Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth caps when aircraft engine run-ups can happen at its airports: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Running an engine outside those hours…

Fort Worth does not impose a dedicated leaf blower ordinance. Gas and electric blowers are allowed, but operation must stay within citywide noise and construction-hour limits under…

Fort Worth City Code Sec. 23-8 restricts construction noise that disturbs neighboring properties, with heavy equipment such as pile drivers prohibited between 10 PM and 7 AM. Standard…

Fort Worth's noise ordinance, City Code Section 23-8, makes it unlawful to run a vehicle so out of repair or loaded that it creates loud grating, grinding or rattling noise, or to…

Fort Worth City Code Chapter 23 sets numeric decibel limits at residential property lines, generally 65 dB(A) during the day and 58 dB(A) at night, measured from the receiving property.

Outdoor music in Fort Worth must stay within Chapter 23 decibel limits and end by 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday unless a special event permit is…

Fort Worth Sec. 23-8 (Ord. 24752-03-2021) sets quiet hours 10 PM-7 AM. Residential: 70 dBA daytime, 60 dBA nighttime. Central Business/Trinity Uptown: extended to 2 AM (80 dBA). Where…

Fort Worth Sec. 23-8 and Sec. 6-12 make it unlawful to keep dogs or roosters creating bark, cry, crow, or other sound on frequent, repetitive, or continuous basis for 10 minutes or…

Fort Worth caps passenger loading zones at five minutes and bars unpermitted commercial vehicles from marked commercial loading zones entirely. Both rules run daily from 6:00 a.m. to…

Fort Worth bars parking in front of a driveway, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or 20 feet of a crosswalk, and requires every parked car's curbside wheels within 18 inches of the…

Fort Worth Sec. 22-159 defines abandoned vehicles as stored on public street 5+ days at same location. Abandoned Vehicle Enforcement (AVE) unit stickers with warning. On private…

Fort Worth does not impose a citywide overnight street parking ban. Most residential streets allow overnight parking, but oversized vehicles, RVs, and commercial vehicles face…

Fort Worth bans parking a boat, trailer, motorhome, camper or other vehicle in the front or side yard of one-family and two-family zoned property unless it sits on a hard-surfaced or…

Fort Worth Sec. 22-162.2 bans commercial vehicles over 15,000 lbs GVW or 15+ passengers on residential streets (loading/unloading excepted). Max 2 hours on non-residential streets…

Texas Occupations Code chapter 2308 sets the statewide rules for nonconsent towing and vehicle booting. A vehicle owner has 14 business days to demand a hearing in the justice court…

Fort Worth requires every dog and cat to be implanted with a registered microchip before it turns four months old, unless the owner instead buys and displays a city dog/cat license…

Fort Worth zoning splits veterinary clinics by district: in commercial zones under § 5.142 the whole operation, kennels included, must run inside a soundproofed, air-conditioned…

Fort Worth Animal Care and Control investigates suspected hoarding under City Code Chapter 6 and Texas Penal Code 42.092. Officers may seize neglected animals, file misdemeanor or…

Fort Worth City Code Chapter 6 requires dogs and cats over six months old to be spayed or neutered unless the owner obtains an annual intact-animal permit from Animal Care and Control…

Fort Worth does not restrict dogs by breed. Instead, City Code §§ 6-14.1 through 6-15.8 use behavior, not breed, to declare a dog 'aggressive' or 'dangerous' after an unprovoked bite…

Fort Worth Code Sec. 11A-22 allows fowl on residential property with caps tied to lot size: 12 fowl (max two roosters) on lots up to 1/2 acre, 25 fowl over 1/2 acre but under 1 acre…

Fort Worth City Code Chapter 6 regulates pet shops through licensing, sourcing disclosure, and humane handling standards. Unlike Dallas, Fort Worth has not adopted a strict…

Fort Worth City Code Chapter 6 requires cats over four months old to be registered with Animal Care and Control and vaccinated against rabies. Owners must keep proof of current…

Fort Worth allows beekeeping on residential property under Chapter 6 of the Code. If hive entrances are perpendicular to and within 25 feet of a property line, the keeper must install…

Fort Worth Sec. 6-62 prohibits dangerous animals and TX HSC §822.102 Dangerous Wild Animals (lions, tigers, bears, primates, etc.). Exemptions for zoos, circuses, educational…

Fort Worth requires every dog and cat owner to keep the animal under restraint at all times, either on a leash or inside an adequate, code-compliant enclosure. Chaining a dog to a…

Texas lets hunters bait and feed game animals, including deer, on private property statewide. Baiting is unlawful on most public land, for wild turkey in the East Zone, and for all…

Fort Worth limits sprinkler and irrigation-system watering to two designated days a week tied to street address, and bans watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. year-round. Hand watering…

Fort Worth allows artificial turf in residential front and backyards with no permit required, though HOAs may impose reasonable quality and appearance standards.

