Bryan, TX Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- City Code § 82-9
- Penalty
- Class C misdemeanor, up to $2,000
- Enacted
- Ord. No. 1632, Nov. 2006
- Exception
- City parks, Lake Bryan during open hours
Summary
Bryan prohibits camping on any public street or public place, defined to include erecting shelter, sleeping, storing belongings, or living in a parked vehicle, with narrow exceptions for city parks and Lake Bryan.
Camping in any public place or street is prohibited, with the exception of the authorized use of public parks and Lake Bryan during normal operational hours. Camping after hours at all public parks and at Lake Bryan is prohibited, except as authorized by permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31).
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 82-9, camping in any public place or street is banned outright, except that public parks and Lake Bryan may be used for camping during normal operational hours; after-hours camping at parks and Lake Bryan is also prohibited unless authorized by a permit. "Camp" is defined in Sec. 82-8 to cover erecting tents or shelters, laying down bedding, storing personal belongings, starting a fire, cooking, or living in a parked vehicle on a public street or place. The ordinance dates to Ord. No. 1632 (Nov. 14, 2006), predating and now operating alongside the statewide public-camping ban the legislature added at Penal Code § 48.05 in 2021.
Violations & Fines
Camping, sleeping, erecting a shelter, storing belongings, or living in a parked vehicle on a public street or public place violates Sec. 82-9; unpermitted after-hours camping in parks or at Lake Bryan also violates it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is camping allowed anywhere in Bryan?
What is the penalty for illegal camping in Bryan?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bryan
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Bryan to another location·View the Texas homelessness & encampment rules overview
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