Purple Means No Trespassing

Little-known law makes color signify warning to interlopers

Did you know the color purple painted on fence posts or trees in Texas means no trespassing? Most people don’t. Since 1997, Texas has had this unique law on the books. According to Texas law, a no-trespassing notice “can be in the form of readily visible purple paint marks of proper size and placement on trees or posts spaced no more than 100 feet apart on forest land or 1,000 feet apart on non-forest land.”

The law also requires the purple paint markings be vertical, at least 8 inches long, at least 1 inch wide, with the bottom of the mark between 3-5 feet above the ground. The markings must be in a place visible by those approaching the property. In Texas, trespassing is a Class B misdemeanor, unless the intruder is carrying a firearm, which is a Class A misdemeanor. Watch the KETV video report to learn more. KETV screenshot