Harris County, TX Ordinances (2026)

Harris County requires a written County Engineer permit for any sign visible from a county toll road's main-traveled way, and generally bars new off-premise signs and billboards near…

Harris County bans inflatable displays and similar carnival-style devices used as signs visible from its toll roads, but exempts in-season holiday decorations if they're removed within…

Off-premise signs, including billboards, are barred from toll-road frontage in Harris County, and electronic 'spectacular' displays are limited to slow-changing time, weather, or stock…

Along a Harris County toll road, most signs visible from the main-traveled way need a written permit from the County Engineer. Ch. 41, Subchapter 41F, Sec 5 carves out an exception for…

Harris County has no specific ordinance regulating garage sale signs in unincorporated areas. Texas state law prohibits signs on public rights-of-way, utility poles, and traffic signs…

Texas Election Code Chapter 259 protects the right to display political signs on private property. Harris County cannot restrict political signage beyond state law. Signs may not be…

Federal Tobacco 21 (PL 116-94) and Texas Health and Safety Code section 161.082 ban sale of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapor products, and any tobacco to anyone under 21 in Harris…

Texas House Bill 1771 (2023), codified at Health and Safety Code section 161.0876, preempts cities and counties from restricting flavored tobacco, menthol cigarettes, or vape flavors…

Harris County Sheriff and constables respond to loud party calls in unincorporated areas under Texas Penal Code 42.01 disorderly conduct, the Harris County Sound Order limiting noise…

Possessing or drinking alcohol in a Harris County park is banned by default under Section 17 of the park rules, except at specific pavilions, golf courses, and community buildings the…

Texas has no statewide outdoor smoking ban. Harris County does not regulate outdoor smoking on private property in unincorporated areas. Cities including Houston enforce their own…

Harris County has no separate panhandling ordinance. Aggressive solicitation that involves threats, blocking pedestrians, or unwanted touching is prosecuted by Sheriff and constables…

Texas Penal Code Section 42.01(a)(10) makes exposing your anus or genitals in a public place reckless of who might be offended a Class C misdemeanor. Harris County Sheriff and…

Texas HB 2127, the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act effective September 2023, broadly preempts local labor regulation including paid sick leave. Harris County cannot mandate paid leave…

Texas Labor Code Section 62.0515 preempts any city or county from setting a minimum wage above the federal $7.25 per hour floor. Harris County cannot enact a higher local wage for…

Dumping or accumulating refuse, junk, or rubbish outside a closed receptacle for 10 or more days on unincorporated Harris County property is a public nuisance. The county Health…

Unincorporated Harris County does not provide municipal trash pickup. Residents must contract with private waste haulers for collection. Some MUDs and special districts arrange…

Harris County has no mandatory recycling ordinance for unincorporated areas. Recycling availability depends on private waste hauler contracts and MUD services. Texas does not mandate…

New construction in Harris County's floodplain must be elevated well above base flood, not just to it, under the county's post-2023 freeboard rule.

New homes in Harris County's 100-year floodplain must sit above the base flood elevation before a development permit issues.

TCEQ Rule 30 Texas Administrative Code 114.512 limits commercial vehicles over 14,000 pounds to five minutes of idling in the eight-county Houston-Galveston-Brazoria nonattainment…

Harris County has no cool-roof or reflective-roof mandate because Texas counties lack adopted building-code authority for unincorporated areas. The 2015 International Energy…

Unincorporated Harris County requires a Stormwater Quality (SWQ) Permit for new development and significant redevelopment before construction, administered by the County Engineer under…

Construction sites in unincorporated Harris County need an SWQ Permit with a site plan showing erosion control measures, and must remove temporary structural erosion controls within 30…

Flying a drone or model aircraft in a Harris County park is banned outside specifically designated areas, and even there the aircraft must stay within the operator's line of sight…

Harris County has no local drone ordinance. Recreational drone use in unincorporated areas follows FAA regulations and Texas Government Code Chapter 423, which restricts drone…

Licensed boarding homes in unincorporated Harris County must keep working carbon monoxide detectors close to sleeping areas under the county's Boarding Home Regulations.

