Fort Bend County, TX Short-Term Rentals: Noise Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- County STR Quiet Hours
- None set
- State Authority
- Tex. Penal Code §42.01(a)(5)
- Threshold
- 85 dB presumed unreasonable
- Penalty
- Class C misdemeanor (up to $500)
- Enforcement
- Fort Bend County Sheriff (281) 341-4665
Summary
Fort Bend County has no STR-specific noise ordinance in unincorporated areas. Enforcement falls under Texas Penal Code §42.01(a)(5) disorderly conduct (unreasonable noise), with noise above 85 decibels presumptively unreasonable per §42.01(c)(2). The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office responds to nuisance noise calls at vacation rentals.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly: ... (5) makes unreasonable noise in a public place other than a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001, Local Government Code, or in or near a private residence that he has no right to occupy; ... (c) For purposes of this section: ... (2) a noise is presumed to be unreasonable if the noise exceeds a decibel level of 85 after the person making the noise receives notice from a magistrate or peace officer that the noise is a public nuisance.
Full Breakdown
Fort Bend County has not adopted noise ordinances with set quiet hours or decibel limits for short-term rentals in unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack general police power to enact noise ordinances under Local Gov't Code Ch. 233, so county-wide quiet-hour rules do not exist. 01(a)(5), which makes it disorderly conduct to make 'unreasonable noise' in a public place or in or near a private residence the actor has no right to occupy. 01(c)(2) creates a rebuttable presumption that noise exceeding 85 decibels after the actor receives notice from a magistrate or peace officer to abate is unreasonable.
Officers typically issue a verbal warning before a citation. Fort Bend County does separately restrict construction noise in unincorporated 'urban' communities to weekdays 7 AM-6 PM and Saturdays 8 AM-5 PM, but that rule does not extend to general STR/party noise. Cities within the county (Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, Stafford, Katy, Fulshear) set their own STR-specific or general noise limits. Sugar Land's STR Conditional Use Permit conditions, for example, often impose 10 PM quiet hours. HOA covenants in master-planned subdivisions also commonly impose private noise rules enforceable by the association.
Violations & Fines
Disorderly conduct under Texas Penal Code §42.01 is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. Officers typically issue a warning or notice to abate before a citation. Repeat noise complaints at an STR may also support civil nuisance claims by neighbors under Texas common law. Inside city limits, the city's noise/STR ordinance controls and STR registrations may be revoked for repeated violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there quiet hours for Airbnbs in unincorporated Fort Bend County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Bend County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Fort Bend County to another location·View the Texas short-term rentals overview
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