Brazoria County, TX Ordinances (2026)

Brazoria County cannot regulate outdoor music in unincorporated areas; state unreasonable-noise law applies. In Pearland, radios, stereos, and musical instruments that disturb a reasonable and prudent person are an offense, and amplified public-street events need a permit.

Texas counties can't zone or pass noise ordinances, so unincorporated Brazoria County has no quiet hours. Only state law applies there. Inside Pearland, any loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise offensive to a reasonable person is unlawful, and motorized yard equipment is barred 10 p.m.-7 a.m.

Brazoria County sets no leaf-blower or yard-equipment noise rules for unincorporated areas. Inside Pearland, motorized lawn equipment (mowers, edgers, trimmers, weed eaters, and blowers) cannot run between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. within 300 feet of any residential area.

Brazoria County sets no vehicle-noise ordinance; loud exhaust and mufflers are governed by state Transportation Code, and unreasonable noise by Penal Code Sec. 42.01. In Pearland, a vehicle-mounted loudspeaker audible 50 feet from its source is an offense.

Neither Brazoria County nor Pearland sets numeric decibel limits by zone. The only decibel figure in Texas noise law is the state presumption: noise over 85 decibels is presumed unreasonable once a magistrate or officer has given notice it is a public nuisance.

Brazoria County can't zone, so it sets no construction-hour limits in unincorporated areas; state Penal Code Sec. 42.01 unreasonable-noise applies. Pearland's noise chapter has no dedicated construction curfew but bars motorized power equipment near homes 10 p.m.-7 a.m. and any noise offensive to a reasonable person.

Brazoria County has no zoning, so it cannot separate industry from homes or set industrial-noise limits in unincorporated areas; state law is the only backstop. Pearland bars any noise detrimental to life or health and offensive power and pneumatic equipment noise.

Brazoria County has no barking-dog noise ordinance for unincorporated areas; the county's animal authority is limited to dangerous dogs and rabies. Inside Pearland, animal noise offensive to a reasonable and prudent person is an offense the pet owner can be cited for.

Brazoria County sets no amplified-sound rule for unincorporated areas. In Pearland, operating any amplifying device on a public street requires a city permit, and amplified sound offensive to a reasonable person is otherwise an offense.

Neither Brazoria County nor Pearland can regulate aircraft noise; the FAA preempts local control of flight operations and airspace. Texas law even exempts lawful space-flight noise from its disorderly-conduct statute, reflecting how little local authority exists here.

Unincorporated Brazoria County imposes no STR parking rule. Pearland requires the owner to provide off-street parking on the premises for at least one motor vehicle per bedroom.

Neither Brazoria County nor Pearland limits short-term rentals to a host's primary residence. Whole-home, non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed in Pearland's residential zones with a permit; unincorporated county areas impose no such restriction at all.

Unincorporated Brazoria County has no STR registration. Pearland requires each short-term rental to register for a permit through the Cityworks portal, tied to Ordinance 1611, before it can lawfully operate or advertise.

Brazoria County cannot zone or permit short-term rentals in unincorporated areas. Inside a city, the city rules. Pearland requires an STR permit (Ordinance 1611, effective July 1, 2022) with a $75 application fee plus a $100 Fire Marshal inspection.

Brazoria County imposes no STR insurance requirement, and Pearland's published short-term rental rules center on permitting, fire inspection, occupancy, parking, and tax — not a mandated liability policy. Hosts should still carry adequate coverage voluntarily.

Brazoria County and Pearland set no annual cap on the number of nights a home may be rented. A stay simply becomes a 'short-term rental' when it runs less than 30 consecutive days.

Short-term rentals (under 30 days) owe Texas's 6% state hotel occupancy tax. Cities like Pearland add a local hotel tax under Tax Code Ch. 351; counties authorized under Ch. 352 may add up to 7% in unincorporated areas. Pearland also charges $75 + $100 permit fees.

Brazoria County sets no STR occupancy limit in unincorporated areas because it cannot zone. Pearland caps occupancy at two adults per bedroom plus two more, never exceeding ten people total including children.

Brazoria County has no STR-specific noise ordinance. In unincorporated areas, unreasonable noise is addressed only under Texas disorderly-conduct law. Inside cities like Pearland, the municipal noise ordinance applies to STR guests.