Licensed 24-hour daycare centers in unincorporated Harris County must install a manual fire alarm system with voice/alarm communication, connect sprinklers to the alarm, and provide…

Harris County requires boarding home facilities to fit interior doors properly, install locking hardware for resident privacy, and make sure closet and bathroom locks release from…

Harris County requires staged elevation inspections for floodplain development permits: a pre-framing elevation certificate, then a final elevation certificate before habitation…

Licensed boarding homes in unincorporated Harris County must hard-wire smoke detectors in every bedroom, hallway, corridor, laundry room and basement area. The county's Boarding Home…

Every Harris County floodplain development permit holder in the unincorporated county must post the permit at the jobsite, keep the road clear of construction soil, and let the County…

Texas Local Government Code section 233.153 prohibits Harris County from requiring residential fire sprinklers in new one or two-family homes. The Harris County Fire Marshal applies…

In unincorporated Harris County, interior home renovations aren't governed by a county building code. Harris County Fire Code Sec 102.5 hands residential construction entirely to the…

Holding a special event in a Harris County park requires the Park Superintendent's written permission plus liability insurance and paid off-duty peace officers.

In unincorporated Harris County, the Fire Marshal requires an operational Special Event permit for any outdoor fair, carnival, or vendor market drawing 100 or more people, with added…

Any outdoor event in unincorporated Harris County that draws more than 2,500 people, or more than 500 if most attendees are under 21 and alcohol is present, needs a mass-gathering…

Building a sidewalk, driveway, or culvert across Harris County right-of-way in unincorporated areas requires a permit from the County Engineer before construction begins, under the…

In unincorporated Harris County, no one may obstruct access to county or flood-control right-of-way, and landscaping over 30 inches or monuments cannot be placed in ROW corner…

In unincorporated Harris County, repairing or rebuilding a sidewalk in a county right-of-way needs a County Engineer permit under the driveway and culvert regulations, unless the…

Electrical signs visible from Harris County toll roads are capped at 10 bulbs of 100 watts on a single 120-volt circuit, must carry a sunshade screen dimmer, and can't use…

New Harris County subdivisions must plant one or two caliper-inch trees per single-family lot, and builders may install them in the county right-of-way instead of the yard if a…

Every new single-family lot platted in unincorporated Harris County must carry front-yard trees sized to the lot: one tree on lots of 5,000 square feet or less, two on anything larger…

Removing a specimen tree of 12 inches or larger in caliper from a Harris County road or flood-control right-of-way triggers a mandatory removal and replacement plan. Ch. 41, Subchapter…

When work in a Harris County Flood Control District right-of-way removes a 'desirable' tree, the ROW user must replace it inch for inch with the same or a similar species. Ch. 41…

New homes on non-conforming lots in unincorporated Harris County must set the finished floor at least 12 inches above the highest adjacent grade or street crown.

The Harris County Historical Commission's bylaws lock down exactly what an official county historical marker looks like, cast aluminum, three fixed sizes, a brilliant blue background…

Texas does not have a Mills Act-style property tax program. Instead, Texas Tax Code Section 11.24 lets local taxing units exempt part or all of a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark or…

Texas Penal Code section 46.02(a-1), the Motorist Protection Act expanded by HB 1927, lets any adult legally entitled to possess a firearm carry a handgun inside their motor vehicle or…

House Bill 1927 (2021) lets most Texans 21 and older carry a handgun concealed without a permit anywhere in Harris County. The optional License to Carry through Texas DPS still…

Texas allows open carry of holstered handguns by adults 21 and older without a permit. House Bill 1927 (2021) ended the License to Carry requirement. Long guns may also be openly…

Texas counties have very limited zoning authority under Local Government Code chapters 232 and 233, primarily over subdivisions and floodplains. Harris County does not adopt specific…

Unincorporated Harris County requires a microchip ID number before HCPH Veterinary Public Health will license any dog or cat over three months old. Dangerous dogs face a separate…

Texas has no statewide spay-neuter mandate, and Harris County does not require sterilization. Cities choose their own rules: Houston requires intact-animal permits under Chapter 6…

Harris County has no dedicated cat ordinance. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 826 mandates rabies vaccination for cats over four months old. Harris County Public Health Veterinary…

Native birds are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 64. Harris County has no separate bird ordinance. Removing nests, eggs, or…

