Moving to Amarillo, TX? Here Are the Local Rules You Should Know

Amarillo is a mid-sized city in Potter County, Texas, with about 200000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 125 ordinances across 39 categories that affect daily life in Amarillo.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Pool Permits: Amarillo requires permits and inspections for all public and semi-public pools, spas, and interactive water features under the city's Public Recreational Pool Ordinance, enforced by Environmental Health..

Also covered: Fencing & Safety Requirements (limited). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Amarillo for details.

Environmental Rules

Stormwater Management: Amarillo's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System ordinance bans discharging any pollutant, including oily sheens, corrosive stormwater below pH 5.5, and noxious substances, into city storm drains under Code of Ordinances Sec. 18-3-94.

Also covered: Erosion Control (limited), Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Amarillo for details.

Animal Ordinances

Exotic Pets: Amarillo makes it unlawful to keep, harbor or maintain any Wild Animal within the city limits, a category that by definition covers venomous reptiles, wolf hybrids and any non-domestic animal that typically weighs fifteen pounds or more at maturity. Section 8-2-32 allows only narrow carve-outs for zoos, licensed research facilities, short traveling shows, and one caged educational snake display..

Also covered: Pet Limits (limited), Mandatory Spay/Neuter (limited), Veterinary Clinic Zoning (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Amarillo for details.

Noise Ordinances

Aircraft Noise: Amarillo designates two aircraft noise zones around the airport, a 65-69 Ldn zone and a 70-and-greater Ldn zone, under section 4-9-111. Any new building inside those zones must be engineered under section 4-9-113 to cut outdoor-to-indoor noise by at least 25 or 30 decibels, certified by a licensed engineer or architect before the City issues a building permit..

Also covered: Decibel Limits (permissive), Barking Dogs (moderate), Vehicle Noise (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Amarillo for details.

Tobacco & Vaping

Flavored Tobacco Bans: Amarillo has no local ordinance banning flavored tobacco products or menthol cigarettes. Texas has not enacted a statewide flavor ban; proposed SB 1182 failed to advance.

Landscaping Rules

Water Restrictions: Amarillo's Drought Contingency Plan assigns every address an odd or even watering day: odd-numbered addresses may water Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, even-numbered addresses Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with no outdoor watering allowed on Saturday. The Director of Utilities activates this Watering Schedule at Stage 1, makes it mandatory at Stage 2, and can escalate to nighttime-only or near-total nonessential-use bans as the water supply drops..

Also covered: Native Plants (permissive), Tree Trimming (moderate), Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (moderate). See the full landscaping rules guide for Amarillo for details.

Property Maintenance

Snow & Sidewalk Clearing: Amarillo property owners must clear sidewalk snow and ice fast: two business hours in business districts, and the same day or the first two daylight hours elsewhere, whichever is longer. Section 4-6-184 sets a hard backstop of twenty-four hours everywhere else, and requires sand or abrasive if the ice cannot be safely chipped away..

Also covered: Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate), Property Blight (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Amarillo for details.

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Amarillo limits residential properties to no more than two garage (yard) sales within any 12-month period. Exceeding this limit is a code violation enforced by the Amarillo City Marshal's Code Enforcement Officers..

Rental Property Rules

Repairs & Habitability: Amarillo declares any structure unfit for human habitation, structurally unsafe, without adequate egress, or an unsecured fire hazard to be a 'Dangerous Structure' and public nuisance under Section 4-3-3. The Building Official can order repairs within 10 days, issue a $410 provisional permit for a 60-day fix, or send the case to the Condemnation Appeals Commission for removal..

Also covered: Just Cause Eviction (permissive). See the full rental property rules guide for Amarillo for details.

Fire Regulations

Fire Pits & Backyard Fires: Amarillo's Fire Code amendments prohibit recreational fires anywhere inside the city limits. Backyard fire pits, bonfires, and similar open burning aren't permitted within Amarillo proper, per Sec.

Also covered: Smoke Detectors (moderate), Brush Clearance (moderate), Fireworks (limited). See the full fire regulations guide for Amarillo for details.

Trash & Recycling

Dumpster Rules: Commercial dumpsters, roll-off boxes, and compactor containers in Amarillo require a Commercial Collection Service permit, and the hauler that services them pays the City an annual fee equal to 5% of gross revenue under Sec. 8-3-72(a).

Also covered: Bulk Item Disposal (permissive), Illegal Dumping (moderate), Bin Placement Rules (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Amarillo for details.

Mobility & Curb Rules

Shared E-Scooter Rules: Amarillo prohibits any shared mobility service, meaning dockless GPS-equipped scooters, e-bikes, or bicycles offered for rent from public property, from operating on public sidewalks or rights-of-way anywhere in the city. City Code Sec.