Fort Worth's park and recreation department controls all trimming, pruning and removal of trees on city streets, alleys and public grounds, and can even enter private property to deal…

Fort Worth allows and encourages native xeriscape landscaping, and Texas Property Code Section 202.007 prevents HOAs from prohibiting drought-resistant plants and water-conserving turf.

Fort Worth City Code declares any property where weeds or grass exceed 12 inches a nuisance. Owners must cut it, including the adjacent parkway; the city abates after notice and bills…

Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance § 6.302 requires developers to preserve significant trees, replant trees removed during development, and meet minimum canopy targets toward a citywide 30%…

Rainwater harvesting is encouraged in Fort Worth and specifically protected from HOA restriction by Texas Property Code Section 202.007, with no city permit required for typical…

Fort Worth exempts retaining walls up to four feet tall, measured footing to top, from a building permit, unless the wall holds back a surcharge or Class I-III-A liquids. Anything…

Fort Worth Zoning Sec. 5.305 limits front-yard fences to open designs with at least 50% transparency, effectively barring solid wood, masonry, or vinyl panels in the front yard of one…

Fort Worth has no city ordinance requiring neighbors to share fence costs or notify each other before building. The city only enforces fence height, location, and material standards…

Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance §5.305 caps residential front-yard fences at 4 feet with open design (max 50% density), and behind the front building line allows solid fences up to 7 feet…

Fort Worth exempts most residential fences from a building permit, but only up to a specific height: the Building Administrative Code excuses fences seven feet or shorter, and open…

Fort Worth's Fire Code amendments require an operational permit for LP-gas storage and use citywide under City Code § 13-2, which amends IFC § 105.5.29. Homes are exempt up to 500…

Open burning of yard waste is prohibited inside Fort Worth city limits, but contained recreational fires in approved pits under three feet across and using clean wood are allowed.

Fort Worth bans burning combustibles like grass, weeds, rubbish and leaves on any street, alley, lot or premises, including bonfires and ceremonial fires, under Fire Code § 307.1 as…

Fort Worth requires working smoke alarms in every sleeping area and on every floor under the adopted International Fire Code and Texas Property Code Section 92.251 for rentals.

Tarrant County does not designate formal wildfire hazard zones. The Texas A and M Forest Service maps WUI risk statewide, with parts of western Tarrant County rated moderate risk…

No burn ban is currently active in Tarrant County (last lifted September 17, 2024). Texas counties may only restrict fireworks under Local Gov Code §352.051 when drought conditions…

Fort Worth lets homeowners build a habitable accessory structure, a garage apartment or casita, but Zoning Ordinance § 5.301(c)(3) limits what it can be used for: only as an accessory…

An accessory dwelling unit in Fort Worth is a habitable accessory structure under Zoning Ordinance § 5.301, and it has to clear three hurdles before anyone can move in: the same side…

Fort Worth requires a building permit for all sheds regardless of size per the Development Services Department. Sheds must comply with Zoning Ordinance Section 5.301 setback…

Texas has no tiny-home-specific statute. Any transportable, chassis-mounted dwelling that reaches 320 square feet is manufactured housing under Occupations Code Chapter 1201, built to…

Fort Worth allows home occupations by right inside a dwelling, garage or one accessory building under Zoning Ordinance § 5.116.A, but caps them tightly: the business must stay…

Fort Worth Zoning Sec. 5.116.A prohibits exterior signs and any visible evidence of a home occupation from the street. No on-premises commercial signs are allowed for businesses…

Fort Worth's home-occupation traffic standard bans anything beyond what a normal residential street would see: parking or vehicle traffic that substantially interferes with neighbors'…

Texas Cottage Food Law allows Fort Worth residents to sell non-potentially-hazardous homemade foods with no city permit, up to $50,000 per year in gross sales with labeling…

Home daycares in Fort Worth must obtain a state HHSC permit and may operate under the home occupation standard in Zoning Sec. 5.116.A. Family Day Homes (caring for 4 or more unrelated…

Fort Worth charges a 9% Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) on stays under 30 days (7% city tax plus 2% special venue district tax). STR registration costs $150 initial and $100 annual renewal…

Fort Worth caps short-term rental occupancy at two guests per bedroom plus two additional, with a firm maximum often set at 10 guests per property regardless of bedroom count.