Animal hoarding in unincorporated Harris County is addressed through Harris County Animal Control. Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 821 covers dangerous dogs and cruelty. Texas Penal…

Harris County does not have breed-specific legislation (BSL) banning any dog breed. However, dogs classified as 'dangerous' face strict requirements: mandatory registration ($50/year)…

Harris County does not have specific poultry or livestock ordinances for unincorporated areas beyond general nuisance and animal cruelty laws. Texas counties lack zoning authority to…

All dogs and cats must be kept under restraint in unincorporated Harris County. Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet when off the owner's property. Annual licensing is…

Harris County regulates dangerous wild animals under county regulations and Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822. Keeping lions, tigers, bears, primates, and other specified…

Pushcarts operating as mobile food units in unincorporated Harris County face hard size limits: no more than four feet wide, eight feet long, and eight feet tall including the shade…

Trees and shrubs planted inside a Harris County road or flood-control right-of-way must stay clear of the pavement and sightlines. County rule Ch. 41, Subchapter 41B, Sec 25 requires…

Harris County doesn't require homeowners to install rainwater harvesting systems, but developers who use cisterns or rain barrels to meet stormwater detention requirements must follow…

Harris County enforces the Texas Neighborhood Nuisance Abatement Act for weeds and overgrown vegetation in unincorporated areas. Weeds within 300 feet of residences or commercial…

Removing or destroying any tree, shrub, or other plant life in a Harris County park requires the Park Superintendent's consent: there's no blanket right to trim, dig up, or take…

Harris County has no native plant requirements for residential landscaping in unincorporated areas. No xeriscaping mandates or native plant percentage requirements exist. Texas…

Harris County has no regulations on artificial turf in unincorporated areas. No county permit is required for installation. Texas Property Code §202.007 limits HOA authority to…

Along Harris County toll roads, holiday decorations are exempt from the county's toll-road sign permit even though decorative displays are otherwise banned as carnival-type devices…

Inflatable displays, balloons, streamers, and similar carnival-style signage are barred along Harris County toll roads. Ch. 41, Subchapter 41F, Sec 5 carves out a seasonal exception…

In unincorporated Harris County, Section 308.1.4.1 of the Fire Code bans charcoal burners, LP-gas cooking appliances and any other open-flame cooking device in new or existing Group…

Unincorporated Harris County caps food pushcarts at 4 feet wide, 8 feet long and 8 feet tall, bars motorized carts, and requires a Public Health permit before one can operate.

Operating a mobile food unit in unincorporated Harris County requires a Public Health permit, medallion, and GPS device from Harris County Public Health, plus annual renewal, proper…

Unincorporated Harris County requires mobile food vendor vehicles to park at least 20 feet from structures, other units, combustible waste, and parked vehicles, plus a Fire Marshal…

In unincorporated Harris County, an operational fire permit covers LP-gas storage, but homes are exempt if their tank system tops out at 500 gallons water capacity, individually or…

Smoke alarms in Harris County homes are governed by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 766.002 and, for rentals, Texas Property Code Sections 92.251 to 92.262. Section 766.002…

All outdoor burning in unincorporated Harris County is prohibited during active burn bans enacted by Commissioners Court. Exceptions exist for enclosed fires, non-commercial cooking…

Harris County Commissioners Court can restrict fireworks sales and use during burn bans. Skyrockets, missiles, and bottle rockets (tail and fin fireworks) are banned during burn ban…

Harris County is not in a designated wildfire risk zone. The humid Gulf Coast climate and urban development minimize wildfire risk. Periodic burn bans are enacted during drought…

Harris County's tow truck ordinance, Subchapter 28G, covers only tows a law enforcement officer initiates, and only in the unincorporated parts of the county. It does not reach a…

Texas Transportation Code section 544.011 makes only the local authority responsible for painting and maintaining curb markings such as red, yellow, and white zones. Harris County…

Texas Transportation Code Section 545.307 prohibits parking commercial motor vehicles on residential streets between 10 PM and 6 AM where signs are posted. Unincorporated Harris County…

Harris County enforces abandoned vehicle regulations under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 683. Vehicles left on public roadways for 48+ hours or on private property without consent…

Harris County orders owners to repair or demolish structurally unsafe buildings under its Neighborhood Nuisance Abatement Procedures, with the County Attorney able to assess abatement…

