Austin, TX Local Ordinances Guide

As one of the larger cities in Texas, Austin has a substantial set of local ordinances that govern everything from noise levels to what you can build in your backyard. With about 979000 residents, the city maintains 199 distinct rules across 51 categories. This guide gives you the big picture.

Short-Term Rentals

Short-Term Rental Permits: Austin requires every short-term rental to hold a current operating license under City Code Chapter 25-2 Subchapter E. Applications go through Development Services, require proof of insurance, HOT tax account, and neighbor notification, with annual renewal and posted license number on every listing..

Also covered: Occupancy Limits (restrictive), Repeat Violator Strikes (restrictive), Host Platform Liability (restrictive). See the full short-term rentals guide for Austin for details.

Animal Ordinances

Exotic Pets: Austin prohibits keeping, possessing, or controlling a dangerous animal, defined to include any species listed as a dangerous wild animal under state law plus any wild or feral mammal or reptile capable of inflicting serious injury. Only zoos, museums, licensed vet clinics, traveling exhibitions, and permitted rehabbers may hold one, and only in a secure enclosure..

Also covered: Microchipping (moderate), Chickens & Livestock (permissive), Bird Protection (strict). See the full animal ordinances guide for Austin for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Encroachment Permits: Austin requires a Public Works Department application before anyone builds a permanent encroachment in a public right-of-way, obtains a license for private use of public property, or seeks release of a public easement. Approved surface licenses carry an annual fee equal to 10 percent of the property's appraised value, with reduced rates for underground or overhead use..

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

Parking Rules

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles: Austin City Code § 12-5-9 bars parking any motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight above 9,000 pounds on a public street with a speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less. Loading or unloading and emergency public utility repair work are exempt.

Also covered: Preferential Parking Districts (moderate), Loading Zones (moderate), EV Charging (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Austin for details.

Special Events & Permits

Street Fair Rules: Selling goods on Austin parkland, streets, sidewalks, or right-of-way inside a permitted special event's footprint is banned outright unless the Austin Center for Events (ACE) approves the sale, the organizer holds a Chapter 14-8 closure permit, or the vendor carries a Chapter 14-9 Street Vendor License. Food and alcohol service face the same default ban, lifted only for vendors licensed under Chapter 10-3..

Also covered: Parade Permits (moderate), Parklets (moderate), Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (moderate). See the full special events & permits guide for Austin for details.

Firearms

Concealed Carry: Texas House Bill 1927 allows most adults 21 and older to carry handguns concealed without a permit. Austin follows state rules; License to Carry under Texas Government Code Chapter 411 remains available for reciprocity benefits..

Also covered: Firearms in Vehicles (permissive), Open Carry (permissive). See the full firearms guide for Austin for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Personal Cultivation Limits: Texas prohibits personal cannabis cultivation entirely. Austin cannot authorize home grows under home-rule authority while state law treats marijuana possession and manufacture as criminal offenses.

Also covered: Social Equity Licensing (permissive), Dispensary Zoning (limited). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Austin for details.

Noise Ordinances

Aircraft Noise: Austin regulates helicopter noise through its heli-facility permitting law rather than a single decibel cap on individual flights. City Code Sec.

Also covered: Leaf Blower Rules (permissive), Decibel Limits (moderate), Vehicle Noise (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Austin for details.

Building Safety

Fire Sprinkler Requirements: Austin became one of the first major Texas cities to mandate residential fire sprinklers in new single-family homes, adopting IRC Section R313 without the typical state amendments and codifying the requirement in Austin City Code Title 25 Building Criteria Manual..

Also covered: Green Building Code (moderate), Anti-Mansionization (restrictive), Carbon Monoxide Detectors (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Austin for details.

Water Use Rules

Recycled Water Rules: Austin Water may extend reclaimed water service to any property in its service area under Sec. 25-9-383, but service is discretionary: the utility can refuse a connection if it would harm the potable water system, wastewater supply is inadequate, fees are unpaid, or the proposed use is inappropriate for reclaimed water..

Also covered: Turf Replacement Rebates (permissive), Leak Reporting Duty (moderate). See the full water use rules guide for Austin for details.

Public Conduct

Outdoor Smoking Restrictions: Austin bans smoking outright in every city park and in enclosed public places and workplaces, plus within 15 feet of doors and windows, under City Code Sec. 10-6-2.

Also covered: Aggressive Panhandling (moderate), Skateboarding Rules (moderate), Loitering Rules (moderate). See the full public conduct guide for Austin for details.

Environmental Rules

Flood Zones: Austin participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and maintains strict floodplain regulations under City Code Title 25 and the Drainage Criteria Manual. The city has over 130 miles of creeks including major flood-prone corridors along Onion Creek, Shoal Creek, Williamson Creek, and Barton Creek.

