Fort Worth, TX Privacy & Surveillance: Security Camera Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit Required
- No
- Privacy Law
- TX Penal Code §21.15
- Audio Recording
- One-party consent
- Commercial Install
- TX PSB license needed
Summary
Fort Worth has no specific ordinance regulating residential security cameras. Texas law permits recording video on your own property and in public areas. Cameras must not record areas where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy (TX Penal Code §21.15).
Sec. 21.15. INVASIVE VISUAL RECORDING. ... (b) A person commits an offense if, without the other person's consent and with intent to invade the privacy of the other person, the person:(1) photographs or by videotape or other electronic means records, broadcasts, or transmits a visual image of an intimate area of another person if the other person has a reasonable expectation that the intimate area is not subject to public view;(2) photographs or by videotape or other electronic means records, broadcasts, or transmits a visual image of another person in a place in which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy; ... (c) An offense under this section is a state jail felony.
Full Breakdown
Fort Worth does not have a municipal ordinance specifically regulating residential security cameras. Under Texas state law, homeowners may install security cameras on their own property without a permit. Video recording is legal in public spaces and on private property you own or control. Texas Penal Code Section 21.15 prohibits recording in areas where individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as bathrooms, bedrooms (of others), and changing areas. Cameras should not be pointed directly into a neighbor's windows or private enclosed spaces. Audio recording requires one-party consent under Texas Penal Code §16.02 (Texas is a one-party consent state). Commercial security camera installations may require a license from the Texas Private Security Bureau under TX Occupations Code Chapter 1702, but homeowner self-installation is exempt.
Violations & Fines
No local permit or registration required. Violation of privacy recording laws (TX Penal Code §21.15) is a state jail felony.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install security cameras in Fort Worth?
Can my security camera record my neighbor's yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Worth
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