Mesquite, TX

Mesquite enforces noise limits under Code of Ordinances Chapter 18, prohibiting sound that disturbs reasonable persons across residential property lines, day or night.

Construction activity permitted 7 AM-8 PM Monday through Friday and restricted on weekends/holidays (8 PM-9 AM Saturday-Sunday & holidays). The 2021 noise ordinance applies Noise Zone…

Amplified music in Mesquite must not be plainly audible at neighboring residences after 10 p.m.; vehicle stereos audible at 30 feet are also cited.

Mesquite treats sound from a vehicle or its audio equipment as an illegal noise disturbance when it is plainly audible at 50 feet or more in a public right-of-way, or from a…

Keeping an animal that creates a nuisance by excessive noise is unlawful under Ch 4 (Animals). The 2021 noise ordinance also covers animal noise under the plainly audible standard…

Mesquite adopted a revised noise ordinance in March 2021 establishing Noise Zones based on property use. A noise disturbance is sound that is plainly audible at property lines or 50+…

Mesquite allows gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn equipment during daytime hours, generally 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with no city-wide gas blower ban.

Mesquite restricts livestock in residential zones. Backyard chickens are generally limited by lot size and setbacks, and larger livestock such as horses, cattle, goats, and pigs are…

Mesquite does not enforce breed-specific bans (Texas Health & Safety Code 822.047 prohibits them) but regulates dangerous dogs based on individual behavior.

Mesquite does not have a specific beekeeping ordinance. Texas state law (Apiary Inspection Act, Agriculture Code Ch. 131) governs beekeeping statewide. Local zoning restrictions may…

Pets must be confined by a fence of sufficient strength to prevent escape. Max 3 adult dogs plus one litter (up to 10 total). Off-leash only at designated Leash Free Zones.

Dallas County outright bans keeping any dangerous wild animal, as that term is defined under Texas Health and Safety Code chapter 822, subchapter E, anywhere in the county. Owning…

Texas has no statewide spay-neuter mandate, and Dallas County does not require sterilization. Cities choose their own rules: Dallas requires intact-pet permits, while many suburbs and…

Native birds are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 64. Dallas County has no separate bird ordinance. Removing nests, eggs, or…

Dallas County has no dedicated cat ordinance. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 826 mandates rabies vaccination for cats over four months. Dallas County HHS oversees rabies control…

Texas does not prohibit retail pet sales statewide, and Dallas County imposes no countywide pet-store sourcing ban. Dallas City Code Section 7-3.1 limits retail sales to rescue and…

Dallas County has no county-specific hoarding ordinance. Texas Penal Code 42.092 governs cruelty to non-livestock animals; Dallas County Sheriff investigates in unincorporated areas…

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…

Overnight on-street parking is generally allowed in Mesquite where not signed otherwise, but vehicles cannot remain in the same spot for more than 48-72 hours.

Commercial vehicles over 1 ton or with commercial markings cannot park on Mesquite residential streets overnight; semi-trucks and trailers face stricter limits.

Mesquite removes abandoned vehicles under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 683; vehicles inoperable or unmoved for 48+ hours can be tagged and towed.

On-street parking in Mesquite is allowed where not signed otherwise; vehicles must park with the flow of traffic and cannot block driveways, hydrants, or sight lines.

Texas Transportation Code Section 544.011 gives official painted curb markings the force of regulatory signs across all of Dallas County. Red curbs prohibit stopping; yellow indicates…

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…

Hot tubs and spas in Mesquite are regulated as swimming pools if they hold water 1.5 feet or deeper. Building permits and barrier requirements apply under Chapter 5.

Above-ground pools in Mesquite must meet building code barrier requirements, be located in the rear yard with proper setbacks, and be permitted when over 24 inches deep.

Open burning of trash, brush, and yard waste is prohibited inside Mesquite city limits; only approved recreational and cooking fires are allowed, plus fireworks are banned.

Mesquite, Texas is not located within a designated wildland-urban interface (WUI) or state-mapped wildfire hazard zone. As an urbanized suburb of Dallas surrounded by developed land…

It is illegal to possess or use fireworks in Mesquite. Possession carries fines up to $585; discharge carries fines up to $835 in city fines and court costs.

