Texas is known for its fierce independence, expansive landscapes, and bold cultural identity. But behind its reputation for cowboys and southern hospitality lies a long and peculiar legal history. Over the decades, a lot of weird laws have accumulated across the state, and while many have faded into obscurity or been repealed, a surprising number still technically remain on the books in 2025. Some are outdated, others are oddly specific, and a few are just downright bizarre.
What makes these laws so strange isn’t always their content but the fact that they’ve survived decades of legislative updates. Many were written in an entirely different era: socially, culturally, and technologically. Some might have made perfect sense in the early 1900s but seem utterly laughable today. Yet they endure, often unnoticed, occasionally enforced, and always fascinating.
Let’s dive into a tour of the weirdest Texas laws that, as of 2025, still haven’t been scrubbed from the books.
You Can’t Milk Another Person’s Cow
Yes, in Texas, it is technically illegal to milk someone else’s cow without permission. This law dates back to a time when cattle theft was a serious threat in the state. While stealing a cow outright was certainly a crime, lawmakers went a step further to criminalize the unauthorized milking of livestock. The logic may have made sense in a more agrarian age: milk was a valuable commodity, and to deprive someone of it was considered theft.
Today, most Texans live in suburban or urban settings and probably haven’t milked a cow in their lives. Yet this law lingers, quietly resting in the annals of Texas legal code. While it’s unlikely that modern law enforcement would actively pursue someone for borrowing a little milk straight from the source, the law technically stands.
No Feather Dusters in Public Buildings
In an odd twist that sounds like it belongs in a comedy, there is a law in Texas that restricts the use of feather dusters in public buildings. The origins of this law are murky, but it’s believed to stem from concerns over air quality or perhaps an effort to maintain decorum in government offices.
Though rarely enforced, the law continues to exist and occasionally pops up in trivia lists or humorous legal seminars. The lack of specificity in the wording (failing to define whether it applies to cleaning staff or the general public) only adds to the confusion. Most likely, it was designed to prevent disruptive behavior, but its vague language has led it to be labeled one of the quirkiest statutes in the state.
You Must Give Oral or Written Notice Before Committing a Crime
Texas law has an old provision that requires criminals to give their victims at least 24 hours’ notice before committing a crime. This law sounds so absurd that people often assume it’s a joke. Yet it’s a real law, albeit one that is completely unenforceable and ignored in practice.
The origins of this bizarre legal concept are unclear. It may have been a misinterpretation of a law intended to address premeditation in criminal cases, or it could simply be an outdated joke that found its way into the state’s legal archives and never got removed. Regardless, no one in the criminal justice system seriously attempts to enforce it, and any defense lawyer trying to use this law in court would be met with disbelief.
Still, the law’s continued existence is a testament to how some legal oddities persist long after their usefulness has vanished.
You Can Be Fined for Shooting a Buffalo from a Second-Story Hotel Window
This one comes back from the days of the Wild West. In Texas, it is still technically illegal to shoot a buffalo from the second story of a hotel. The law doesn’t say anything about the first floor, which raises even more questions.
Clearly, this law dates back to the 19th century, when buffalo roamed more freely across parts of Texas and firearms were a regular part of daily life. Hotel guests likely found it convenient to hunt from the comfort of their windows. Authorities, in an effort to promote public safety and prevent property damage, may have instituted this odd restriction.
Today, you’re unlikely to find wild buffalo in urban hotel zones, making the law completely irrelevant. But in 2025, it still sits in the law books, a relic of a different time and a reminder of how much Texas has changed.
You Can’t Sell Your Eyes
Texas has a law that prohibits the sale of one’s eyeballs. As grotesque as it sounds, the law was likely implemented to address unethical practices in the organ trade. While it may seem unnecessary to single out eyes specifically, lawmakers were probably reacting to a particularly disturbing case or were trying to create a highly visible deterrent.
In modern times, organ and tissue donations are strictly regulated under federal and state guidelines. The idea of someone trying to sell their eyes on a whim seems weird in 2025, but the law remains. The specificity of the language, however, leaves a curious loophole: other organs or body parts are not listed in the same way.
You Can’t Eat Your Neighbor’s Garbage Without Permission
In a nod to both sanitation and personal property rights, Texas law prohibits rummaging through someone else’s trash without consent. While the law was probably written to deter theft and trespassing, the phrasing leaves room for interpretation.
This law becomes particularly relevant in the era of data protection and environmental awareness. Dumpster diving for personal documents, discarded tech, or even food has gained attention for ethical and security reasons. But in Texas, it’s not just a privacy concern but also a criminal act.
Though enforcement is sporadic and often complaint-driven, the law technically criminalizes even well-intentioned scavengers, such as those searching for recyclable materials or discarded groceries. If you want to rifle through someone else’s garbage in Texas, you’ll need to ask first. Otherwise, you could be breaking the law.
Don’t Let Your Chicken Cross the Road
In some Texas towns, local laws still prohibit chickens from crossing the road. While the phrase might cause some chuckles due to the age-old joke, these laws were likely meant to control livestock and prevent traffic accidents in rural areas.
The laws typically fall under broader animal control statutes, but the specificity around chickens has earned this law a spot on nearly every “weird laws” list. In 2025, the enforcement of such laws is virtually nonexistent, but they technically still apply, especially in municipalities where agricultural life intersects with growing suburban development.
For chicken owners in these towns, keeping poultry contained is not just a matter of good practice but a legal obligation.
Cows Must Have Tail Lights in Certain Situations
In another nod to Texas’s agricultural past, some local laws require that cows be equipped with taillights if they are walked along the highway at night. This law is so specific it sounds made up, yet it’s rooted in real concerns about road safety in rural areas where livestock crossings are common.
Though modern ranchers rarely walk cattle down public roads in the dark, the law theoretically still applies. It underscores the unique challenges of blending rural tradition with modern infrastructure. And while no one is mounting LED lights on the backs of cows in 2025, the law serves as a fascinating example of just how creative legislation can get in response to local problems.
If you want to learn more about this topic, here’s an amazing book you can read: Weird U.S. Laws.
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