Fort Worth's short-term rental ordinance (Ord. 26005-02-2023, codified as Article XIII of the registration chapter) requires operators to carry liability insurance and provide proof to…

Fort Worth STRs must provide off-street parking equal to the number of bedrooms, and overflow onto neighboring streets is a common trigger for complaints and enforcement.

Fort Worth requires every short-term rental to be registered with the City under Code of Ordinances Chapter 7, Article XIII (Short-Term Rental Registration), adopted February 14, 2023…

Fort Worth's short-term rental ordinance sets no separate decibel or curfew number of its own. Instead it makes it unlawful for an STR owner or occupant to violate the city's general…

Fort Worth requires a barrier of at least 48 inches around any residential swimming pool, spa, or hot tub under Appendix Q of the adopted 2021 International Residential Code (Fort…

Above-ground pools in Fort Worth are treated as residential pools under Chapter 7 and 2021 IRC Appendix Q. A building permit is required when the pool exceeds 24 inches in water depth…

Fort Worth has NO local just-cause eviction ordinance. Texas is a no-cause termination state under Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001: a month-to-month tenancy may be ended by either party on 30…

Fort Worth's minimum building standards code makes owners and landlords responsible for keeping every rental in livable condition, covering structural soundness, working plumbing and…

Texas allows Fort Worth 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. Fort…

Unlike Dallas and Austin, Fort Worth has not amended its Human Relations ordinance to prohibit housing discrimination based on lawful source of income. Landlords may legally refuse…

Fort Worth does not require a general rental property registration or licensing program. Unlike some Texas cities, Fort Worth does not mandate that landlords register residential…

Fort Worth has no comprehensive tenant anti-harassment ordinance. Tenants rely on Texas Property Code Section 92.331 retaliation rules and Section 92.0081 lockout protections, plus…

Texas Property Code Sections 92.101 through 92.110 set statewide security-deposit rules. Fort Worth landlords must return the deposit within 30 days of move-out with an itemized list…

Texas has no statewide tenant relocation assistance statute, and Fort Worth has not adopted a relocation-payment ordinance. Tenants displaced by no-fault terminations or condemnation…

Rent control is prohibited statewide under Texas Local Government Code Section 214.902. Tarrant County and its cities cannot cap rents except during a declared housing emergency with…

Under Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005, a Texas landlord must give a defaulting or holdover tenant at least three days' written notice to vacate before filing a forcible detainer (eviction)…

Under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.019 a residential late fee must be reasonable and may be charged only if written in the lease and the rent stays unpaid two full days after due. A fee is…

Under Tex. Prop. Code § 91.001, either party may end a month-to-month tenancy by giving notice, and the tenancy ends on the later of the date in the notice or one month after notice is…

In Texas a squatter can claim title only through adverse possession, with periods that shorten as the claim strengthens: 3 years under title or color of title (§ 16.024), 5 years with…

Fort Worth designates historically, culturally, architecturally, or archeologically significant properties as Highly Significant Endangered, Historic and Cultural Landmark, or…

Fort Worth requires a building permit before any electrical system is installed, altered, repaired, removed, converted or replaced, under Building Administrative Code § 105.1. The…

Fort Worth landlords must equip every leased dwelling with a keyed dead bolt or doorknob lock plus a keyless bolting device and door viewer on each exterior door, all installed at the…

Fort Worth's amended Fire Code requires carbon monoxide alarms in every rented or leased dwelling unit where CO detection applies under Section 915, and in every Group E school…

Fort Worth regulates plumbing work under Chapter 26 of the City Code, which adopts the 2021 International Plumbing Code and 2021 International Fuel Gas Code with local amendments…

Fort Worth's Building Administrative Code sets the minimum inspection stages a project must pass, footing, slab, framing, energy efficiency, parkway and final, before the Building…

Fort Worth implements green-building policy primarily through adopted IECC energy code amendments and Climate Action Plan benchmarks rather than a free-standing mandatory…

Fort Worth childcare centers must meet Texas Health and Human Services Commission licensing standards under 26 TAC Chapter 744 and pass local building, fire, and zoning approvals…

Fort Worth's building code requires fire sprinklers in commercial occupancies based on IBC Chapter 9 thresholds. Single-family homes use the IRC R313 default which Texas allows local…

Texas TDLR regulates all elevators, escalators, and related equipment statewide under TX Health & Safety Code Ch. 754. Annual inspections are mandatory. Building owners must obtain a…