Also covered: Vehicle Idling Restrictions (moderate), Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate), Defensible Space (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Austin for details.

Gambling & Gaming

Game Room Regulations: Austin doesn't license game rooms, but Chapter 4-13 imposes strict operating rules on any facility open to the public with coin-operated amusement redemption machines: transparent, uncovered windows, a posted "GAME ROOM" sign in letters at least 1.5 inches tall, legible from 25 feet, and immediate unrestricted access for Austin Police Department officers to inspect the premises during business hours..

Trash & Recycling

Recycling Requirements: Austin has a Universal Recycling Ordinance (URO) adopted in 2012 requiring recycling and organics diversion for commercial properties, multifamily properties, and food-permitted establishments. The URO supports Austin's Zero Waste goal of diverting 90% of waste from landfills by 2040.

Also covered: Collection Schedule (moderate), Dumpster Rules (restrictive), Yard Waste Collection (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Austin for details.

Rental Inspections

Inspection Programs: Austin forces problem rental properties into its Repeat Offender Program. A property that racks up two or more uncorrected violation notices, five notices, or two citations in a rolling 24 months must register with the Code Compliance Department and submit to inspection..

Also covered: Tenant Complaint Process (moderate). See the full rental inspections guide for Austin for details.

Mobility & Curb Rules

Shared E-Scooter Rules: Shared micromobility companies cannot deploy dockless scooters in Austin's right-of-way without a City license. New operators start capped at 500 devices in a defined downtown zone, on six-month license terms beginning June 1 and December 1 each year..

Also covered: TNC Pickup Zones (limited), E-Bike Classes (moderate), Bike Lane Rules (moderate). See the full mobility & curb rules guide for Austin for details.

Zoning Overlays & Bonuses

Downtown Design Guide: A downtown Austin project that wants extra height or floor area under the Downtown Density Bonus Program must first clear "Gatekeeper Requirements": substantial compliance with the city's Urban Design Guidelines as reviewed by the Design Commission, plus a covenant to build Great Streets streetscape improvements and a minimum two-star Austin Energy Green Building rating..

Also covered: Specific Plans Overview (moderate), Density Bonus Law (moderate). See the full zoning overlays & bonuses guide for Austin for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Billboard Lighting: Austin's Land Development Code requires billboard lighting to use fully-shielded or full cut-off fixtures under the Exterior Lighting standard in Land Development Code Chapter 25-2, Subchapter E. The rule applies citywide to all zoning districts and roadway types, and compliance is checked during building and site plan review, not after the fact..

Also covered: Dark Sky Rules (moderate). See the full outdoor lighting guide for Austin for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

Bar & Nightclub Noise: Bars and clubs running outdoor sound equipment need an Outdoor Music Venue permit under Austin City Code Sec. 9-2-30, which caps sound at up to 85 decibels on a district- and time-of-week schedule, dropping to 70 decibels for venues operating as a restaurant or cocktail lounge..

Also covered: Delivery Truck Noise (moderate). See the full noise from specific sources guide for Austin for details.

Public Health Rules

Restaurant Grade Cards: Austin Public Health scores every food service enterprise and retail food store inspection on a 100-point scale, subtracting weighted point values for each critical-requirement violation. A rating score under 70 points forces the person in charge to start fixing violations within 48 hours, and repeated violations can trigger permit suspension..

Also covered: Bed-Bug Rules (moderate), Food Handler Certification (moderate), Rodent Control (moderate). See the full public health rules guide for Austin for details.

Rental Property Rules

Repairs & Habitability: Austin's Property Maintenance Code sets hard temperature floors and ceilings for rented housing: residential heating must reach 68F and, for commercial structures with dwelling or sleeping units, air conditioning must keep habitable rooms at least 15 degrees cooler than outside, never above 85F. Space heaters and unvented fuel-burning heaters cannot substitute for a working system..

Also covered: Relocation Assistance (moderate), No-Fault Evictions (permissive), Tenant Anti-Harassment (limited). See the full rental property rules guide for Austin for details.

Fence Regulations

Neighbor Fence Rules: A solid boundary fence in Austin tops out at six feet by default under Sec. 25-2-899(D), but adjoining neighbors can agree to go taller: Sec.

Also covered: Retaining Walls (moderate), Height Limits (limited), Material Restrictions (limited). See the full fence regulations guide for Austin for details.

Sign Regulations

Digital Billboards: Austin prohibits all new off-premise signs and bars converting existing billboards to digital. Under Land Development Code Chapter 25-10, a nonconforming billboard cannot change its message technology or increase illumination, which forecloses LED digital conversion.