Neither Brazoria County nor Pearland requires the host to be present during a stay. Pearland instead ties the permit to a responsible local contact who can respond to problems, rather than mandating on-site owner presence.

Home barbecue grills are unrestricted in unincorporated Brazoria County, which cannot zone. The main rules come from the International Fire Code adopted by cities, which limits open-flame grills and LP-gas cylinders on balconies of multifamily buildings. Single-family homes are largely exempt.

Backyard smokers and BBQ pits are unregulated in unincorporated Brazoria County. There is no county ordinance on wood or pellet smokers. The only limits are nuisance-smoke standards and, inside cities, fire-code placement rules for multifamily housing.

Consumer fireworks are broadly legal in unincorporated Brazoria County. Texas counties cannot flatly ban them; the commissioners court may only restrict certain "restricted fireworks" when drought conditions (Keetch-Byram Index 575+) are declared. Inside Pearland, all fireworks are prohibited.

Brazoria County cannot zone, so it sets no fire-pit ordinance for the unincorporated area. Small recreational fires are generally allowed under TCEQ rules if not a nuisance, but active burn bans override this. Cities like Pearland enforce the adopted fire code.

Texas has no statewide defensible-space law, and Brazoria County cannot impose zoning-style brush-clearance rules on private property in unincorporated areas. Clearing brush by burning is governed by TCEQ rules and any active burn ban. Cities may require weed/nuisance abatement.

Outdoor burning is generally prohibited in Texas under TCEQ rules, with narrow exceptions for on-site domestic waste and plant growth where no trash pickup exists. Brazoria County can declare burn bans in drought. Cities like Pearland restrict burning further.

Texas Property Code requires landlords to install smoke alarms in each bedroom of a rental dwelling, plus corridors and each level. For new construction, the building code (IRC) governs. Brazoria County has no separate smoke-detector ordinance for unincorporated homes.

Texas does not designate mandatory wildfire hazard zones or a statewide Wildland-Urban Interface building code, and Brazoria County imposes no wildfire-zone requirements. Coastal Brazoria's main fire risk is grass fires during drought, managed through burn bans, not zoning.

Small backyard recreational fires (campfires, cooking fires) are generally allowed in unincorporated Brazoria County when attended and not a nuisance, but a county burn ban suspends them. The county sets no fire ordinance; cities enforce the adopted fire code.

Propane (LP-gas) storage and installation in Texas is regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas under NFPA 58 standards, not by Brazoria County zoning. Licensed installers, tank setbacks, and system requirements are set statewide. Cities may add fire-code provisions.

Brazoria County does not paint or regulate colored curbs, which is a city traffic function. In cities, only the municipality may mark curbs to control parking; residents cannot paint curbs themselves, and painted-curb meanings are set by city ordinance.

Brazoria County cannot zone the unincorporated area, so it sets no RV, boat, or trailer parking rules there. Inside a city like Pearland, the city's Unified Development Code and property-maintenance code govern where you may store an RV, boat, or trailer.

Brazoria County does not regulate parking on public streets. Cities do. In Pearland, no vehicle may remain parked on any street for more than 72 continuous hours, or it is treated as abandoned and may be tagged and towed.

Brazoria County cannot restrict commercial-vehicle parking in the unincorporated area because it has no zoning power. Inside cities such as Pearland, the Unified Development Code limits parking of large commercial vehicles and trucks in residential districts.

Brazoria County sets no driveway or yard-parking standards in the unincorporated area because it cannot zone. Cities do: Pearland's Unified Development Code and property-maintenance code govern driveway surfacing and where vehicles may park on a residential lot.

There is no county overnight-parking ban in unincorporated Brazoria County. Cities set their own limits. Pearland has no blanket overnight ban but prohibits any vehicle from staying on a street more than 72 continuous hours under § 29-18.

Brazoria County has no ordinance on EV charging or EV-only parking in the unincorporated area. Installing a home charger follows state electrical code and county permitting; cities may add zoning and parking rules for public chargers.

This is a real county power. Under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 683, Brazoria County may declare a junked vehicle a public nuisance and remove it from private or public property, even in unincorporated areas, after required notice.

