Travis County, TX Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- County Code Ch. 171
- Notice required
- At least 5 days in advance
- Response time
- Director decides within 72 hours
- Notice validity
- 90 days
- No-activity buffer
- 15 feet of main entrance
Summary
Groups wanting to hold a rally, picket line, or other pre-coordinated speech event on Travis County property must file a written notice at least five days ahead with the Facilities Management Department, using a preprinted form, and wait for approval before gathering.
Prior Notice and Request to Conduct Pre-coordinated Speech Activities. In order to protect and ensure public safety, an individual or group wishing to conduct Pre-coordinated Speech Activities in a Public Area located on County premises shall submit written notice during County Business Hours to the Director of the Travis County Facilities Management Department... Notice must be delivered at least five (5) days prior to commencement of the Pre-coordinated Speech Activities. Notice shall be valid for ninety (90) days... The Director shall notify the individual or group within 72 hours of receipt of the Notice and Request form that the request has been granted or denied.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 171 of the county code, the Travis County Policy Regarding Speech Activities, governs any pre-arranged gathering, picketing, petition drive, or similar demonstration on land or in buildings the county owns or controls, including county parks. 005 requires an individual or group to submit written notice to the Director of the Facilities Management Department at 700 Lavaca Street, Suite 1300, Austin, at least five days before the event; notice is valid for ninety days and the Director must grant or deny the request within 72 hours.
004, or the county believes the event could provoke a riot or breach of the peace. 003 separately bars pre-coordinated speech activity within fifteen feet of a building or park's main entrance, on curb ramps, or in parking lots and driveways during county business hours. Organizers who are denied can appeal directly to the Commissioners Court by filing a letter with the Director requesting a hearing at the next regular public meeting. 006 an approved group must also sign a liability release and indemnify the county against injury or property-damage claims.
Violations & Fines
Section 171.007 requires that a person who fails to comply with the policy first receive a verbal warning identifying the specific provision violated and, if possible, how to cure it; anyone who does not cure the violation within a reasonable time is treated as a trespasser and can face civil or criminal liability under Texas law. A group found in violation can also be denied approval for future speech-activity requests on county premises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I submit a notice to hold a rally on county property?
Can Travis County deny my request to demonstrate at a county building?
What happens if I hold an unannounced demonstration on county land?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Travis County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Travis County to another location·View the Texas special events & permits overview
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