Fort Worth requires a building permit for decks over 6 inches above grade. Concrete patios at grade level generally do not require permits. Covered patios and attached decks always…

Scaffolding safety in Tarrant County follows federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L for construction and 29 CFR 1910.28 for general industry. Texas has no state OSHA plan; Federal OSHA…

Lead paint in Tarrant County is governed by the federal EPA RRP Rule (40 CFR Part 745) and HUD disclosure rules for pre-1978 housing. Texas DSHS administers abatement certification…

Anyone building, enlarging or moving a dock, pier or boathouse on Fort Worth-controlled water, chiefly Lake Worth, needs a permit under Chapter 36 of the Building Administrative Code…

Fort Worth requires new and substantially improved homes to raise their lowest floor at least two feet above the base flood elevation, not just meet it. The Transportation and Public…

Fort Worth requires a CFRA Certificate of Compliance, or a full Stormwater Drainage Study for one-acre-plus projects, before anyone builds within a City Flood Risk Area, drainage-prone…

Fort Worth sits inside the Dallas-Fort Worth ozone nonattainment area, so TCEQ Rule 30 TAC 114.512 caps heavy-duty diesel idling at five consecutive minutes. The city has no separate…

Fort Worth's adopted International Energy Conservation Code, with local amendments, requires reflective roofing or compliant alternatives on most low-slope commercial roofs and sets…

Fort Worth regulates grading and drainage through the Development Code and the Storm Water Management Design Manual. A grading permit is required for earthwork exceeding specified…

Fort Worth requires a floodplain development permit before any building, fill, or use change in a FEMA-mapped special flood hazard area. The floodplain administrator issues permits…

Texas prohibits damaging, destroying, or removing a sand dune or its vegetation seaward of a dune protection line or within a critical dune area unless a permit authorizes the work…

Fort Worth does not run its own business tax classification system. City Code § 20-1 lets the council levy an occupation tax only on occupations the State of Texas already taxes, and…

Fort Worth levies a 50% tax on parking charges, capped at $5 per vehicle, at parking facilities inside the Will Rogers Memorial Center venue project. Parking facility operators must…

Fort Worth requires every commercial waste container, the dumpster used for business and multifamily garbage, to be emptied at least once every seven days, kept mechanically sound, and…

Fort Worth requires yard trimmings to go out in kraft paper bags or an optional yard-trimmings cart, never plastic, under City Code § 12.5-823. Small bundled brush tied with twine is…

Fort Worth requires owners and occupants of single-family homes, duplexes, garage apartments and occupied mobile homes to use the city's household collection service under City Code §…

Landlords of Fort Worth multifamily complexes with eight or more units must file and carry out a written recycling plan under City Code § 7-411(c), spelling out materials collected…

Fort Worth Code § 16-294 makes it a criminal offense to deposit or discharge solid waste, dead animals, foul water, or noxious liquid waste onto any public or private property; both…

Fort Worth requires carts to hit the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before pickup and no later than 7:00 a.m. on collection day, then come back in by midnight, under City…

Fort Worth collects garbage and recycling weekly on the same day, with bulk waste monthly. Find your day with the city's Garbage & Recycling app or lookup tool. Only Thanksgiving…

Fort Worth runs its curbside recycling program to help meet the state-mandated 40% recycling goal under City Code § 12.5-824. Recyclables must go only in city-issued recycling carts…

Fort Worth provides scheduled bulk trash collection for large items that do not fit in the standard cart. Bulk collection is available on a scheduled basis: residents can schedule a…

Fort Worth sells treated wastewater as reclaimed water only inside its designated service area and only under a signed reclaimed water service agreement approved by the water…

Fort Worth Water Department offers conservation rebates that can include turf reduction, irrigation upgrades, and rain barrels for residential customers. The voluntary program supports…

Fort Worth City Code § 35-26 defines wasting water as strictly prohibited and requires property owners to repair any leak in a private plumbing or irrigation system within five working…

Fort Worth requires an Encroachment Permit before anyone occupies city street, alley or sidewalk space, whether for a construction fence or a permanent building projection. Temporary…

Fort Worth City Code Section 30-1 declares a defective, unsafe or hazardous sidewalk a nuisance and puts the repair duty on the abutting property owner, agent or tenant, giving 30 days…

Fort Worth bans bicycles, roller blades, skateboards and other wheeled equipment in city parks and recreation areas wherever the Park and Recreation Department has posted signs…