Brazoria County cannot restrict where oversized vehicles park in the unincorporated area. Inside cities, zoning limits large-vehicle storage in residential districts. Statewide size and weight limits for moving oversized loads are set by Texas Transportation Code Chapter 621 and TxDMV permits.

Brazoria County does not designate or enforce loading zones; that is a city traffic-control function. In cities like Pearland, loading zones are marked and enforced under the municipal traffic code, and blocking them is a Class C parking offense.

No county fence code applies in unincorporated Brazoria County because Texas counties can't zone. City codes set the requirements: Pearland requires a permit, decorative front fences under 4 feet, and compliance with your subdivision's plat and deed restrictions.

Unincorporated Brazoria County issues no fence permits and can't zone; platting isn't required just to build a fence. Inside cities like Pearland a building permit is required before you construct any fence.

Unincorporated Brazoria County allows any fence material because Texas counties can't zone. Wood, chain-link, metal, and masonry are fine, subject to city code and deed restrictions. Pearland requires decorative materials for front-yard fences.

Unincorporated Brazoria County sets no fence-height limit because Texas counties can't zone. Inside cities the city code rules: Pearland caps front-yard fences at 4 feet (decorative); taller side and rear fences need a permit. HOA and deed restrictions may be stricter.

Unincorporated Brazoria County has no retaining-wall zoning ordinance. In new subdivisions the county may set drainage standards under state law, and cities regulate walls through building permits. On this Gulf coast, flood and drainage rules matter most.

Unincorporated Brazoria County restricts no fence materials because Texas counties can't zone. Cities and HOAs restrict materials instead: Pearland requires decorative (see-through) front-yard fences, and subdivision deed restrictions commonly limit materials.

Unincorporated Brazoria County has no boundary-fence ordinance because Texas counties can't zone, so disputes are civil matters. In Pearland, front fences that aren't decorative and under 4 feet must sit 15 feet back from the street for visibility.

Unincorporated Brazoria County sets no building-height limit because Texas counties can't zone. City zoning applies: Pearland limits buildings to 35 feet in its single-family residential districts. Deed restrictions or FAA rules may add limits.

Unincorporated Brazoria County sets no building setbacks because Texas counties can't zone. Setbacks come from city zoning: Pearland's R-3 district requires a 25-foot front, 7.5-foot side, and 20-foot rear yard. Subdivision plats may set building lines.

Unincorporated Brazoria County sets no lot-coverage limit because Texas counties can't zone. City zoning controls: Pearland's R-3 district caps coverage at 60% (50% in the larger-lot R-1 district). Deed restrictions and floodplain rules may add limits.

Texas counties cannot enforce a countywide leash law in unincorporated areas. Inside cities the city code controls: Pearland requires dogs restrained on a leash or confined. The county does enforce state dangerous-dog restraint rules.

No. Texas law forbids any county or city from regulating dogs by breed. Brazoria County and its cities may restrict declared dangerous dogs, but a rule cannot single out pit bulls or any specific breed.

Brazoria County has no cat leash or licensing ordinance, but state law requires every cat to be vaccinated against rabies by four months of age. Cities may add cat rules; the county enforces rabies control.

Brazoria County cannot zone, so it sets no exotic-pet ordinance, but state law strictly controls dangerous wild animals. Owning a lion, tiger, or similar animal requires registration and caging under Health & Safety Code Ch. 822, Subchapter E.

Brazoria County has no hoarding-specific ordinance, but state animal-cruelty law reaches neglect. Failing to provide adequate food, water, care, or shelter to many animals is a criminal offense enforced by the county and constables.

Texas counties cannot zone, so unincorporated Brazoria County sets no limit on backyard chickens or livestock. The real control is the local-option stock law: after a county election, owners may not let the named animals run at large.

Unincorporated Brazoria County sets no numerical limit on dogs or cats because Texas counties cannot zone. Pet-number caps come only from city codes, so Pearland, Lake Jackson, or Angleton residents should check their municipal ordinance.

Brazoria County sets no beekeeping ordinance because Texas counties cannot zone. Beekeeping in unincorporated areas is governed only by state apiary law; inside cities the municipal code may add hive rules.

Brazoria County has no general ordinance banning the feeding of deer, raccoons, or other wildlife, since counties cannot zone. Wildlife is managed by Texas Parks & Wildlife, and coastal-area alligator feeding is prohibited by state law.

