FUNERAL PROCESSIONS

Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 45, art. IX, div. 2

in effect

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-251 Identification of vehicles.

Sec. 45-251. - Identification of vehicles. A funeral composed of a procession of vehicles shall be identified as such by the display, upon the outside of each vehicle, of a pennant or other identifying insignia or by such other method as may be determined and designated by the police department. (Code 1968, § 46-214)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-252 Use of streets during certain hours.

Sec. 45-252. - Use of streets during certain hours. It shall be unlawful for a funeral procession to travel on the streets of the city, including freeways and expressways, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, inclusive. Funeral processions may use the streets at any hour on a legal holiday. (Code 1968, § 46-215)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-253 Police escort.

Sec. 45-253. - Police escort. Each funeral procession shall be accompanied by a police motorcycle escort which shall be a part of the funeral procession and the police officer's motorcycle shall constitute an emergency vehicle when the siren and red lights are in operation. There shall be not less than one police motorcycle escort when the vehicles in the funeral procession, including the mortuary vehicles, do not exceed ten and there shall be not less than two police motorcycle escorts when such vehicles exceed ten. (Code 1968, § 46-216)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-254 Drivers to use right-hand edge of roadway and follow vehicle ahead as close as practical.

Sec. 45-254. - Drivers to use right-hand edge of roadway and follow vehicle ahead as close as practical. Each driver in a funeral or other procession shall drive as near to the right-hand edge of the roadway as practical and shall follow the vehicle ahead as close as is practical and safe. (Code 1968, § 46-217)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-255 Speed.

Sec. 45-255. - Speed. The drivers of motor vehicles participating in a funeral procession shall obey the applicable speed limit; provided, however, if, in the opinion of the police escort, conditions require that the funeral procession proceed at a speed less than the minimum speed limit or if conditions require that the procession be brought to a complete stop, such direction shall be obeyed by the participants in the funeral procession. (Code 1968, § 46-218)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-256 Obedience to traffic signals.

Sec. 45-256. - Obedience to traffic signals. It shall be unlawful for the driver of a vehicle being the leader of a funeral procession to enter into an intersection in violation of a traffic signal, stop sign or direction of a police officer; however, as soon as the procession has started through an intersection, the whole procession may continue through without stopping or observing the direction of such stop sign or traffic signal, provided such vehicles are conspicuously designated as required by this division. (Code 1968, § 46-219)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-257 Right-of-way rules as between two or more processions.

Sec. 45-257. - Right-of-way rules as between two or more processions. The right-of-way rules provided by law shall be applicable as between two or more funeral processions, subject to the authority of the police motorcycle escort to direct, control and regulate such funeral processions. (Code 1968, § 46-220)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 45-258 Driving between vehicles in procession.

Sec. 45-258. - Driving between vehicles in procession. No driver of a vehicle shall drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral or other authorized procession while they are in motion and when such vehicles are conspicuously designated as required in this division. (Code 1968, § 46-221)

Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH45TR_ARTIXPAPR_DIV2FUPRFetched: 10/26/2026