Fort Worth does not have a general anti-loitering ordinance; its only standing loitering law targets solicitation for prostitution. Section 23-11 makes it an offense to loiter in a…

Fort Worth City Code Chapter 23 prohibits aggressive solicitation that involves intimidation, blocking pathways, or harassing pedestrians and motorists, while passive panhandling…

Pedestrian crossing rules in Fort Worth are governed by Texas Transportation Code Section 552.005, which requires pedestrians to yield to vehicles when crossing outside marked…

Public urination and defecation in Fort Worth are prosecuted as disorderly conduct under Texas Penal Code Section 42.01 and Fort Worth City Code public-decency provisions, with…

Fort Worth bans possessing an open container or drinking alcohol on any public street, sidewalk, alley or pedestrian way inside the West 7th entertainment district. Everywhere else in…

Fort Worth City Code Chapter 11.5 (Smoke-Free Air ordinance) has restricted smoking and vaping in indoor public places and many outdoor areas since 2007, including bars, restaurants…

Fort Worth City Code Chapter 23 prohibits loud and disorderly gatherings that disturb neighbors, and the city's noise and nuisance provisions allow Fort Worth Police Department to…

Fort Worth never decriminalized marijuana. Possessing two ounces or less is a Class B misdemeanor under Texas law, and the city council rejected a proposed civil-citation ordinance…

Fort Worth's Sign Code bars any sign, including billboards, from being lit to an intensity that causes glare or impairs vision. Lighting must be shielded upward so beams do not hit…

Fort Worth doesn't cap ordinary yard or porch lighting citywide, but its zoning ordinance regulates light spilling onto homes from big-box stores: § 5.134(b)(8) caps bufferyard…

Fort Worth requires a certificate of appropriateness before any new construction, expansion, or exterior renovation inside the Urban Design District-Downtown zoning overlay. The…

Fort Worth land use is governed by the Zoning Ordinance in Appendix A of the City Code, paired with the annually updated Comprehensive Plan. Form-based districts and overlay zones…

Rideshare and other for-hire vehicles picking up or dropping off in Fort Worth must use marked passenger loading zones and cannot stop, stand or park there longer than five minutes, or…

Fort Worth treats bicycles as vehicles under Chapter 22 traffic rules and Texas Transportation Code Chapter 551. The Fort Worth Active Transportation Plan expands striped, buffered…

Texas lets golf carts onto public roads in four defined situations rather than by general permission: inside a platted master planned community, on a beach open to vehicular traffic…

Fort Worth requires a special event permit from the outdoor events manager before anyone can hold a street fair, festival or similar outdoor event in the city. Applications must be…

Fort Worth requires a parade permit from the outdoor events manager before any group can march city streets; sidewalks need none. Applications follow the same 60-to-210-day tiered…

Fort Worth requires a sidewalk café permit from the director of planning and development before any restaurant can serve food or drinks on the adjoining public sidewalk. Cafés must…

Fort Worth Outdoor Events Ordinance No. 1925-08-2010 requires neighborhood events to obtain a permit from the Office of Outdoor Events. At least 50% plus one of affected street…

Fort Worth Parks & Recreation requires permits for events in city parks. Sec. 20-405 requires permits for outdoor gatherings on public property with 500+ attendees, street closures…

In Fort Worth, trees growing in the parkway between the sidewalk and curb are city property under Chapter 33, and it is unlawful to plant, prune, remove, paint or spray any tree, plant…

Fort Worth requires a permit from the urban forestry administrator before removing a Table B protected tree once it reaches 24 inches in diameter, or 18 inches for post oak and…

Fort Worth's Agricultural ("AG") zoning district lets landowners keep farming, ranching, orchards and nurseries indefinitely, with one-family homes allowed only as accessories to the…

Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 251 protects farms operating one year or longer from nuisance suits based on changed surrounding conditions. The state shield applies in Fort Worth but…

Fort Worth lets bars, restaurants and music venues in the CBD, Panther Island and West 7th Village run louder and later than anywhere else in the city. Under City Code § 23-8(c)(1)c…

Fort Worth's noise ordinance carves HVAC and building-maintenance sound out of every limit it sets. Section 23-8(e)(1) exempts noise from normal building conditioning and ventilation…

Fort Worth bans unauthorized camping on private property citywide. Section 23-21 makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $500 fine, to camp on residential or non-residential…

Fort Worth does not ban sitting or lying on sidewalks outright. Under City Code § 30-5, blocking a street or sidewalk becomes unlawful only when a group refuses a police officer's…

