on September 10, 2026

Texas Dog Poop Laws

Quick answer: Texas has no statewide pooper scooper law. Picking up after your dog is regulated city by city, and all three of the largest cities we checked have an ordinance requiring it. None of them uses a set ticket amount. Fines are set by a judge within a range the code allows.

Why Texas leaves it to cities

Texas has no statewide dog waste law; pickup rules come from city ordinances. State law leaves restraint to local government as well: Health and Safety Code 826.033 lets cities and counties require that dogs be restrained, 826.034 makes failing to restrain a dog where a local ordinance requires it a Class C misdemeanor, and 822.007 confirms that cities and counties may adopt leash requirements. Texas does cap what cities can charge: Local Government Code 54.001 limits a fine for violating a city ordinance to $500, or $2,000 for an ordinance governing public health and sanitation, regardless of any city charter provision.

  • Cap on municipal ordinance fines ($500; $2,000 for public health and sanitation): Tex. Local Gov't Code sec. 54.001 (read it)
  • Local option to require restraint of dogs: Tex. Health & Safety Code sec. 826.033 (read it)
  • Failure to restrain where locally required is a Class C misdemeanor: Tex. Health & Safety Code sec. 826.034 (read it)
  • Cities and counties may adopt leash requirements: Tex. Health & Safety Code sec. 822.007 (read it)

Pooper scooper laws in Texas's largest cities

Each row comes from the city's own municipal code. "Up to" is the most a court can impose, not a standard ticket. Where a city publishes no amount, we say so rather than estimate one.

City Ordinance Fine Must carry a bag
Houston Houston Code of Ordinances sec. 6-24 $75 to $500 Yes
San Antonio San Antonio City Code secs. 5-18(a) and 5-19 (penalty: sec. 5-21(a)) $100 to $2,000 Yes
Dallas Dallas City Code sec. 7-4.8 (penalty: sec. 7-8.1) At least $50 Yes

The rule people miss: carrying the bag

In Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, the law does not just require you to pick up. It requires you to be carrying something to pick up with, so walking out without a bag can be an offense on its own even if your dog never goes.

A bag holder on the leash solves that for good. Ours is the Walk Dispenser, which clips on and holds a full roll.

Worth knowing about Texas

  • State law caps any Texas city's ordinance fine at $500, or $2,000 for public health and sanitation ordinances (Local Gov't Code 54.001), so no Texas city can publish a pickup fine above $2,000.
  • San Antonio has the steepest escalating minimums of the three largest cities: at least $100 on a first conviction, $500 on a second and $750 on a third or later, up to $2,000.
  • Houston rewrote its rule in 2022 (Ordinance 2022-44): a $75 minimum fine, coverage of cats as well as dogs, and a requirement to carry pickup materials.
  • All three of the largest Texas cities require dog walkers to carry pickup materials, not just to clean up afterward (for Dallas, per sec. 7-4.8(b) as read in an older copy and the current section title).

Common questions

Is it illegal to not pick up dog poop in Texas?

There is no statewide law, but every one of the largest cities we checked has a pickup rule, and most smaller towns have similar ordinances. Check your own city or county code.

How much is the fine for not picking up dog poop in Texas?

It depends on the city. Houston: $75 to $500. San Antonio: $100 to $2,000. Dallas: At least $50.

Do I have to carry a poop bag in Texas?

In Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, yes. The ordinance requires you to have a means of removal with you while walking your dog.

Are service dog handlers exempt?

In Dallas, the ordinance exempts handlers who have a disability and cannot physically pick up. The exemption covers the handler, not the dog.

Other states in the South

Florida · Georgia · North Carolina · Virginia · Tennessee · Maryland · South Carolina · Alabama

See all 50 states · How scoop laws work in general

Sources

Checked 2026-09-10. Ordinances change, so if you are dealing with an actual citation, read the current code at the link rather than relying on this page.

This page is general information, not legal advice.