Also covered: Freeway-Facing Signs (moderate), Political Signs (moderate). See the full sign regulations guide for Austin for details.

Home Business

Signage Rules: A home occupation in Austin may display exactly one on-premise sign, and only if both the home and the sign front a Core Transit Corridor. Ground-mounted signs top out at six square feet and three feet tall; pole-mounted signs are capped at three square feet and four feet, under Austin City Code Sec.

Also covered: Cottage Food Operations (permissive), Customer Traffic Restrictions (moderate), Home Daycare (moderate). See the full home business guide for Austin for details.

Fire Regulations

Fireworks: Consumer fireworks are illegal to possess, use, or sell within Austin city limits. Violations can carry fines up to $2,000.

Also covered: Outdoor Burning (restrictive), Propane Storage (moderate), Wildfire Zones (restrictive). See the full fire regulations guide for Austin for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Tobacco Retail License: Texas Comptroller issues retail cigarette, e-cigarette, and tobacco permits under Tax Code Chapters 154 and 155; Austin Code Chapter 7-2 layers vendor responsibilities and Smoke-Free Workplace duties, while HB 1771 preempts most local restrictions on flavor or product mix..

Also covered: Pawnbrokers (limited), Massage Establishments (moderate), Secondhand Dealers (limited). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Austin for details.

Accessory Structures

Garage Conversions: Austin requires a Garage Conversion / Carport-Porch Enclosure permit plus a Residential Interior Remodel application. Citywide off-street parking minimums were eliminated in 2023, though some addresses still trigger replacement parking..

Also covered: ADU Rules (permissive), Tiny Homes (permissive), Shed & Carport Rules (permissive). See the full accessory structures guide for Austin for details.

Local Taxes & Fees

Business Tax Classification: Texas does not allow municipal gross-receipts taxes, so Austin has no local business tax classification scheme; businesses owe only the Texas franchise tax through the Comptroller plus property tax on tangible personal property assessed by Travis Central Appraisal District..

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Vending Zones: Austin City Code Sec. 25-2-812 bans mobile food trucks on private property citywide except where this section allows them: licensed commercial and industrial zoning districts, never neighborhood, limited, or general office zones, and never within 50 feet of a mixed residential-commercial building or 20 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant..

Also covered: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (moderate), Food Truck Permits (permissive). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Austin for details.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing & Safety Requirements: Austin enforces the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with local amendments in Article 14 of City Code Chapter 25-12. A chain link pool fence must be at least 60 inches high, with mesh openings no larger than 1¾ inches (44 mm), and its tension wire must stop a four-inch sphere from passing underneath.

Also covered: Pool Permits (limited). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Austin for details.

Single-Use Items

Plastic Bag Rules: Austin's 2013 single-use carryout bag ban was struck down by the Texas Supreme Court on June 22, 2018 in Laster v. Austin, which held the state Solid Waste Disposal Act preempts municipal bag bans.

Also covered: Polystyrene Foam Rules (permissive), Plastic Straw Rules (permissive). See the full single-use items guide for Austin for details.

Outdoor Cooking

Smoker Rules: Austin's Fire Code lets any detached one- or two-family home run a charcoal, wood or gas smoker, hibachi or barbecue pit anywhere on the lot, but every other residence, including apartments and condos, must keep them off balconies and at least five feet from a combustible building wall, or fifteen feet if the pit sits below a combustible structure, under Sec. 4104.2..

Landscaping Rules

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees: Austin requires a city permit to remove any protected tree measuring 19 inches or more in diameter, and 24-inch heritage oaks, pecans, elms and other listed species get stronger protection with removal barred absent approval..

Also covered: Rainwater Harvesting (permissive), Artificial Turf (moderate), Water Restrictions (restrictive). See the full landscaping rules guide for Austin for details.

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Sit-Lie Rules: In Austin's Downtown Community Court district, sitting or lying in the sidewalk right-of-way or sleeping outdoors is a criminal offense once an officer warns you. Voters restored this ban through Proposition B in May 2021 under City Code Section 9-4-14..

Also covered: Encampment Sanitation (moderate). See the full homelessness & encampment rules guide for Austin for details.

Data Centers & Crypto Mining

Data Center Noise Limits: Austin sets one numeric sound limit that reaches the cooling plant and rooftop units on a data center site: mechanical equipment cannot produce more than 70 decibels, measured at the site's property line or at an alleyway shared with a small residential neighbor. The rule is Land Development Code § 25-2-1063(B), and subsection (E) also requires that ground floor and rooftop mechanical equipment be screened from that boundary..

Historic Preservation

Historic-Cultural Monuments: Austin's Historic Landmark Commission can recommend that the City Council confer special historic recognition on an object that is not permanently affixed to land, a narrower track than the landmark (H) or historic area (HD) zoning designation used for buildings and sites. City Code Sec.