Fort Worth bans game rooms outright, city-wide. Section 23-22, adopted in October 2024, makes it a criminal offense to operate any game room, defined as a place where amusement…

Texas nonprofits can conduct bingo only under a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which absorbed the Texas Lottery Commission's charitable bingo program on…

Texas Penal Code § 47.02(a) makes betting at cards, dice, or any game of chance a Class C misdemeanor. Section 47.02(b) supplies a defense: gambling that happens in a private place…

Texas licenses no retail sportsbook and no betting app. Placing a wager on the outcome of a game, contest, or a player's performance is a criminal offense under Penal Code §…

Fort Worth's zoning ordinance defines 'data center' as its own land use and permits it by right only in the city's three industrial districts: Light Industrial (I), Medium Industrial…

Fort Worth parks, recreation areas, and community centers close to the public overnight. Section 24-8 sets default hours of 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and entering or remaining in a park…

Texas HB 1819 (88th Legislature, 2023), codified at Local Government Code 370.008 (originally 370.007), prohibits all Texas municipalities and counties from adopting or enforcing…

Fort Worth's zoning ordinance flatly bans running an auto repair, detail, paint or body shop out of a home. Section 5.116.A(b) names boat, motorcycle and trailer shops too: none of…

Fort Worth regulates sexually oriented businesses (SOBs) under City Code Chapter 5 and the Unified Development Code, requiring annual licensing, criminal-history screening of…

Texas Comptroller licenses tobacco and e-cigarette retailers statewide under Tax Code Chapters 154 and 155. Fort Worth Code Chapter 8 layers local oversight, with the FW Code…

Tow truck operators and companies serving Fort Worth must hold Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) credentials under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2308, comply with…

Secondhand dealers operating in Fort Worth must register with the Fort Worth Police Department, follow Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1956 reporting on metal and used goods, hold…

Massage therapists and establishments operating in Fort Worth must hold Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) credentials under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 455, plus…

Pawnshops in Fort Worth are licensed by the Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner under Texas Finance Code Chapter 371, which caps pawn finance charges, sets redemption periods…

Fort Worth's Urban Forestry Ordinance places Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) on Table A, the 'unprotected tree species' list, under Zoning Ordinance Section 6.302(n). Unlike the…

Fort Worth allows front yard vegetable gardens. Texas HB 1643 (2023) prohibits HOAs from banning vegetable gardens, and city code does not restrict edible plants in residential front…

Fort Worth follows the Texas Department of Agriculture's noxious weed list under Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 71. Prohibited species include giant salvinia, water hyacinth, and…

Fort Worth does not have a specific ordinance banning or restricting bamboo planting. However, bamboo that spreads onto neighboring properties or public rights-of-way may trigger…

Fort Worth caps window signs at 25% of the window area on each building facade, under Zoning Ordinance Section 6.403(f), and lets them go up without a sign permit at all. Signs…

Fort Worth limits freeway signs to property immediately adjacent to a designated freeway, under Zoning Ordinance Section 6.409. Height tops out at 25 feet at the right-of-way (up to 35…

Fort Worth Code Chapter 29 regulates temporary signs including garage sale signs. Garage sale signs are generally allowed on private property during the sale but signs placed on public…

Fort Worth prohibits new off-premise (billboard) signs outright. Electronic changeable copy is allowed only by special exception of the Board of Adjustment, capped at 25% of the sign…

Fort Worth Code Chapter 29 regulates signs but must comply with Texas Election Code Sec. 259.002 which protects the right to display political signs. Property owners may display…

Fort Worth does not heavily regulate seasonal or holiday displays on residential property. Holiday decorations and displays are generally considered temporary and exempt from the sign…

Fort Worth bars door-to-door vendors from any residence or business posting a 'No Soliciting' or 'No Trespassing' sign, or from returning after a verbal no. Solicitation is also barred…

Fort Worth requires every door-to-door vendor, anyone going house to house selling goods or services, to register with the city and carry a registration certificate before knocking on…

Texas allows permitless open carry of handguns in shoulder or belt holsters for adults 21 and older. Fort Worth cannot restrict open carry beyond state law except on city property and…

Texas House Bill 1927 allows most adults 21 and older to carry handguns concealed without a permit. Fort Worth follows state rules; the License to Carry under Texas Government Code…

Texas Penal Code Section 46.02 allows lawful adults to carry handguns in private vehicles or watercraft if not in plain view, gang-related, or possessed by a prohibited person. Fort…