Mesquite enforces the International Fire Code and Texas H&S Code 766 requiring smoke alarms in all sleeping areas, hallways, and on every floor of dwellings.

Unincorporated Dallas County bans burning combustible material outside an enclosure that contains all flames and sparks, so an open fire pit without a screen or containment violates…

Selling, transporting, dispensing, or storing propane (LP-gas) in Texas requires a license from the Railroad Commission of Texas under Natural Resources Code Chapter 113. Only the…

Mesquite, Texas caps weeds, grass, and other unsightly growth at eight inches. Let it grow taller and you commit a misdemeanor; after seven days' notice the city mows the lot, bills…

Mesquite allows native and drought-tolerant landscaping. Texas Property Code 202.007 protects xeriscape and drought-resistant yards from blanket HOA bans.

Mesquite allows artificial turf in residential yards. HOAs cannot impose a blanket ban but may set quality and placement standards under Texas law.

Rainwater harvesting is encouraged in Mesquite. Texas Property Code 202.007 prevents HOAs from banning rain barrels, and the city supports collection for irrigation.

Mesquite does not require neighbors to share fence costs. Texas treats boundary fences as a private civil matter unless an HOA or written agreement says otherwise.

Mesquite fences must be structurally sound, properly maintained, set back from sidewalks, and not obstruct sight visibility or drainage on the property.

Mesquite permits wood, masonry, vinyl, and ornamental metal fencing but prohibits barbed wire, electrified fences, and razor wire in residential districts.

Mesquite STR guests must park in the driveway or garage; on-street parking is allowed only where legal, and HOAs often impose stricter limits.

Mesquite STRs must follow general residential noise rules - no plainly audible disturbances after 10 p.m., enforced by police and code enforcement.

Mesquite limits short-term rental occupancy based on bedroom count, typically two guests per bedroom plus two, consistent with Texas building code standards.

STRs in Mesquite must collect Texas state hotel tax (6%) plus the Mesquite municipal hotel occupancy tax (7%), totaling roughly 13% on stays under 30 days.

Dallas County imposes no platform-liability requirements on Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar STR hosting sites. Texas has no statewide platform mandate. City rules vary. Dallas Chapter 42B…

Dallas County does not impose a maximum number of short-term rental nights per year in unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack general authority to regulate STRs, and no…

No Dallas County STR registration requirement for unincorporated areas. Texas has no state-level STR permit or registration requirement. Counties generally lack authority to regulate…

Mesquite strictly limits signage for home occupations to preserve residential neighborhood character. In most single-family zoning districts, no exterior sign advertising a home-based…

Home-based child care in Mesquite must be licensed or registered with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and comply with the city's zoning limits on children and structural…

Texas does not license cottage food at all. Health and Safety Code Section 437.0191(a) declares that a cottage food production operation is not a food service establishment, and…

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…

Cannabis cultivation is illegal in Mesquite and throughout Texas. Possession of marijuana remains a criminal offense under Texas Health and Safety Code Ch. 481.

Recreational cannabis dispensaries are illegal in Mesquite and Texas. Licensed Compassionate Use dispensaries are limited statewide and not locally zoned.

Dallas County has no recreational cannabis dispensary buffer-zone rules because Texas does not allow recreational dispensaries. Compassionate Use Program (CUP) sites face no…

Texas has no recreational cannabis program, so no social-equity licensing exists in Dallas County. The state's narrow Compassionate Use Program (CUP) licenses three dispensing…

Texas prohibits all personal cannabis cultivation. Growing even one plant violates TX Health and Safety Code Section 481.120, treated as possession with intent to deliver based on…

Texas prohibits all recreational cannabis delivery. Compassionate Use Program low-THC products may be delivered to qualifying patients only by the three licensed dispensing…

HOA boards in Mesquite must follow Texas Property Code Chapter 209 open-meeting, notice, and record-keeping rules; the city itself does not regulate internal board procedure.

