Waco, TX Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 12 inches, citywide
- Enforcing agency
- Waco Code Compliance Division
- Time to comply
- 7 days after notice
- No-notice abatement
- Over 48 inches and dangerous
- Cost recovery
- Property lien at 10% interest
Summary
Waco Code of Ordinances section 16-61 bars weeds, grass, or other vegetation from growing over 12 inches anywhere inside the city limits. Code Compliance gives seven days to cut it; ignore the notice and the city mows the lot, bills the owner, and files a property lien.
Sec. 16-61. - Application of division. No person may allow weeds, grass, or other vegetation to grow in excess of 12 inches upon property within the city limits. ... Sec. 16-67. - Enforcement. If the owner, occupant, lessee or person in control of property in the city does not comply with the requirements within seven days after receiving the notice of violation the city will either: (1) Refer the property owner ... to municipal court for criminal prosecution; or (2) Pay for the work done or improvements made and charge the expenses to the owner of the property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 88).
Full Breakdown
The 12-inch cap applies to every lot in Waco, occupied or vacant. Since the November 2025 amendment (Ord. No. 2025-815), tracts of five acres or larger must keep vegetation under 12 inches within 100 feet of any right-of-way, property line, or on-site structure. Code Compliance issues written notice and gives seven days to comply. Miss the deadline and the city either refers you to municipal court for criminal prosecution or mows the lot and charges the expense to you. Growth above 48 inches that is an immediate danger to health or safety is abated with no notice at all. Unpaid abatement costs become a lien on the property, accruing ten percent interest per year.
Violations & Fines
Failure to cut within seven days of notice leads to municipal-court prosecution or city abatement; expenses are assessed against the property as a lien accruing ten percent annual interest until paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can my grass legally get in Waco?
What happens if I don't mow after a notice?
Can the city mow without warning me?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waco
How Waco compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Texas rules heatmap·Compare Waco to another location·View the Texas landscaping rules overview
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