Texas Local Government Code Section 229.001 broadly preempts municipal regulation of firearms, ammunition, knives, and related accessories. Cities cannot adopt or enforce ordinances…

Texas House Bill 1771 and Health and Safety Code provisions preempt cities from banning the sale of flavored tobacco or e-cigarette products. Fort Worth cannot adopt menthol or…

Federal Tobacco 21 law and Texas Health and Safety Code Section 161.082 prohibit selling tobacco, e-cigarettes, or vape products to anyone under 21. Fort Worth enforces compliance…

Fort Worth zones a built-in outdoor kitchen as an accessory structure under Zoning Ordinance § 5.300, not as furniture you can place anywhere. It must sit outside the required front…

Fort Worth's amended Fire Code bars charcoal and propane grills, and any other open-flame cooking device, from combustible balconies and decks, and from operating within 10 feet of…

Fort Worth bars charcoal and propane grills from combustible balconies and decks, and requires ten feet of clearance from combustible construction, under Fire Code § 308.1.4 as amended…

Fort Worth requires every mobile food unit to hold a valid Food Establishment permit from the Environmental Services Department and to operate from an approved Central Preparation…

Fort Worth requires mobile food vendors to obtain a Mobile Food Unit permit from the Fort Worth/Tarrant County Health Department. Operators must also have a valid Texas sales tax…

Fort Worth restricts where mobile food vendors can set up: no operating within 50 feet of single-family or multifamily homes, no parking on vacant lots or unimproved surfaces, and no…

Fort Worth requires every apartment landlord to register each multifamily complex annually with Code Compliance and submit to periodic city inspections at least once every two years…

Fort Worth requires owners of vacant lots to maintain their property. Chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinances requires that vacant lots be kept free of high weeds (over 12 inches)…

Fort Worth aggressively enforces property maintenance standards through Code Compliance. Chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinances (Housing Standards) and Chapter 7½ (Building Standards)…

Solar panel installations in Fort Worth need a standard building/mechanical permit, priced at $59.18 under the city's Table 1-H fee schedule, rather than a separate fire-code…

TX Property Code 202.007 bars Tarrant County HOAs from banning solar. HOAs may impose limited aesthetic conditions but cannot reduce efficiency or raise cost by more than 10 percent…

In Fort Worth's One-Family ("A-7.5") zoning district, the most common single-family classification, buildings and structures cannot cover more than 45% of the lot. The cap applies…

Fort Worth's One-Family ("A-7.5") zoning district requires a front yard of 20 feet on local streets (15 feet on limited local streets), a 5-foot minimum rear yard, and 5-foot interior…

Fort Worth caps building height at 35 feet in the One-Family ("A-7.5") zoning district, the city's most common single-family classification. A citywide height rule also lets a builder…

Texas Food Handler Education Act requires anyone who handles unpackaged food to complete an accredited food handler training course within sixty days of hire. Fort Worth restaurants…

Fort Worth follows Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 728 and Tarrant County Public Health guidance for safe sharps disposal. Used syringes must go in approved sharps containers…

Fort Worth Code Ch. 10 (Minimum Urban Rehabilitation Standards) requires property owners to maintain structures free from rodent and insect infestation. TX Property Code Sec…

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 481 makes growing any marijuana plant a felony statewide. Fort Worth residents have no legal personal cultivation allowance. Even one plant can…

Texas does not permit recreational cannabis dispensaries, so Fort Worth has no cannabis commercial zoning category. Hemp-derived CBD retailers operate under standard Fort Worth zoning…

Texas Health & Safety Code 481.121 makes it a crime to possess or grow marijuana anywhere in the state. Home cultivation is illegal in every Texas city and county regardless of plant…

Texas SB 4 (2017), codified in Government Code Chapter 752, prohibits any Texas city from adopting sanctuary policies. Fort Worth is not a sanctuary city; police must honor ICE…

Texas Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961 preempts municipal regulation of foam food containers as solid waste. Fort Worth has no polystyrene ban and cannot lawfully prohibit…

Texas state law preempts local regulation of single-use food service items including plastic straws. Fort Worth has no straw ban or upon-request rule; restaurants distribute plastic…

The Texas Supreme Court in City of Laredo v. Laredo Merchants Association (2018) held that Health and Safety Code Section 361.0961 preempts municipal plastic bag bans. Cities and…

Fort Worth limits the frequency of garage sales to prevent residential properties from operating as commercial retail operations. While the city does not specify an exact number of…

Texas Labor Code Chapter 62 reserves minimum-wage authority to the state and ties Texas to the federal $7.25 floor. Fort Worth cannot enact a higher city minimum, so federal Fair Labor…

Texas appellate courts have struck down municipal paid sick leave ordinances in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio as preempted under the Texas Minimum Wage Act. HB 2127 (2023) further…

A Fort Worth HOA can fine an owner only after certified-mail notice and a chance to cure, and Texas Property Code Chapter 209 bars it from foreclosing on a lien built solely from fines.

