Houston, TX Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 9 inches, grass and weeds
- Governing section
- Houston Code § 10-451(b)(10)
- Enforcing agency
- Neighborhood Protection Division
- City abatement lien
- Cost plus 10% interest
- No-notice cutting
- Weeds/brush over 48 inches
Summary
Houston bans weeds and grass taller than nine inches on any lot. If you don't cut it, the Neighborhood Protection Division will, then file a lien for the cost plus ten percent interest. Fines run $50 to $2,000 per offense.
The word "weeds" as herein used shall include all rank and uncultivated vegetable growth or matter which has grown to more than nine inches in height or which, regardless of height, is liable to become an unwholesome or decaying mass or a breeding place for mosquitoes or vermin.
Full Breakdown
Section 10-451(b)(10) defines "weeds" to include all rank and uncultivated growth over nine inches, and makes it unlawful for any owner, occupant, or agent to permit weeds, brush, or rubbish to cover a lot. The duty reaches past your property line to the curb line and to the center of adjacent alleys. Houston's Neighborhood Protection Division issues written notice under Section 10-452; if you ignore it, the city cuts the lot and, under Section 10-453, files a privileged lien with the county clerk for the cost plus ten percent interest. Weeds or brush over 48 inches are declared an immediate danger and abated with no prior notice.
Violations & Fines
First offense fines run $50 to $1,000, second $100 to $1,500, and third or later $200 to $2,000. Each day the overgrowth continues is a separate offense, and city abatement costs become a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my grass be in Houston?
What happens if I don't mow?
Can the city mow without warning me?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Houston
How Houston compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Houston to another location·View the Texas landscaping rules overview
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Weed Ordinances in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Harris County handle weed ordinances.