Harris County enforces minimum property standards on vacant lots through the Community Services Department. Violations include excessive weeds, accumulated debris, junk vehicles, and…

Texas allows landlords to end fixed-term leases at expiration and to terminate month-to-month tenancies with at least 30 days' written notice for any lawful reason. Harris County has…

Texas has no statewide source of income protection, and Harris County has not adopted a county-level rule covering its 30-plus cities. Houston has not adopted a citywide source of…

Texas Property Code Sections 92.101 through 92.110 set statewide security-deposit rules for all Harris County rentals. Landlords must return the deposit within 30 days of move-out with…

Unincorporated Harris County has no rental property registration requirement. Landlords are not required to register rental units with the county. No registry, fee, or inspection…

Rent control is prohibited statewide in Texas under Texas Property Code Chapter 214. Harris County cannot impose rent control on any rental properties in unincorporated areas…

Texas has no just-cause eviction protections. Harris County landlords can terminate month-to-month leases with proper notice without stating a reason. Evictions follow Texas Property…

The Texas Supreme Court ruling in City of Laredo v. Laredo Merchants Association (2018) invalidated municipal plastic-bag bans under Health and Safety Code section 361.0961. Harris…

Texas Health and Safety Code section 361.0961 and the 2018 Laredo Supreme Court decision preempt city and county regulation of single-use packaging, which restaurant lawyers extend to…

Texas Health and Safety Code section 361.0961 preempts cities and counties from regulating containers and packages, which the Texas Supreme Court Laredo case extends to polystyrene…

Industrial noise in unincorporated Harris County is addressed through the county's nuisance provisions. The Houston-Galveston area's large petrochemical industry generates significant…

Harris County has no construction hour restrictions in unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack authority to regulate construction timing. Construction may occur at any hour unless…

Harris County has no leaf blower regulations in unincorporated areas. Gas-powered and electric leaf blowers are completely unrestricted at the county level. Only subdivision deed…

Harris County has no amplified music ordinance for unincorporated areas. No county-level sound permits, decibel limits, or event noise restrictions exist. TX Penal Code §42.01 is the…

Texas Finance Code Chapter 371 places pawnshop licensing exclusively with the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. Harris County pawnbrokers must hold an OCCC license, post maximum…

Harris County uses Texas Local Government Code Chapter 243 to regulate sexually oriented businesses in unincorporated areas. The county prohibits SOBs within 1,500 feet of schools…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 455 places massage therapy licensing exclusively with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Harris County does not license massage…

The Texas Comptroller issues all tobacco and e-cigarette retail permits under Health and Safety Code chapter 161 and Tax Code chapter 154. Harris County has no separate vape retail…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2308 requires every Harris County towing company, vehicle storage facility, and tow truck operator to hold a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1956 requires all crafted-precious-metal and secondhand jewelry, electronics, and tools dealers in Harris County to register with the Texas Department of…

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 438 requires food handlers to complete an accredited course within sixty days of hire. HCPH verifies cards and Certified Food Manager credentials…

Harris County Public Health Mosquito and Vector Control monitors rodents and mosquitoes countywide. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 343 lets the county abate rodent harborage as a…

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 728 governs disposal of household sharps. Harris County Public Health operates a SHARP collection partnership offering residents free drop-off of…

Texas Health and Safety Code section 481.121 makes any marijuana cultivation a criminal offense in Harris County. Even a single plant is illegal. The Compassionate Use Program lets…

Harris County cannot zone for recreational cannabis because Texas allows only three medical Compassionate Use dispensers statewide. Consumable hemp and CBD retailers under Health and…

Harris County has no cannabis buffer-zone rules because Texas does not license recreational dispensaries. The state Compassionate Use Program issued only three medical dispensers…

Growing marijuana at home is illegal in Texas regardless of jurisdiction. Harris County follows state law: cultivation of any amount is a felony. Only licensed TCUP dispensaries may…

Texas SB 4 (2017) prohibits any county, city, or sheriff from adopting sanctuary policies or refusing ICE detainers. Harris County is not a sanctuary jurisdiction and the Sheriff…

Texas has no statewide E-Verify requirement for private employers. State agencies and their contractors must use E-Verify under a 2014 executive order. Harris County requires E-Verify…

