Travis County, TX Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Litter present over 30 days
- Zone
- Within 50 feet of public highway
- Hearing window
- 15 days after notice
- Waiting period
- 30 days before removal/billing
- Unpaid lien interest
- 10% per year
- Lien trigger
- 60 days after cost assessment
- Criminal penalty
- Class C misdemeanor
Summary
In unincorporated Travis County, letting litter pile up for more than 30 days within 50 feet of a public highway is prohibited outright. The Commissioners Court can send a certified-mail notice, remove the litter itself, and place a lien on the property if the owner does not pay the cleanup bill within 60 days.
261.025 Prohibition The Commissioners Court hereby orders that the accumulation of litter for more than thirty (30) days on a person's property within fifty (50) feet of a public highway in the County is prohibited. 261.026 Notice - Litter Violation Request for Public Hearing. The property owner so notified under Section 261.026(a) may request a hearing before the Health Authority within fifteen (15) days of the receipt of such notice. 261.028 Penalties - Litter Violation Lien. If a person assessed costs under this section does not pay the costs within sixty (60) days after the date of assessment: A lien in favor of the County attaches to the property from which the litter was removed to secure the payment of the costs and interest accruing at an annual rate of ten percent on any unpaid part of the costs; and The Commissioners Court shall file a record of the lien in the office of the County Clerk. Misdemeanor. The violation of section 261.025 is a Class C misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
024 to include decayable waste from homes and restaurants plus nondecayable material such as paper, rags, furniture, tires, scrap metal, and discarded appliances, but exempts equipment used for agricultural purposes. 025 flatly prohibits accumulating that litter for more than 30 days on property within 50 feet of a public highway. 026 requires a written notice sent by certified mail to the record property owner; the owner then has 15 days to request a hearing before the County Health Authority, and the Commissioners Court cannot remove the litter or bill the owner until the 30th day after that notice goes out.
027, it assesses the removal cost against the property owner. 028 lets the County attach a lien to the property, with unpaid costs accruing interest at 10 percent a year, recorded with the Travis County Clerk. 025 is itself a Class C misdemeanor, layering criminal exposure on top of the civil lien and cost-assessment process the chapter otherwise relies on.
Violations & Fines
Accumulating litter within 50 feet of a public highway for over 30 days is a Class C misdemeanor charge under Section 261.028, separate from the County's civil remedy. On the civil side, the County can remove the litter itself and bill the owner; unpaid bills draw a 10 percent annual interest lien filed with the County Clerk 60 days after assessment. Owners get a certified-mail notice and a right to a hearing before the Health Authority within 15 days before any lien or removal action proceeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close to a road does litter have to be to violate this rule?
Does the County have to warn me before removing litter?
What happens if I never pay the cleanup bill?
Is this a criminal charge or just a bill?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Travis County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Travis County to another location·View the Texas trash & recycling overview
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