Also covered: Bike Lane Rules (moderate), E-Bike Classes (moderate), Red-Light Cameras (permissive). See the full mobility & curb rules guide for Amarillo for details.

Parking Rules

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles: Any commercial motor vehicle rated over one ton, along with semi-trailers, buses, and truck tractors, cannot be left on a public street, alley, or parkway within or next to a single-family, two-family, multi-family, townhouse, moderate-density, or mobile home zoning district in Amarillo under Sec. 16-3-194(a).

Also covered: Overnight Parking (limited), Loading Zones (moderate), Dibs & Space Saving (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Amarillo for details.

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Barbed wire and razor wire are off-limits on Amarillo fences except in three settings: agricultural or grazing land, security fencing for nonresidential uses in commercial and industrial districts, and government or utility security fencing, and even then only five feet or higher off the ground under Sec. 4-10-271..

Also covered: Retaining Walls (moderate), Height Limits (moderate), Fence Permit Requirements (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Amarillo for details.

Short-Term Rentals

Taxes & Fees: Amarillo STR operators must collect and remit the city's Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) of 7% plus the state HOT of 6% on all short-term rental bookings of less than 30 consecutive days..

Also covered: Occupancy Limits (moderate), Night Caps (permissive), Noise Rules (permissive). See the full short-term rentals guide for Amarillo for details.

Home Business

Zoning & Home Occupation Permits: Amarillo lets residents run a business from home only if it stays within tight bounds. Code of Ordinances Sec.

Also covered: Home Daycare (moderate), Signage Rules (limited). See the full home business guide for Amarillo for details.

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Encampment Sanitation: Sec. 10-3-45 makes it a Class C misdemeanor to camp on a municipal facility or public right-of-way between midnight and 5 a.m.

Building Safety

Plumbing Permits: Amarillo Code Sec. 4-5-2 makes it unlawful to install, alter, repair or replace water, sewer, gas, drainage or water-heating plumbing without a permit from the Department of Building Safety, with a separate permit required for each building.

Also covered: Door Locking Hardware (moderate), Building Inspections (moderate), Building Permits (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Amarillo for details.

Public Conduct

Aggressive Panhandling: Amarillo makes it an offense to stand on or near a roadway to solicit a ride, money, employment, or business from people inside passing vehicles. The rule targets roadside panhandling and hitchhiking rather than sidewalk begging, and sits inside the Traffic Code's pedestrian-conduct article..

Also covered: Public Urination (moderate), Public Alcohol Use (moderate), Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (limited). See the full public conduct guide for Amarillo for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Towing Companies: Amarillo caps non-consent tow fees at $210-$459 by vehicle weight under Sec. 10-3-111, bars kickbacks between property owners and towing companies, and requires 24 hours of posted signage before a private-property tow.

Also covered: Secondhand Dealers (moderate), Adult Entertainment (restrictive), Tobacco Retail License (permissive). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Amarillo for details.

Curfew Laws

Juvenile Curfew: Amarillo's curfew ordinance bars anyone under 17 from public places or businesses between 12:01 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Also covered: Park Curfew (moderate). See the full curfew laws guide for Amarillo for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Encroachment Permits: Private use of Amarillo's public right-of-way, from an awning over a sidewalk to a fence encroachment, requires a license from the City under section 4-6-189. Applicants pay a $276 minimum application and annual fee, plus a percentage of fair market value for surface, airspace, or subsurface encroachments, and the City can deny any license that risks public health or safety..

Also covered: Obstruction Rules (moderate), Sidewalk Repair (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Amarillo for details.

Zoning Overlays & Bonuses

Downtown Design Guide: Any new construction or exterior remodel inside Amarillo's Downtown Urban Design District needs a certificate of appropriateness before the Building Safety Department will issue a permit. City Code Sec.

Right to Farm

Agricultural Zoning Protection: Newly annexed land in Amarillo starts out zoned 'A' Agricultural District under section 4-10-64, and stays that way until the City Council adopts different zoning. While in that default classification, the Building Official can only issue permits for construction or land uses the Agricultural District itself allows..

Hurricane Preparedness

Flood Elevation: Any one- or two-family home built in a designated flood zone in Amarillo must carry a finish floor elevation certificate sealed by a Texas-licensed engineer under amended Section R322. The City Engineer serves as the city's Floodplain Manager, setting base flood elevation and the associated permitting requirements..

Also covered: Roof Standards (moderate). See the full hurricane preparedness guide for Amarillo for details.

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Lot Coverage Limits: Amarillo caps how much of a lot a structure can cover by zoning district under City Code Sec. 4-10-173, with the actual percentage set in Table 1, Summary of Development Standards.

