commission's bylaws lock down exactly what an official county historical marker looks like, cast aluminum, three fixed sizes, a brilliant blue background…

Texas does not have a Mills Act-style property tax program. Instead, Texas Tax Code Section 11.24 lets local taxing units exempt part or all of a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark or…

Texas Penal Code section 46.02(a-1), the Motorist Protection Act expanded by HB 1927, lets any adult legally entitled to possess a firearm carry a handgun inside their motor vehicle or…

House Bill 1927 (2021) lets most Texans 21 and older carry a handgun concealed without a permit anywhere in Harris County. The optional License to Carry through Texas DPS still…

Texas allows open carry of holstered handguns by adults 21 and older without a permit. House Bill 1927 (2021) ended the License to Carry requirement. Long guns may also be openly…

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 counties have very limited zoning authority under Local Government Code chapters 232 and 233, primarily over subdivisions and floodplains. Harris County does not adopt specific…

Pushcarts operating as mobile food units in unincorporated Harris County face hard size limits: no more than four feet wide, eight feet long, and eight feet tall including the shade…

Along Harris County toll roads, holiday decorations are exempt from the county's toll-road sign permit even though decorative displays are otherwise banned as carnival-type devices…

Inflatable displays, balloons, streamers, and similar carnival-style signage are barred along Harris County toll roads. Ch. 41, Subchapter 41F, Sec 5 carves out a seasonal exception…

In unincorporated Harris County, Section 308.1.4.1 of the Fire Code bans charcoal burners, LP-gas cooking appliances and any other open-flame cooking device in new or existing Group…

Unincorporated Harris County caps food pushcarts at 4 feet wide, 8 feet long and 8 feet tall, bars motorized carts, and requires a Public Health permit before one can operate.

Operating a mobile food unit in unincorporated Harris County requires a Public Health permit, medallion, and GPS device from Harris County Public Health, plus annual renewal, proper…

Unincorporated Harris County requires mobile food vendor vehicles to park at least 20 feet from structures, other units, combustible waste, and parked vehicles, plus a Fire Marshal…

The Texas Supreme Court ruling in City of Laredo v. Laredo Merchants Association (2018) invalidated municipal plastic-bag bans under Health and Safety Code section 361.0961. Harris…

Texas Health and Safety Code section 361.0961 and the 2018 Laredo Supreme Court decision preempt city and county regulation of single-use packaging, which restaurant lawyers extend to…

Texas Health and Safety Code section 361.0961 preempts cities and counties from regulating containers and packages, which the Texas Supreme Court Laredo case extends to polystyrene…

Texas Finance Code Chapter 371 places pawnshop licensing exclusively with the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. Harris County pawnbrokers must hold an OCCC license, post maximum…

Harris County uses Texas Local Government Code Chapter 243 to regulate sexually oriented businesses in unincorporated areas. The county prohibits SOBs within 1,500 feet of schools…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 455 places massage therapy licensing exclusively with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Harris County does not license massage…

The Texas Comptroller issues all tobacco and e-cigarette retail permits under Health and Safety Code chapter 161 and Tax Code chapter 154. Harris County has no separate vape retail…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2308 requires every Harris County towing company, vehicle storage facility, and tow truck operator to hold a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1956 requires all crafted-precious-metal and secondhand jewelry, electronics, and tools dealers in Harris County to register with the Texas Department of…

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 438 requires food handlers to complete an accredited course within sixty days of hire. HCPH verifies cards and Certified Food Manager credentials…

Harris County Public Health Mosquito and Vector Control monitors rodents and mosquitoes countywide. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 343 lets the county abate rodent harborage as a…

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 728 governs disposal of household sharps. Harris County Public Health operates a SHARP collection partnership offering residents free drop-off of…

Texas SB 4 (2017) prohibits any county, city, or sheriff from adopting sanctuary policies or refusing ICE detainers. Harris County is not a sanctuary jurisdiction and the Sheriff…

Texas has no statewide E-Verify requirement for private employers. State agencies and their contractors must use E-Verify under a 2014 executive order. Harris County requires E-Verify…

Harris County hotels collect a 6 percent state HOT, 7 percent county HOT, and any city HOT, totaling about 17 percent in Houston. Operators register with the Texas Comptroller, file…

Harris County has no countywide sit-lie ordinance regulating sitting or sleeping on public sidewalks. Texas counties have very limited authority to criminalize encampments. The Sheriff…

Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 251, the Right to Farm Act, protects established agricultural operations from nuisance suits when neighbors arrive after farming began. Harris County…

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…

Texas does not authorize counties or cities to levy a general local business license or gross-receipts tax. Harris County businesses pay the state Comptroller franchise tax and sales…

Harris County residents can report a suspected public nuisance in unincorporated areas by filing a written complaint with the county Administrator, who investigates and can order…

Unincorporated Harris County residents report suspected nuisance conditions in writing to the Harris County Public Health Director, who investigates, inspects the property, and can…

Unincorporated Harris County residents report nuisances in writing to the County Health Department Administrator, who logs and investigates each complaint, then must wait 30 days after…

Neither Harris County nor the City of Houston has a specific ordinance banning or restricting bamboo. Texas does not have a statewide bamboo ban. Property owners are responsible for…

Texas maintains a noxious weed list under the Texas Agriculture Code, and the Texas Invasive Species Institute tracks problematic plants. Harris County does not have its own prohibited…

Harris County and the City of Houston do not prohibit front yard vegetable gardens. Texas HB 699 (2023) prohibits cities and counties from banning food gardens on residential property…

Security cameras on private property are legal in Harris County. Texas is a one-party consent state for recording conversations (Penal Code §16.02). Video surveillance of your own…

Texas is a one-party consent state under Texas Penal Code §16.02. You may legally record a conversation if you are a party to it. Recording conversations you are not a party to without…

Unincorporated Harris County parks close at the hours posted on entrance signage, and staying past closing without written approval is a Class C misdemeanor.

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…

Unincorporated Harris County has no solicitor permit or peddler license requirement. Door-to-door solicitation is governed by Texas Penal Code trespass provisions and deed…

Harris County has no no-knock or do-not-disturb registry for unincorporated areas. Residents can post no-soliciting signs enforceable under Texas Penal Code trespass provisions. No…

Unincorporated Harris County tracts outside a city's ETJ must plat with building setback lines: 25 feet from the road right-of-way, 20 feet on cul-de-sac and knuckle lots, and 10 feet…

Harris County has no limits on the frequency of garage sales in unincorporated areas. Excessive or continuous sales activity may be considered a home business subject to different…

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 §…

Under the Texas Residential Property Owners Protection Act, unpaid assessments become a lien (Tex. Prop. Code § 209.0094), but a Texas HOA may not foreclose that lien without first…

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

A Texas HOA enforces its recorded restrictive covenants (Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 202), but Chapter 209 controls the procedure: § 209.006 requires certified-mail notice and a cure…

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…

Texas Property Code Chapter 209 governs HOA fines, but only for mandatory-membership subdivisions; condos fall under Chapter 82 instead. State law sets no dollar cap on a fine, only a…

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…

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 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…

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…