Texas propane tank laws are set and enforced by the Railroad Commission of Texas through the LP-Gas Safety Rules in Title 16, Part 1, Chapter 9 of the Texas Administrative Code, and they cover where a tank can sit, how it must be built and marked, who is allowed to fill it, and who may work on the system.1Cornell Law Institute. Texas Administrative Code Title 16 Part 1 Chapter 9 – LP-Gas Safety Rules The Commission’s Alternative Fuels Safety department handles enforcement, and administrative penalties start at $500 and can climb to the statutory maximum depending on the violation.2Railroad Commission of Texas. Liquefied Petroleum Gas Propane The rules do not reach marine terminals, refineries, tank farms, or gas manufacturing plants, so this is a homeowner and commercial-user framework.3Railroad Commission of Texas. Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Rules
How Far the Tank Must Sit From Buildings and Property Lines
Texas adopts NFPA 58, the national Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code, through Subchapter E of the LP-Gas Safety Rules.4Cornell Law Institute. Texas Administrative Code Subchapter E – Adoption by Reference of NFPA 58 (LP-Gas Code) The required setback depends on the tank’s water capacity.
- 125 to 500 gallons: at least 10 feet from any building or property line that can be built upon.
- 501 to 2,000 gallons: at least 25 feet from any building or property line that can be built upon. NFPA 58 Section 6.4.1.3 allows this to drop to 10 feet for a single container of 1,200 gallons or less, if it sits at least 25 feet from any other propane container holding more than 125 gallons.
Distances are measured from the container itself to the nearest point of the building or boundary. The surrounding area has to stay clear of combustible materials and overgrown vegetation. A supplier can refuse delivery to a tank that doesn’t meet clearance, and the Railroad Commission can order a noncompliant tank relocated.
Vehicle Barrier Protection
Texas layers its own barrier rule on top of NFPA 58. Under 16 TAC §9.140, an LP-gas container in an area exposed to vehicular traffic needs vertical steel supports at least three inches in diameter, anchored 18 inches into concrete, rising at least 30 inches above ground, and spaced no more than four feet apart. A horizontal rail of equal strength must be welded or bolted across the tops. A property with perimeter fencing that already blocks public traffic from reaching the container area is exempt from the horizontal rail, but the vertical supports must sit no more than three feet apart.5Cornell Law Institute. Texas Administrative Code 16-9-140 – System Protection Requirements The clearance between a barrier and any part of the container or transfer equipment must be at least three feet for standard installations and two feet for retail service station setups.
Tank Condition Requirements That Affect Refills
Propane containers fall into two categories built to different standards. Portable cylinders, such as the 20-pound tanks used for grills, must meet Department of Transportation specifications. Stationary residential tanks follow the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Each has its own marking, appearance, and requalification rules, and any of them can be the reason a driver leaves without filling the tank.
Nameplate
Every ASME container must have a stainless steel nameplate that stays visible after installation. NFPA 58 Section 5.2.8.3 requires the nameplate to show water capacity in pounds or gallons, the manufacturer’s name and address, the maximum allowable working pressure, the year of manufacture, and the ASME code symbol. If the tank is buried, mounded, or insulated so the original nameplate is hidden, that information must be duplicated on adjacent piping or a nearby structure. Tanks with illegible or missing nameplates get refused for refill because the supplier cannot verify capacity and pressure limits.
Reflective Paint
An aboveground propane tank must be painted a heat-reflective color, almost always white or light silver. Dark colors absorb solar radiation, raise the internal liquid temperature, and push pressure toward the relief valve. If the paint has deteriorated so that bare metal or dark rust covers a significant portion of the tank, a supplier may refuse to fill it until the finish is restored.
Cylinder Requalification Dates
A DOT-specification portable cylinder must be requalified 10 years after the manufacture date if tested using the volumetric expansion or proof pressure method. If the requalification uses only a visual inspection, the cycle shortens to five years.6Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Requalification Guidance for Propane Cylinders The date is stamped on the collar. If it’s illegible or painted over, a dealer can refuse to fill the cylinder until it has been inspected and requalified by an authorized facility. Stationary ASME tanks don’t follow this fixed cycle; they’re subject to ongoing visual inspection for corrosion, dents, bulges, valve condition, and connection integrity, and the pressure relief valve gets particular attention during routine deliveries.
