La Porte, TX

La Porte generally permits overnight street parking on most residential streets, subject to standard traffic code restrictions. Vehicles must be currently registered, operable, and not…

La Porte restricts the parking of commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods through its zoning ordinance. Large commercial trucks, tractor-trailers, and heavy equipment may not…

La Porte regulates street parking through its traffic code in Chapter 98. General rules prohibit parking that obstructs traffic, blocks driveways, or creates safety hazards. Specific…

La Porte strictly enforces its abandoned and junked vehicle ordinance. Inoperable, unregistered, or wrecked vehicles on residential property or public streets are subject to notice…

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…

La Porte does not have breed-specific legislation (BSL) banning any particular dog breeds. Texas state law prohibits cities from enacting breed-specific bans. However, La Porte has…

La Porte does not have a specific ordinance prohibiting beekeeping on residential property. Texas is generally supportive of beekeeping, and state law provides certain protections for…

La Porte Code of Ordinances Chapter 14 (Animals) requires dogs to be restrained when off the owner's property. Dogs must be on a leash or under the physical control of their owner when…

La Porte restricts keeping of livestock including horses, cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs to properties zoned for agricultural use or meeting minimum lot size requirements. Standard…

La Porte prohibits keeping dangerous wild animals in residential areas consistent with Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 822. Exotic animals including primates, large cats, bears…

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…

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…

La Porte does not have a specific ordinance restricting leaf blower use. Gas-powered and electric leaf blowers are permitted for residential and commercial landscaping without…

La Porte Code of Ordinances Chapter 74 (Nuisances) prohibits unreasonably loud or disturbing sounds including amplified music. Sound from loudspeakers, PA systems, live bands, and DJ…

La Porte Code of Ordinances Chapter 74 (Nuisances) prohibits unreasonably loud noise that disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood or persons of ordinary sensibility. While the…

La Porte Code of Ordinances Chapter 14 (Animals) addresses barking dogs as a nuisance. A dog that barks, howls, or makes excessive noise continuously that disturbs neighbors is…

La Porte regulates construction noise through its nuisance ordinance in Chapter 74. While no standalone construction hours ordinance exists, residential construction is generally…

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

Texas state law (HB 3391 and Property Code Section 202.007) protects the right to collect rainwater and prohibits cities and HOAs from banning rainwater harvesting systems. La Porte…

La Porte does not have specific ordinances regulating artificial turf installation on residential property. Synthetic grass is permitted as an alternative to natural lawns. Texas…

La Porte does not mandate native plant use but permits replacing traditional lawns with native or drought-tolerant species. The city's property maintenance code requires yards to be…

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 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…

Above-ground swimming pools in La Porte are subject to building permit requirements if they are permanent installations. Pools with walls 48 inches or higher may use the pool structure…

La Porte requires safety barriers around all residential swimming pools in accordance with the International Residential Code Appendix G as adopted by the city. Fencing must be at…

La Porte restricts certain fence materials in residential areas. Barbed wire, razor wire, and electric fences are prohibited in residential zones. Solid materials are generally…

La Porte's zoning ordinance in Chapter 106 regulates fence heights in residential areas. Front yard fences are limited to 4 feet in height, while side and rear yard fences may be up to…

La Porte does not have a specific shared fence ordinance dictating cost-sharing between neighbors. Texas is not a forced contribution state: you cannot compel a neighbor to pay for a…

La Porte does not require short-term rental hosts to carry liability insurance under city ordinance. Coverage is governed by host-platform programs and Texas Department of Insurance…

La Porte does not impose a dedicated short-term rental occupancy cap. The City confirms it does not currently regulate short-term rentals, so guest counts fall under general property…

Short-term rental guests in La Porte are subject to the same noise regulations as all residents under Chapter 74 (Nuisances). Excessive noise from rental properties including loud…

Short-term rental properties in La Porte must comply with the city's general parking regulations. Guests must park in designated areas and may not block driveways, sidewalks, or fire…

La Porte requires short-term rental properties to comply with applicable zoning and business registration requirements. Properties listed on platforms like Airbnb or VRBO must meet the…

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…

Home daycare operations in La Porte are regulated primarily by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). A registered or licensed family home may care for up to 12…

La Porte prohibits exterior signage for home occupations in residential zoning districts. Home businesses must not display any visible signs, banners, or advertisements on the property…

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…

La Porte prohibits the discharge of fireworks within city limits under its fire prevention code. The sale, possession, and use of fireworks, including firecrackers, rockets, Roman…

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 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…

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…

Owners of vacant lots in La Porte must maintain the property by keeping vegetation mowed, preventing trash accumulation, and securing the lot against unauthorized dumping and…

La Porte enforces property maintenance standards prohibiting conditions such as junk accumulation, peeling paint, broken windows, and abandoned materials. Properties must be maintained…

La Porte does not currently require landlords to register rental properties with the city. There is no mandatory rental inspection program or rental registry. Landlords must comply…

La Porte does not have a just-cause eviction ordinance. Texas law allows landlords to terminate month-to-month tenancies without stating a reason, provided proper notice is given…

La Porte has no rent control ordinance. Texas state law preempts local rent control measures. Landlords may set and increase rents without municipal caps, subject only to lease terms…

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…

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 § 92.052 a landlord must make a diligent effort to repair conditions that materially affect an ordinary tenant's health or safety after proper notice. Section…

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…

La Porte does not heavily regulate holiday decorations on residential property. Displays should not create safety hazards, obstruct sidewalks or streets, or violate electrical codes…

La Porte allows temporary signs advertising garage and yard sales on the property where the sale takes place. Signs in public rights-of-way, on utility poles, or on traffic signs are…

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…

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…

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…

Texas has extremely limited cannabis dispensary operations through the Compassionate Use Program. La Porte does not have licensed dispensary locations, and local zoning does not…

Cannabis cultivation is illegal in Texas. La Porte follows state law, which prohibits growing marijuana plants for any purpose. There is no medical or recreational home cultivation…

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

Rooftop and ground-mounted solar panel installations in La Porte require building and electrical permits. Systems must comply with the National Electrical Code and local building…

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…

La Porte provides weekly residential trash and recycling collection through a contracted waste hauler. Residents must follow specific placement and timing rules for curbside pickup…

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…

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…

La Porte requires that grading and drainage changes on residential properties do not adversely affect neighboring properties or the public storm sewer system. A grading permit or…

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…

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…

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…

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

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 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…

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 Local Government Code Chapter 212 and Agriculture Code Chapter 251 limit municipal authority to zone or regulate land qualified for agricultural use appraisal. Counties have no…

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 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.

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…

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…

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 Local Government Code Chapter 234, Subchapter E lets any county's commissioners court license, zone, and inspect "game rooms": for-profit businesses with six or more skill or…

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 §…

Under the Texas Residential Property Owners Protection Act, unpaid assessments become a lien (Tex. Prop. Code § 209.0094), but a Texas HOA may not foreclose that lien without first…

Texas Property Code Chapter 209 governs residential subdivision homeowners associations, not condominium associations and not associations that are themselves subject to the Public…

A Texas HOA enforces its recorded restrictive covenants (Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 202), but Chapter 209 controls the procedure: § 209.006 requires certified-mail notice and a cure…

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…

Texas Property Code Chapter 209 governs HOA fines, but only for mandatory-membership subdivisions; condos fall under Chapter 82 instead. State law sets no dollar cap on a fine, only a…

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…

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 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…

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…