Architectural review committees in Mesquite HOAs operate under the association's CC&Rs and Texas Property Code Section 209.00505, which requires written decisions and an appeal to the…

HOA disputes in Mesquite are resolved under Texas Property Code Chapters 209 and 82 through internal hearings, alternative dispute resolution, and ultimately Dallas County courts; the…

Enforcement of covenants in Mesquite HOAs follows Texas Property Code Section 209.006 notice-and-cure procedures; fines, suspension of privileges, and lawsuits are available remedies…

HOAs in Mesquite may levy assessments authorized by their CC&Rs; collection, late fees, and foreclosure follow Texas Property Code Chapter 209 with mandatory notice and payment-plan…

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…

Elevators and escalators in Mesquite are regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation under Health and Safety Code Chapter 754, with annual inspections by a…

Mesquite requires a building permit before you construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, or demolish any building or structure. City Code Section 5-12 adopts the 2018 International…

Texas amended IRC R313 to make residential fire sprinklers optional for one- and two-family homes. Dallas County does not require home sprinklers in unincorporated areas, but…

Daycare centers in Dallas County must be licensed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Child Care Regulation division. Dallas County HHS handles local sanitation…

Hobbyist drone flights in Mesquite follow FAA Part 107/TRUST rules and Texas Government Code Chapter 423; the city has no separate recreational drone ordinance but restricts flights in…

Mesquite enforces TX H&S Ch. 342 nuisance abatement: junk, debris, inoperable vehicles, overgrown lots, and dilapidated structures are violations subject to abatement.

Vacant lots in Mesquite must be kept mowed (grass under 12 inches), free of debris, and secured. Owners are billed for City abatement if neglected per TX H&S Ch. 342.

Mesquite enforces the International Property Maintenance Code plus Texas Property Code Ch. 92, requiring landlords to provide working utilities, heat, security devices, and pest-free…

Mesquite has no just-cause eviction ordinance. Texas follows a landlord-friendly eviction process allowing non-renewal of a lease without stated cause.

Mesquite has no rent control. Texas state law preempts municipalities from limiting residential rents except in a declared disaster housing emergency.

Texas has no statewide source of income protection, and Dallas County has not adopted a county-level rule covering its 25 cities. Only the City of Dallas, through 2020 Chapter 46…

Texas has no statewide tenant relocation assistance law, and Dallas County has no county-level relocation ordinance. Tenants displaced by no-fault terminations, condemnation, or sale…

Dallas County does not regulate cash-for-keys voluntary buyout agreements. Texas Property Code Chapter 92 governs landlord-tenant relations and allows landlords and tenants to…

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. Dallas County has…

Texas Property Code Sections 92.101 through 92.110 set statewide security-deposit rules for all Dallas County rentals. Landlords must return the deposit within 30 days of move-out with…

Dallas County has not adopted a comprehensive tenant anti-harassment ordinance. Tenants countywide rely on Texas Property Code Section 92.331 retaliation rules and Section 92.0081…

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…

Any new construction, fill, manufactured home, or substantial improvement in Mesquite's design-flood floodplain requires a development permit, and the finished-floor elevation above…

In unincorporated Dallas County, filling, blocking, or letting a drainage easement clog with debris, sediment, or vegetation is a public nuisance under Sec. 34-93(10). County nuisance…

Any new construction, alteration, or land-use change inside Dallas County's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area needs a Development Permit from the Floodplain Administrator, the Director…

Dallas County sits within the Dallas-Fort Worth ozone nonattainment area, where TCEQ Rule 30 TAC 114.512 limits commercial heavy-duty vehicle idling to five minutes. Locally adopted by…

TCEQ TPDES construction general permit TXR150000 requires erosion controls for sites disturbing 1+ acre. Dallas County SWMP covers construction site runoff control. Storm Water…

Texas has no statewide cool roof mandate, and Dallas County applies cool roof specifications only to its own facilities through capital project standards. Private buildings follow the…

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…

Mesquite requires every apartment owner to hold a Multi-Family Residential Rental Property License from the Building Official, renewed annually per unit, and no license issues until…