Harris County hotels collect a 6 percent state HOT, 7 percent county HOT, and any city HOT, totaling about 17 percent in Houston. Operators register with the Texas Comptroller, file…

Harris County has no countywide sit-lie ordinance regulating sitting or sleeping on public sidewalks. Texas counties have very limited authority to criminalize encampments. The Sheriff…

Short-term rentals in unincorporated Harris County are subject to 15% total hotel occupancy tax: 6% state + 7% county + 2% Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. Applies to stays of…

Harris County has no short-term rental permit, registration, or licensing requirement for unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack zoning authority over land use. STRs must comply…

Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 251, the Right to Farm Act, protects established agricultural operations from nuisance suits when neighbors arrive after farming began. Harris County…

Texas does not authorize counties or cities to levy a general local business license or gross-receipts tax. Harris County businesses pay the state Comptroller franchise tax and sales…

Harris County has no fence height ordinance for unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack zoning authority to regulate fence heights. Deed restrictions, HOA covenants, and utility…

Harris County has no shared fence ordinance for unincorporated areas. Texas does not have a statutory 'Good Neighbor Fence Law.' Fence disputes are resolved under common law, deed…

Harris County has no fence material restrictions for unincorporated areas. Barbed wire, chain link, and other materials are generally unrestricted by the county. Deed restrictions…

Harris County has no sign ordinance for unincorporated areas. Business signs on residential property are unrestricted at the county level. Deed restrictions and HOA covenants commonly…

Texas Cottage Food Law (HSC §437.001) allows home-based food sales up to $75,000 per year without a food establishment permit. Harris County has no additional cottage food…

Home daycares in Harris County must be licensed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). A Listed Family Home serves 1-3 unrelated children. A Registered Child-Care…

Harris County requires a building permit for all swimming pool construction in unincorporated areas. Pools must maintain clearance from utility easements and on-site septic systems…

Harris County requires pool barriers of at least 48 inches high with no more than 4-inch gaps, per the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and IRC. Gates must be self-closing and…

Harris County residents can report a suspected public nuisance in unincorporated areas by filing a written complaint with the county Administrator, who investigates and can order…

Unincorporated Harris County residents report suspected nuisance conditions in writing to the Harris County Public Health Director, who investigates, inspects the property, and can…

Unincorporated Harris County residents report nuisances in writing to the County Health Department Administrator, who logs and investigates each complaint, then must wait 30 days after…

Neither Harris County nor the City of Houston has a specific ordinance banning or restricting bamboo. Texas does not have a statewide bamboo ban. Property owners are responsible for…

Texas maintains a noxious weed list under the Texas Agriculture Code, and the Texas Invasive Species Institute tracks problematic plants. Harris County does not have its own prohibited…

Harris County and the City of Houston do not prohibit front yard vegetable gardens. Texas HB 699 (2023) prohibits cities and counties from banning food gardens on residential property…

Security cameras on private property are legal in Harris County. Texas is a one-party consent state for recording conversations (Penal Code §16.02). Video surveillance of your own…

Texas is a one-party consent state under Texas Penal Code §16.02. You may legally record a conversation if you are a party to it. Recording conversations you are not a party to without…

Unincorporated Harris County parks close at the hours posted on entrance signage, and staying past closing without written approval is a Class C misdemeanor.

Solar panel installations in unincorporated Harris County require electrical permits under the county fire code. The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office reviews commercial solar…

Texas Property Code §202.010 strongly protects homeowners' right to install solar panels. HOAs in Harris County cannot prohibit solar energy devices. Aesthetic restrictions are allowed…

Unincorporated Harris County has no solicitor permit or peddler license requirement. Door-to-door solicitation is governed by Texas Penal Code trespass provisions and deed…

Harris County has no no-knock or do-not-disturb registry for unincorporated areas. Residents can post no-soliciting signs enforceable under Texas Penal Code trespass provisions. No…

Unincorporated Harris County tracts outside a city's ETJ must plat with building setback lines: 25 feet from the road right-of-way, 20 feet on cul-de-sac and knuckle lots, and 10 feet…

Harris County has no limits on the frequency of garage sales in unincorporated areas. Excessive or continuous sales activity may be considered a home business subject to different…