Property Maintenance in Houston, TX (2026)
5 verified property maintenance rules for Houston, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Trash Bin Storage
Houston's Solid Waste Management Department requires trash and recycling bins to be curbside by 7 AM and removed by 10 PM on collection day. Bins must be placed at least 3 feet apart from other objects. Houston Code Chapter 39 governs solid waste and litter control.
Houston Trash Bin Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsProperty Blight
Houston Code Chapter 10, Art. XI (Neighborhood Nuisances) and Community Code Enforcement address property blight including overgrown lots, graffiti, trash accumulation, dangerous buildings, and junked vehicles. Fines range from $200 to $2,000.
Houston Property Blight Enforcement
Some RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 343.011
Sec. 343.011. PUBLIC NUISANCE. (a) This section applies only to the unincorporated area of a county.(b) A person may not cause, permit, or allow a public nuisance under this section.(c) A public nuisance is:(1) keeping, storing, or accumulating refuse on premises in a neighborhood unless the refuse is entirely contained in a closed receptacle;(2) keeping, storing, or accumulating rubbish, inclu...
Vacant Lot Maintenance
Houston requires vacant lot owners to maintain their property free of overgrown vegetation, trash accumulation, and nuisance conditions under Chapter 10, Art. XI. Weeds exceeding 48 inches must be abated. The city may mow overgrown lots and bill the owner.
Houston Vacant Lot Maintenance Requirements
Some RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code § 342.004
Sec. 342.004. MUNICIPAL POWER CONCERNING WEEDS OR CERTAIN PUBLIC NUISANCES. The governing body of a municipality may require the owner of real property in the municipality to keep the property free from weeds, brush, and a condition constituting a public nuisance as defined by Section 343.011(c)(1), (2), or (3). Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.Amended by: Acts 2013, 83...
Snow & Sidewalk Clearing
Houston does not have a snow or ice sidewalk clearing ordinance. Snow and ice events are extremely rare in Houston's subtropical climate. The city has no standing snow removal program or requirements for property owners to clear sidewalks.
Houston Snow and Sidewalk Clearing
Few RestrictionsGarage Sale Rules
Houston does not regulate garage or yard sales and does not require a permit. Texas state law limits residents to two garage sales per 12-month period before requiring a sales tax permit, or total sales must stay under $3,000 annually.
Houston Garage Sale Regulations
Few RestrictionsLooking for Harris County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Houston city rules.
Property Maintenance in Harris County →