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

No-Knock Registry: Austin City Code Sec. 9-4-22 makes it an offense to solicit contributions by going door-to-door at a residence between 9:00 p.m.

Also covered: Solicitor Permits (limited). See the full soliciting & door-to-door guide for Austin for details.

Tobacco & Vaping

Tobacco Age Restrictions: Austin enforces the federal Tobacco 21 minimum age and Texas SB 21 (2019), prohibiting tobacco and vape sales to anyone under 21. While Austin Public Health runs robust tobacco-prevention programs, Texas state law preempts local flavor bans and retailer licensing.

HOA Rules

HOA Fines & Enforcement: An Austin HOA cannot levy a fine until it mails certified written notice under Texas Property Code Section 209.006 describing the violation and amount due, gives a reasonable cure period, and offers the right to a hearing before the board..

Also covered: Architectural Review (limited), Board Procedures (limited), Assessment & Dues (limited). See the full hoa rules guide for Austin for details.

Hurricane Preparedness

Storm Debris: Austin Resource Recovery collects storm-downed limbs as brush when residents stack them to Administrative Rule 7.8: one row inside a 15 by 15 foot area, no higher than 4 feet, cut ends facing the street, set out at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on the first collection day.

Also covered: Flood Elevation (moderate). See the full hurricane preparedness guide for Austin for details.

Right to Farm

Agricultural Zoning Protection: In Austin's agricultural (AG) zoning district, every permitted use must sit 100 feet from the front, side, and rear lot lines. A conditional use, which means a single home on a carved-out lot, gets a lot of one to 1.5 acres, a 35-foot height cap, and far smaller setbacks of 40, 25, 10, and 20 feet.

Tree Protection

Parkway Planting: Austin limits plants at street corners to two feet above the surrounding ground inside a ten-foot setback from the curbline and 40 feet along the curbline from the intersection. No tree or plant may stand within five feet of a fire hydrant, and limbs over a sidewalk need 14 feet of clearance above the street.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Solar panel installations in Austin require a building permit through Austin Development Services. Residential rooftop systems must comply with the International Residential Code as adopted locally and the National Electrical Code.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Austin Code Department aggressively enforces property maintenance standards under City Code Chapters 6-1 (Public Health and Sanitation) and 13-1 (Minimum Property Standards). Property blight violations include accumulated junk, abandoned vehicles, dilapidated structures, graffiti, and overgrown vegetation exceeding 12 inches.

Also covered: Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Austin for details.

Drone Rules

Recreational Drones: Austin allows recreational drone flight under FAA rules with park-specific bans. Pilots must register drones over 0.55 lbs ($5/3 years), complete the TRUST test, fly below 400 feet AGL, and maintain visual line of sight.

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Lot Coverage Limits: Austin does not use the term "lot coverage." The controlling limits are Maximum Building Coverage and Maximum Impervious Cover in the Section 25-2-492 site development table, set per zoning district. A standard single-family (SF-3) lot tops out at 40 percent building coverage and 45 percent impervious cover, with stricter caps near Lake Austin's shoreline..

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

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Austin does not impose a specific numerical limit on the number of garage sales a resident can hold per year. However, the Land Development Code prohibits ongoing commercial activity in residential zones.

Filming & Production

Location Permits: All commercial, student, and mobile filming in Austin's public right-of-way (streets, sidewalks, alleys) requires a film permit from the Office of Special Events (OSE) in the Transportation and Public Works Department. There is no cost for a right-of-way film permit.

Code Violation Reporting

Common Violations: Austin requires every owner, occupant, or person in control of property to keep it safe and sanitary. Weeds or grasses over 12 inches tall, garbage, rubbish, brush, and filth cannot pile up on the lot or in the strip out to the curbline.

Also covered: How to Report (moderate), Response Times (moderate). See the full code violation reporting guide for Austin for details.

Invasive Plant Rules

Prohibited Species: Austin follows the Texas Department of Agriculture noxious weed list. The city's Environmental Criteria Manual identifies invasive species to avoid including Chinese tallow, ligustrum, Chinaberry, and giant reed.

Also covered: Bamboo Restrictions (permissive), Front Yard Gardens (permissive). See the full invasive plant rules guide for Austin for details.

Privacy & Surveillance

Security Camera Rules: Austin has no specific ordinance regulating residential security cameras. Texas law permits video recording on your own property.

Also covered: Recording & Consent Laws (permissive). See the full privacy & surveillance guide for Austin for details.

What to Do With This Information

Whether you are renting, buying, or renovating in Austin, knowing the local rules upfront saves headaches later. Dig into the individual ordinance pages linked above for the complete picture, including fines and exemptions.