CODE OF MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code ch. 53
in effect

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 53.001. ADOPTION OF CODE.

(a) A municipality may adopt by ordinance a codification of its civil and criminal ordinances, together with appropriate penalties for the violation of the ordinances. (b) On the adoption of the code, the secretary of the municipality shall record the code in the municipality's ordinance records. (c) The code is effective on its adoption.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 53.002. PUBLICATION OF ADOPTION ORDINANCE.

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the ordinance adopting a code of municipal ordinances shall be published in the official publication of the municipality or in a newspaper published in the municipality or county as provided by law. (b) If the municipality is a special-law municipality and its charter provides for the publication of both civil and criminal ordinances, the municipality shall publish the ordinance in compliance with its charter. (c) It is not necessary to publish the code itself.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 53.003. SUBDIVISION OF CODE.

A code of municipal ordinances may be subdivided into chapters, titles, articles, or sections at the discretion of the governing body of the municipality.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 53.004. CHANGE OR REPEAL OF ORDINANCE.

If a change in a municipality's form of government and designation of offices and officers necessitates the change or repeal of an ordinance or part of an ordinance being codified, the municipality may amend, omit, or repeal the ordinance in the codification to conform it to the municipality's present form of government without separately reenacting, repealing, or amending the source ordinance.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 53.005. EFFECT OF CODIFICATION.

(a) A municipal code of ordinances has the force and effect of an ordinance regularly adopted in accordance with law. (b) The record of the code in the municipality's ordinance records is a record of the codified ordinances and establishes the content of those ordinances.

Tex. LOC. GOV'T Code § 53.006. PRINTED CODE AS EVIDENCE.

(a) A municipality may have printed, under the direction of the governing body of the municipality, a copy of the code that is authenticated and approved by the mayor's signature and attested by the secretary of the municipality. (b) In a court, the printed code is prima facie evidence of the existence and regular enactment of the ordinance adopting the code. A court shall admit the printed code in evidence without further proof.
Source: TX Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Fetched: 6/29/2026

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