Rules for Underground Tanks
Under 16 TAC §9.116, any steel container installed underground, partially underground, or in a mounded configuration on or after March 1, 2014, must include a corrosion protection system. A compliant system has three components: a protective coating applied per the manufacturer’s instructions, a cathodic protection system using either sacrificial anodes or an impressed current anode, and a means of testing performance. The licensed installer must visually examine the coating for damage before burial and repair any problem areas with compatible material. No underground tank may be filled with propane until the cathodic protection system is installed.7Railroad Commission of Texas. LP-Gas Safety Rules Subchapter B
Testing after installation is on a fixed schedule. Sacrificial anode systems must be tested upon installation, or within 180 days if weather prevents immediate testing, again 12 to 18 months later, and then at intervals no longer than 36 months. Impressed current systems require inspection every two months and a full annual test. A failed test must be repaired as soon as practical and no later than 180 days, and all test results have to be documented and retained. Buried tanks must also use dielectric fittings to electrically isolate the underground vessel from aboveground piping entering a building, which prevents stray currents from accelerating corrosion at the connection.7Railroad Commission of Texas. LP-Gas Safety Rules Subchapter B
Who Can Legally Fill Your Tank
Texas Natural Resources Code Section 113.0812 prohibits anyone from filling or removing a propane container unless that person is the owner or has the owner’s written authorization. That single sentence controls whether you get to shop for fuel.
If you lease your tank, only the leasing company can authorize fills, and you cannot legally take delivery from a competitor at a better price. If you own your tank outright, you can call any licensed supplier and request delivery. Suppliers are expected to verify ownership or authorization before filling, so keeping the purchase documentation accessible saves time at delivery. Filling a leased tank without permission is a Natural Resources Code violation that exposes the filler to civil penalties and legal action from the equipment’s actual owner. The clean path out of a lease is to buy the tank from your current provider or install a new one and have the leased unit removed.
Who Can Work on Your System
Anyone performing LP-gas work in Texas must hold an active certification from the Railroad Commission and be employed by a licensed company. Individuals cannot perform regulated propane activities without both. Certifications are activity-specific, so a transport driver isn’t authorized for service and installation work, and vice versa. Companies are licensed under one or more categories covering retail distribution, service and installation, transport, and cylinder exchange. Certified technicians carry a wallet card listing active certifications and expiration dates.8Railroad Commission of Texas. LPG Certification and Company Licensing Ask to see current credentials before letting anyone touch your system. Improper connections, incorrectly set regulators, and botched valve replacements cause explosions.
Before a new propane piping system is put into service, the installer must complete a pressure test and a leak check. Any detected leak means the gas gets shut off until repairs are made and the system is retested, and appliances cannot be placed in operation until both checks pass.9Railroad Commission of Texas. LPG Service and Installation Guide Insist on seeing the test performed and ask for documentation. A licensed technician treats this as routine.
Penalties for Violations
Administrative penalties are outlined in 16 TAC §9.15. Typical minimums include:
- Performing LP-gas work without proper certification or license: $500 per violation.
- Failure to have copies of licenses or certifications available: $100.
- Licensee and registrant obligation violations: $2,500.
- Failure to retain required records: $500.
- Any violation of Chapter 113, Texas Natural Resources Code: $1,000 to $2,500.
These are floors. The Commission retains authority to assess administrative penalties up to the statutory maximum when facts warrant it, regardless of whether the specific violation appears on the schedule.3Railroad Commission of Texas. Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Rules
Criminal penalties exist alongside the administrative ones. A person who knowingly violates Chapter 113 or its rules commits a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $100 to $500. A second conviction elevates the offense to a Class A misdemeanor. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, so costs compound quickly for anyone who ignores a correction order. Supplying propane to a container with a warning tag attached carries a separate fine of $50 to $2,000, and removing a warning tag without authorization carries the same range.10Justia Law. Texas Natural Resources Code Chapter 113 – Liquefied Petroleum Gas
When an Incident Has to Be Reported
When a propane-related accident occurs, the licensee owning, operating, or servicing the equipment must notify Alternative Fuels Safety by telephone at the earliest practical moment or within two hours. Reportable events include any incident that caused a death or hospitalization, required taking a facility out of service, resulted in an unintentional gas ignition needing emergency response, caused at least $5,000 in property damage including gas loss, or attracted significant public attention through traffic rerouting, building evacuation, or media coverage. A completed LPG Form 20 must follow, postmarked within 14 calendar days of the initial notification or within five business days of receiving the fire department’s report, whichever comes first.3Railroad Commission of Texas. Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Rules The 24-hour emergency reporting line is 844-773-0305 (toll-free) or 512-463-6788.11Railroad Commission of Texas. Alternative Fuels Accident Reporting
The reporting obligation falls on the licensed company involved with the equipment, not on you. But if a propane incident at your property causes injury, significant damage, or an emergency response and your supplier doesn’t appear to be taking it seriously, contacting the Railroad Commission directly ensures the event gets documented and investigated.