5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Dallas County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Dallas County follows Texas state law on security cameras. Homeowners may install cameras on their property without a permit. Texas Penal Code §16.02 governs electronic surveillance. Cameras must not record areas with a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Texas is a one-party consent state. Under Texas Penal Code §16.02, only one party to a conversation must consent to recording. This applies to both in-person conversations and phone calls throughout Dallas County. Video recording without audio in public areas is generally unrestricted.
Tex. Penal Code Sec. 16.02(b), (c)(4) — Unlawful Interception of Communications (one-party consent)
A person commits an offense if the person: (1) intentionally intercepts, endeavors to intercept, or procures another person to intercept or endeavor to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication ... It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under Subsection (b) that: (4) a person not acting under color of law intercepts a wire, oral, or electronic communication, if: (A) the person is...
Fence regulations in Dallas County vary by municipality. The City of Dallas limits residential fences to 9 feet in rear yards, 6 feet in side yards, and 4 feet in front yards under SEC. 51A-4.602. Sight obstruction regulations apply at intersections. Barbed wire is restricted in residential areas.
Texas has no statewide facial recognition ban. Dallas County has not enacted any county prohibition on government or private facial recognition use. Dallas County Sheriff and DPD use various biometric tools subject to internal policy.
Texas has no statute specifically governing automated license plate readers. Dallas County Sheriff and many cities deploy ALPRs for investigations and BOLOs. Data retention and access are set by department policy and Texas public records law.
3 cities in Dallas County have their own privacy & surveillance rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Dallas County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Dallas County Ordinance Hub →