Brazoria County cannot zone livestock out of the unincorporated area. A local-option stock law can require fencing so animals do not run at large, and the Texas Right to Farm Act shields established agricultural operations from nuisance suits.

Texas has no statewide homeowner watering ban. Brazoria County sets no watering schedule. Any restrictions come from your water provider's drought contingency plan and, for wells, the Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District.

Brazoria County has no tree-trimming ordinance for the unincorporated area because Texas counties cannot zone. You may trim your own trees freely. Under Texas common law you may cut branches overhanging your property back to the boundary line.

Brazoria County has no landscaping rule requiring or banning native plants. Texas law protects drought-resistant and xeriscape landscaping from HOA bans, and the state encourages native, water-wise plantings across the Gulf coast.

Brazoria County cannot zone, so it has no general weed ordinance for unincorporated land, though it can abate extreme weed nuisances near subdivisions under state law. Pearland bans weeds and grass over nine inches on any premises.

Backyard composting is legal in Brazoria County, which sets no rule against it. Texas Property Code protects composting from outright HOA bans, though an HOA may require reasonable screening or placement.

Brazoria County cannot zone, so unincorporated areas have no county grass-height limit. Inside a city the city code governs. Pearland, the county's largest city, prohibits grass or weeds taller than nine inches on any premises.

Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged throughout Brazoria County. The county sets no restriction, state law bars HOAs from banning rain barrels, and harvesting equipment is exempt from Texas sales tax.

In unincorporated Brazoria County you can remove trees on your own land without a county permit, because Texas counties cannot zone. Inside Pearland you must first obtain city approval, including a tree survey, before removing regulated trees.

Brazoria County has no rule on artificial turf because it cannot zone. Installing synthetic grass in unincorporated areas is unrestricted. Inside a city, check the local development code, and confirm any HOA aesthetic requirements.

Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 757 requires pool yards to be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high measured from the outside. Single-family pools inside a city also follow the city's adopted building code barrier rules.

Brazoria County has no zoning, so unincorporated pools need no county land-use permit. Inside a city like Pearland or Lake Jackson, get a city building permit. Unincorporated pools must still meet septic and floodplain rules.

State law, not the county, sets pool safety standards. Chapter 757 requires self-closing, self-latching gates that open away from the pool, and public pools follow DSHS rules on drains, signage, and equipment. Cities enforce these inside their limits.

Brazoria County sets no zoning rules for above-ground pools in unincorporated areas. Inside a city, a building permit and barrier compliance apply. The state's 48-inch enclosure standard still applies wherever the pool holds enough water to be regulated.

Brazoria County sets no spa rules. A private residential hot tub with a safety cover is largely unregulated in unincorporated areas; inside a city you may need an electrical permit. Public spas follow DSHS Chapter 265 standards.

No tree-removal permit is required in unincorporated Brazoria County, because Texas counties cannot zone or protect trees. Permits apply only inside cities. Pearland requires a tree survey and approval before removing regulated trees.

Brazoria County sets no ordinance on trash-can appearance or storage in unincorporated areas. But accumulating uncontained rubbish, junk, and refuse can be a public nuisance under Texas Health & Safety Code Ch. 343. Inside cities, the municipal solid-waste code sets specific container rules.

Texas counties can't zone, but Brazoria County CAN abate blight in unincorporated neighborhoods under Health & Safety Code Ch. 343. Accumulated rubbish visible from the street for 10+ days is a public nuisance. Inside cities like Pearland or Angleton, the city property-maintenance code governs.

Brazoria County sets no garage-sale permit or frequency rule in unincorporated areas, because Texas counties can't zone or license this. Incorporated cities do: many require a permit and limit how many sales per year. Check your city, not the county, for yard-sale rules.

An overgrown or trash-filled vacant lot in an unincorporated Brazoria County neighborhood can be a public nuisance under Texas Health & Safety Code Ch. 343, which covers weeds within 300 feet of a residence and accumulated rubbish. The county can abate after notice. Cities set their own lot standards.

Unincorporated Brazoria County uses the Texas Health & Safety Code Ch. 343 nuisance test: weeds over 36 inches, or shorter growth that harbors pests, within 300 feet of a residence, can be abated. There's no flat countywide mow height. Pearland caps grass and weeds at 9 inches inside the city.