TX Property Code Sec. 209.006 requires HOAs to send certified mail notice before enforcement actions including fines, suspension of common area rights, or lawsuits. Notice must…

TX Property Code Sec. 209.0051 requires HOA board meetings to be open to all members. Regular meetings need 144-hour (6-day) notice; special meetings need 72-hour (3-day) notice. Board…

Texas Property Code Chapter 209 governs Fort Worth HOA architectural review, requiring written standards, notice of denial, and a hearing right before enforcement.

TX Property Code Sec. 209.0062-209.0064 require HOAs to offer payment plans of at least 3 months for delinquent assessments. Before foreclosure, the HOA must send certified mail notice…

TX Property Code Sec. 209.007 entitles HOA members to a hearing before the board to resolve disputes. The board must hold hearings within 30 days of a written request and provide 10…

Property Code Section 202.007 voids any homeowners association rule that bans drought-resistant landscaping or water-conserving natural turf, and Section 202.008 bars fines for a brown…

Texas Property Code section 202.012 stops homeowners associations from banning display of the U.S. flag, the Texas flag, or an official U.S. armed forces flag. An association can…

A Texas property owners' association cannot sell your home at a trustee's sale the way a mortgage lender can. Tex. Prop. Code Section 209.0092 requires the association to obtain a…

Texas Property Code Section 209.016 sets no cap on how much of a subdivision an association can rent out, no minimum lease term, and no grandfather clause: a declaration can still ban…

Hotel and short-term rental operators in Fort Worth must register with Fort Worth Finance and the Texas Comptroller, collect the city's 9 percent Hotel Occupancy Tax plus the 6 percent…

Recreational drone use in Fort Worth is primarily governed by FAA regulations under 14 CFR Part 107 and the Exception for Recreational Flyers (49 USC 44809). Fort Worth does not have a…

Fort Worth's Code Compliance Department has authority under City Code § 11A-6 to enforce eight named categories: minimum building standards, multifamily dwelling…

Fort Worth gives a property owner seven days from receiving a nuisance abatement notice to fix the problem before the city can enter, do the work, and bill the owner. Notice by mail…

Fort Worth has no specific ordinance regulating residential security cameras. Texas law permits recording video on your own property and in public areas. Cameras must not record areas…

Texas is a one-party consent state for audio recording (TX Penal Code §16.02). Video recording in public is legal. Recording private conversations without consent of at least one party…

The Texas Legislature has authorized exactly one vehicle checkpoint program, and it has nothing to do with alcohol. Government Code Section 411.0095 lets the Department of Public…

Texas has never enacted an express statutory right to film police, so the legal boundary for a bystander with a phone is set by the offense of Interference with Public Duties, Texas…

Texas Penal Code Section 38.02 makes it a crime to refuse your name, residence address, or date of birth only after a peace officer has already lawfully arrested you. Being detained on…

No Texas statute obliges a driver to consent to a vehicle search, and none requires an officer to warn you that you may refuse. What Texas law does require is a paper trail: Article…

Texas regulates extra lighting by color, count, height and aim rather than by naming underglow. Transportation Code Section 547.305 bars any lamp showing red from directly in front of…

Texas grants no square inches of windshield to a camera. Transportation Code Section 547.613(a)(1) makes it a misdemeanor to operate a vehicle with an object or material placed on or…

Texas banned motorcycle lane splitting in plain words on September 1, 2023. Transportation Code Section 545.0605(a)(3)(B), added by House Bill 4122 of the 88th Legislature, says the…

Texas outlaws license plate covers in Transportation Code Section 504.945(a)(7), which makes it an offense to display a plate carrying a coating, covering, protective substance or…

Texas does not prohibit owning, mounting or using a radar detector in a private passenger vehicle. The one radar offense in the vehicle equipment chapter, Transportation Code Section…

Texas is one of the states that never wrote a studded tire calendar. Transportation Code Section 547.612(c) is the whole of the law: a tire on a moving vehicle may not carry a block…

Texas allows film down to 25 percent light transmission on both front side windows and on the windshield strip, with a matching ceiling of 25 percent luminous reflectance, and it sets…