Also covered: Structure Height Limits (moderate), Setback Rules (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Amarillo for details.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Vending Zones: Amarillo's zoning ordinance controls where a mobile food unit can operate, separate from its state health permit. Section 4-10-295(e) requires written property owner approval on private property, bars blocking building entrances, alleys or driveways, and prohibits vending on any parcel that lacks the paving, landscaping, screening or parking a zoning district demands.

Also covered: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Amarillo for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Billboard Lighting: Amarillo treats adding lights to a dark, legally nonconforming billboard, or brightening an already-lit one, as a prohibited 'upgrade' rather than routine maintenance. Section 4-2-14(B)(1) singles out lighting changes by name, and the owner of a sign caught making one has thirty days to remove it or bring the whole structure into full compliance with the current sign code..

Also covered: Light Trespass & Shielding (moderate). See the full outdoor lighting guide for Amarillo for details.

Historic Preservation

Historic-Cultural Monuments: Amarillo designates buildings, sites and districts of cultural, historical or architectural significance as protected Landmarks or Historic Districts under Chapter 4-11. The City Council makes the designation by rezoning the property to Planned Development, on recommendation from the Board of Review and Planning and Zoning Commission, after a public hearing and owner notice, with a $325 per-site landmark fee..

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Amarillo levies a 7% occupancy tax on any hotel room costing $2.00 or more per day, dedicated to tourism and convention promotion, with hotel operators required to enroll, collect, and file monthly reports or face fines and forfeited collection fees..

Sign Regulations

Freeway-Facing Signs: Amarillo bans new off-premise (billboard) signs citywide except along five named freeway corridors: Interstate 40, Interstate 27, State Highway 60, and Highways 87 and 287, where TxDOT's own outdoor advertising rules take over. The same ban extends into the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction under Section 4-2-13(B), so a billboard just outside city limits faces the identical freeway-only restriction..

Also covered: Window Signs (limited), Garage Sale Signs (limited), Digital Billboards (moderate). See the full sign regulations guide for Amarillo for details.

Public Health Rules

Food Handler Certification: Amarillo requires a Certified Food Manager on-site during every hour a food establishment operates, under Code Sec. 8-5-18(a).

Also covered: Restaurant Grade Cards (moderate). See the full public health rules guide for Amarillo for details.

Outdoor Cooking

Smoker Rules: Amarillo's Fire Code bars open-flame cooking and heating devices, including smokers, grills, and outdoor fireplaces, from combustible balconies and decks, and requires 10 feet of clearance from combustible construction wherever they're used. The rule sits in Sec.

Special Events & Permits

Parade Permits: Amarillo requires a permit before any parade, race, block party, or festival closes a public street, alley, or sidewalk. The Traffic Engineer and Police Chief jointly review applications, and parade or race organizers must file at least 30 calendar days ahead, pay a $30.60 fee, and post a deposit covering off-duty police officers assigned to the route..

Also covered: Block Party Permits (restrictive), Street Fair Rules (restrictive), Park Event Permits (moderate). See the full special events & permits guide for Amarillo for details.

Water Use Rules

Recycled Water Rules: Amarillo Code Sec. 4-5-36 lets landscape irrigation systems use reclaimed water only with purple-coded piping, an approved backflow device isolating it from the potable line, no spray across property lines, and a bilingual eight-by-eight-inch sign warning it is not for drinking wherever the water is applied..

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: Amarillo requires door-to-door solicitors, peddlers, and canvassers to obtain a permit from the Amarillo Police Department before conducting solicitation activities within city limits. Applications are processed by the APD..

Also covered: No-Knock Registry (limited). See the full soliciting & door-to-door guide for Amarillo for details.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Amarillo requires a building permit and electrical permit for all rooftop and ground-mounted solar PV installations. Permits cost $50–$500, take about 2 weeks to approve, and must comply with the 2021 International Fire Code..

HOA Rules

CC&R Enforcement: Amarillo's own subdivision ordinance stays out of private homeowners association rules. Section 4-6-1(e) says the City's platting chapter does not repeal, impair or interfere with restrictive covenants running with the land, so an HOA's recorded CC&Rs are enforced by the association itself, through its own governing documents, not by city code enforcement..

Accessory Structures

Shed & Carport Rules: A detached, one-story tool or storage shed on an Amarillo residential lot needs no building permit as long as its floor area stays at or under 200 square feet, per the city's amended residential code. Zoning still applies at that same 200-square-foot line: a shed that size or smaller has no side-yard setback requirement, but anything bigger needs at least a three-foot side yard and, without an alley, a ten-foot rear yard..

What to Do With This Information

This overview covers the big picture, but the details matter. Each ordinance page for Amarillo includes the full text, violation penalties, and frequently asked questions. Use those pages when you need specifics.