In-home childcare is regulated by the state, not the county. Texas HHSC registers or licenses child-care homes under Human Resources Code Ch. 42. A registered home cares for up to 6 unrelated children (12 total); a licensed home cares for 7-12.

Texas cottage food law lets you sell many non-hazardous foods made at home with no permit or health inspection. Under Health & Safety Code Ch. 437, a cottage food operation is not a food service establishment and can gross up to $150,000 a year.

Texas counties cannot zone, so unincorporated Brazoria County places no zoning limits on a home business. Inside a city like Pearland, home occupations are allowed as an accessory use only if they meet the city's Unified Development Code conditions.

Brazoria County cannot regulate signs in unincorporated areas. Inside Pearland, the Unified Development Code bars any sign in connection with a home occupation, though other lot signage otherwise permitted by the code is still allowed.

Brazoria County issues no home-occupation permit because it cannot zone. Inside Pearland, a home occupation must meet UDC conditions, including that only occupants plus one full-time (or two part-time) employee may work on the premises.

Texas has no statewide mandatory residential recycling, and Brazoria County imposes no recycling requirement in unincorporated areas. Recycling is voluntary and depends on your private hauler or city program. Some cities and drop-off centers offer it; the county does not mandate participation.

Brazoria County has no bin-placement or set-out-time ordinance in unincorporated areas; follow your private hauler's instructions. Incorporated cities regulate curb placement and when containers may be out. Pearland's Chapter 12 (Solid Waste) sets those container rules inside the city.

Brazoria County runs no bulk-trash pickup program in unincorporated areas; residents self-haul large items to a licensed facility or arrange private pickup. Incorporated cities offer scheduled bulky and brush collection. Never dump bulky waste roadside — that's illegal dumping under state law.

Brazoria County does not run curbside garbage collection in unincorporated areas. Residents contract directly with a private hauler or self-haul to a licensed facility. Incorporated cities like Pearland provide contracted residential collection with set pickup days.

Illegal dumping is one thing a Texas county fully enforces. Under Health & Safety Code § 365.012 it's a crime to dispose of litter or solid waste anywhere that isn't an approved site. Brazoria County's Eagle Eye Environmental Division actively investigates. Penalties run from a fine to a state jail

Brazoria County cannot regulate signs in unincorporated areas, so garage-sale signs on private property with owner consent are generally fine. But signs in a state highway right-of-way are illegal and TxDOT can remove them, and cities set their own temporary-sign rules.

On private property with the owner's consent, Texas law bars a city from prohibiting a political sign, charging a fee, or restricting its size (up to 36 sq ft, 8 ft tall, not illuminated). HOAs must allow signs from 90 days before an election.

Texas counties cannot zone, so Brazoria County sets no ADU rules in unincorporated areas. Inside a city, the city code governs. Pearland's Old Townsite district expressly allows one additional dwelling unit in an accessory structure.

Texas counties cannot set carport zoning, so unincorporated Brazoria County imposes no setback or design rule. Inside a city, the Unified Development Code applies — Pearland treats carports as accessory structures with setback limits and no front-yard placement.

Brazoria County cannot zone, so unincorporated sheds face no county size or setback rule — only floodplain and septic permits. Cities set their own limits. Pearland caps accessory structures at 660 sq. ft. and 24 feet in its Old Townsite district.

Brazoria County has no zoning power, so unincorporated garage conversions face no county land-use rule — only building/septic/floodplain concerns. Inside a city, you need a city building permit and must meet code for the new living space.

Brazoria County cannot set a minimum house size or zone tiny homes in unincorporated areas — only septic, platting and floodplain rules apply. Inside a city, the building code (IRC Appendix Q) and zoning govern minimum dwelling standards.

Brazoria County parks operate under posted conduct rules and hours set by the Parks Department. Texas repealed county juvenile curfews in 2023, so there is no countywide teen curfew — park closing hours are enforced as park rules and trespass.

Brazoria County has no dark-sky lighting ordinance. Texas limits which local governments may regulate outdoor lighting, and unincorporated county authority is generally reserved for areas near major observatories or military bases — not Brazoria County.

Brazoria County has no light-trespass ordinance. A neighbor's glare in unincorporated areas is handled as a private nuisance under Texas common law. Inside a city, the municipal code and nuisance rules may apply.