Land — South Central / Gulf — TX
Water rights, rainwater law, cottage food rules, right-to-farm protections, livestock zoning, and growing conditions for Texas landowners and buyers.
Land law varies by county, municipality, and HOA. Verify all information with your county planning department, state water agency, and a licensed attorney before any land purchase or development decision.
Water law
Complex hybrid: prior appropriation for surface water; Rule of Capture (absolute ownership) for groundwater, now regulated by 100+ Groundwater Conservation Districts. Contact TCEQ (tceq.texas.gov) for surface water rights.
Legal and strongly encouraged. Texas Water Code §26.096 explicitly permits residential collection for household use. Many municipalities offer rebates.
Land use and production law
Texas Cottage Food Law (Texas Health & Safety Code §437): no gross sales cap; direct consumer, internet, and farmers markets; label required. One of the most permissive in the country. Verify with Texas DSHS.
Texas Right to Farm Act (Tex. Agric. Code §251.001) protects established agricultural operations.
No statewide county zoning law. Within incorporated municipalities, regulations vary widely. Urban areas restrict livestock; many municipalities allow limited chickens with permit.
Growing conditions
Hardiness zones
5a (Panhandle/Amarillo) – 9b (Rio Grande Valley/Brownsville)
Last frost
Jun 1 (Panhandle) – Jan 15 (Rio Grande Valley)
First frost
Oct 1 (Panhandle) – Dec 15 (Rio Grande Valley)
Free soil testing
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — click to visit
Soil notes
Extreme diversity. Black Prairie Vertisols in central TX are highly productive when wet. East Texas has sandy, acidic soils. West Texas desert soils are dry and alkaline. Hill Country has thin, rocky limestone soils.