Mesquite requires a city license to run any sexually oriented business and bars one within 2,000 feet of homes, schools, churches, parks, or libraries, and within 1,000 feet of another…

Tobacco, cigar, and e-cigarette retailers in Dallas County must hold a Texas Comptroller permit under Tax Code Chapters 154 and 155 and Health & Safety Code Chapter 161. Dallas County…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1956 governs crafted-metal dealers (gold and silver buyers) statewide with DPS registration. Dallas County does not license general secondhand dealers…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 455 makes massage therapy a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation program; Dallas County does not issue its own massage licenses. The Dallas…

Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2308 makes the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation the sole licensing authority for tow operators and vehicle storage facilities in Dallas…

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 146 requires every tattoo and body-piercing studio in Dallas County to hold a Texas Department of State Health Services license. Dallas County HHS…

Pawnbrokers in Dallas County are licensed under Texas Finance Code Chapter 371 by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC). The county adds no parallel license, but the Dallas…

Mesquite cannot operate red-light cameras. Texas Transportation Code Section 707.020, enacted by HB 1631 and effective June 2, 2019, bars every local authority statewide from running a…

Dallas County does not operate a countywide bicycle network. Bike lanes are designed and maintained by individual cities and TxDOT on state highways. DART runs regional transit, and…

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…

Mesquite follows TX Election Code 259.003: political signs allowed on private property, max 36 sq ft, 8 ft tall, no permit. Right-of-way placement prohibited.

No county ordinance restricting garage sale signs on private property. TX Transportation Code prohibits signs on state highway ROW. Signs on county road ROW may be removed. HOA rules…

No county regulation on holiday displays. TX Property Code Section 202.011 limits HOA authority over religious displays (25 sq ft per door). First Amendment protects seasonal…

Mesquite limits the number of garage sales a single household or address may conduct per calendar year to prevent a residence from functioning as a de facto retail operation in a…

Operating a mobile food unit in Mesquite requires an annual MFU health permit from the city Health Division and daily access to an approved commissary or base of operation. Since July…

Food trucks operating in Mesquite need a Dallas County health permit plus a city mobile vendor permit, with fire inspection for any propane or cooking equipment.

Commercial pest control in Mesquite is licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture; property owners must address infestations under the city's property maintenance and health…

Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 438 requires food handlers to complete an accredited course within sixty days of hire. DCHHS verifies cards and Certified Food Manager credentials…

Texas Property Code Chapter 92 makes landlords statewide responsible for habitable rentals including bed bug remediation. DCHHS responds to complaints in unincorporated Dallas County…

HVAC and mechanical equipment in Mesquite must comply with Noise Zone decibel limits. Residential areas allow 60 dB(A) daytime and 50 dB(A) nighttime at the property boundary.

No county generator noise ordinance. No time-of-use restrictions or decibel limits. TX Penal Code Section 42.01 applies to unreasonable noise. Generators unregulated at county level.

Mesquite Solid Waste collects trash weekly and commingled recycling weekly on assigned days. Bulk and brush collected on separate routes. Set out after 6pm prior day.

Discarding refuse on county-owned land, utility easements, or any property not authorized for it is a public nuisance under Sec. 34-93. Nuisance Abatement staff investigate and can…

No county bulk pickup service. Private haulers may offer bulk pickup for additional fee. Illegal dumping of bulk items prohibited under TX HSC Section 365.012 with penalties scaling by…

Texas Health and Safety Code Section 361.425 orders every county, municipality, school district, university, and state agency to run a recycling program that separates and collects at…

Solar panel installations in Mesquite require building and electrical permits. Texas Property Code Sec. 202.010 limits HOA restrictions on solar devices.

TX Property Code Section 202.010 prohibits HOAs from banning solar energy devices. HOAs may require prior approval but cannot unreasonably deny. Solar roof tiles included per HB 431…

Mesquite residents may post No Solicitation signs that legally bar door-to-door solicitors; ignoring a posted sign is a Class C misdemeanor under the city ordinance.

Dallas County has no solicitor permit requirement for unincorporated areas. Door-to-door solicitation is governed by state consumer protection laws. Texas counties lack authority to…

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…

House Bill 1927 (2021) lets most Texans 21 and older carry a handgun concealed without a permit anywhere in Dallas County. The optional License to Carry through Texas DPS still…

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…

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 cannot generally zone land. Dallas County regulates only subdivision plats, floodplains, and on-site sewage facilities in unincorporated areas under Local Government…

Texas HB 2127, the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act effective September 2023, broadly preempts local labor regulation including paid sick leave. Dallas County cannot mandate paid leave…

Texas HB 2127 (2023) preempts local predictable scheduling laws. Dallas County has no scheduling ordinance and is barred from adopting one. Federal FLSA overtime is the only floor.

Texas Labor Code Section 62.0515 preempts any city or county from setting a minimum wage above the federal $7.25 per hour floor. Dallas County cannot enact a higher local wage.

Filming inside a Dallas County building requires written approval from the commissioners court, plus a copy of the film script submitted with the rental request. Productions pay a…

Dallas County's Nuisance Abatement Division enforces a set list of public nuisances in the unincorporated area: overgrown weeds, accumulated junk, unsanitary conditions, unsafe…

Dallas County residents can report a suspected public nuisance verbally or in writing to the Nuisance Abatement Division, or the county can catch it during a routine field inspection…

Dallas County must investigate a reported nuisance within seven days under Sec. 34-141(b). Once a violation is confirmed, the owner gets 30 days to abate it, and the county reinspects…

Dallas County's outdoor-burning ban under Sec. 38-1 expressly exempts charcoal grills, so grilling is allowed without the enclosure requirement that applies to open fires. The county…

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 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…

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. Dallas…

Dallas County does not run a turf replacement rebate, but member cities and water utilities including Dallas, Frisco, and Plano offer SmartScape and turf-conversion incentives…

Texas has no statewide E-Verify requirement for private employers. State agencies and contractors must use E-Verify under a 2014 executive order. Dallas County requires it for its own…

Texas SB 4 (2017) prohibits any county, city, or sheriff from adopting sanctuary policies or refusing ICE detainers. Dallas County is not a sanctuary jurisdiction and the Sheriff…

Texas Transportation Code 552.005 requires pedestrians crossing outside marked crosswalks to yield right-of-way to vehicles in Dallas County. There is no specific jaywalking offense…

Passive panhandling is constitutionally protected speech in Texas after Reed v. Town of Gilbert. Aggressive panhandling that touches, blocks, or threatens a person can be charged as…

Texas has no statewide outdoor smoking ban; the Smoke-Free Workplace framework reaches indoor public places only. Dallas County does not regulate outdoor smoking countywide. Cities…

Texas Local Government Code 250.008 lets counties regulate noise only in unincorporated areas. Dallas County's Sheriff enforces state Penal Code 42.01 disorderly conduct (unreasonable…

Texas does not have a stand-alone public urination statute, but Penal Code 42.01 disorderly conduct and 21.08 indecent exposure cover the conduct in Dallas County. The Dallas County…

Dallas County designates historic markers and monuments through its 15-member Historical Commission, not through a zoning or landmarks board. A state historical marker cannot be…

California's Mills Act does not exist in Texas. Texas Tax Code Section 11.24 lets cities and counties exempt part or all of designated historic property's appraised value from local…

Dallas County's 7% Hotel Occupancy Tax under Texas Tax Code Chapter 352 applies only to lodging in unincorporated Dallas County. City hotels in Dallas, Irving, Garland, and other…

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 Dallas…

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…

Texas does not grant counties general Euclidean zoning authority. Dallas County has minimal unincorporated land, so agricultural zoning decisions largely fall to cities. Local…

Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 251, the Right to Farm Act, protects established agricultural operations from nuisance suits when neighbors arrive after farming began. Dallas County…

Texas Tax Code Chapter 171 imposes a single state franchise tax on most businesses operating in Dallas County. Texas does not allow city or county business gross-receipts taxes, so…

Texas is a one-party consent state. Under Texas Penal Code §16.02, only one party to a conversation must consent to recording. This applies to both in-person conversations and phone…

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…

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 §…

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…