TEXAS’ FAVORITE SLOGAN

Don’t mess with Texas® was created in 1985 when the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) began thinking of a new anti-litter campaign. When a marketing agency presented “Don’t mess with Texas” as a campaign slogan, some members of TxDOT worried that the line would seem too harsh and direct.

However, the first commercial in 1986 staring blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn proved to be an overnight success. Soon, everyone was using the phrase Don’t mess with Texas.

The campaign has worked with many Texans since 1986 – from George Strait and Willie Nelson to Ethan Hawke and Post Malone. More importantly, Don’t mess with Texas has helped to oversee a significant decline in littering since the campaign’s launch. Litter has dropped over 50% since 1995 and continues to decline.

While the campaign has seen some changes throughout the years, one thing always remains the same, Don’t mess with Texas is about inspiring Texans to keep our roads and highways clean.

This bold statement isn’t bravado, it’s about loving Texas and doing our part to create a litter-free state for ourselves, our families, and our businesses. The Don’t mess with Texas campaign also benefits economic development efforts in our state. The cleaner our state, the more businesses will want to come and create more jobs, plus more families will move here because there is more opportunity for prosperity. We are a friendly state, and we are also a proud state. Let’s keep it clean.

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS TIMELINE

1985

The campaign slogan is introduced through bumper stickers.

1986

The first Don’t mess with Texas commercial airs.

1988

The first PSA in Spanish featuring Shamu airs across Texas.

1989

The popular Willie Nelson spot “Mammas tell all your babies Don’t mess with Texas” airs.

1998

16- to 24-year-olds are declared “Gen L” (Generation Litter). A study reveals that 96% of Texans have heard Don’t mess with Texas but only 61% know that the phrase refers to litter.

2001

Research shows that litter has dropped 50% since 1995.

2003

The first Don’t mess with Texas road tour travels 5,000 miles across the state.

Research shows that litter has dropped 33% since 2001. 71% of Texans now understand that Don’t mess with Texas means don’t litter.

2006

After a 20th anniversary Cotton Bowl commercial featuring favorite celebrities, Don’t mess with Texas is inaugurated into the Advertising Hall of Fame as America’s favorite slogan.

2010

A new commercial with George Strait tells Texans that Don’t mess with Texas means don’t litter.

2011

For its 25-year anniversary, Don’t mess with Texas hosts an online poll for Texans' favorite Don’t mess with Texas TV commercial. The Commemorative Air Force wins with 60,000 votes!

2016

Don’t mess with Texas celebrates its 30th anniversary with a slew of favorite celebrities as well as selfies and social videos from Texas-born influencers like Eva Longoria.

2018

Darrel the Barrel joins the campaign as the official mascot. Don’t mess with Texas virtual reality experience tours across the state.

2023

Ethan Hawke joins Darrel the Barrel in the mascot’s first Don’t mess with Texas commercial.

2024

The PRIDE PSA showcases Texas landscapes highlighting the beauty of our state. The commercial emphasizes the importance of taking pride in our state and invites viewers to do their part by keeping Texas litter-free. Click Here!

2026

Don't Mess with Texas celebrates 40 years of keeping Texas litter-free, with native Texasn, Post Malone.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you’ve got questions, Don’t mess with Texas^® has answers! Please take a look at some of our frequently asked questions and find answers to your burning queries below.

LITTER

Litter is trash that is not disposed of properly in a trash can. When it’s in the can, it becomes garbage. Anywhere else, it’s litter. The following is definitely LITTER:

Cigarette butts – they’re small, but they’re a nuisance
Gum and gum wrappers – anything less than two square inches are considered micro-litter, a growing problem on Texas roadways
Apple cores and banana peels – even though they’ll decompose
Trash that flies out of a car window or truck bed — accidentally or otherwise

Littering is against the law, and you can be fined up to $500 for trash less than or equal to five pounds or five gallons. Repeat the offense, and you could face a fine of up to $2,000 and 180 days in jail.

Discarding trash that weighs more than five pounds is considered illegal dumping and carries even steeper fines. In Texas, failing to cover your pickup truck load is against the law and carries a fine of up to $200 for the first offense and $500 for repeat offenders.

Any law enforcement officer in Texas can enforce these laws.

The best way to keep our roads and highways litter-free is to not litter in the first place. Make sure to properly dispose of all your trash and encourage others to do the same. That includes keeping your truck bed free of trash and securing all items in your truck before driving. If you’d like to help clean up our state, take a look at our Get Involved page for ideas and programs to keep Texas litter-free.

COMMERCIALS AND SPOKESPEOPLE

LICENSING

The short answer is: No. The Don’t mess with Texas slogan is a trademark held by the Texas Department of Transportation. The use or sale of unlicensed items bearing the phrase Don’t mess with Texas is a violation of U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3872108 DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS (6202-03800). The addition of any words or phrases instead of or in addition to the word “Texas” in the trademarked slogan is also a violation of federal trademark law. For example: “Don’t mess with Texas Women” or “Don’t mess with Texas Hockey.”

We do partner with certain vendors to create official Don’t mess with Texas merchandise. These vendors have obtained a license from the Texas Department of Transportation for the legal use of the slogan or logo.

To obtain a license for the legal use of the Don’t mess with Texas (DMWT) registered mark, please review the following information before submitting a request. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) receives many requests for permission to use the Don’t mess with Texas mark. Any and all uses of the mark must be approved by TxDOT.

If TxDOT chooses to enter into a license agreement, costs, including license fees and royalties, will be determined upon execution of a license agreement.

A proposed requestor must fill out and submit the license request form below. If a requester cannot submit electronically, the requester can print the Usage Request form and mail it to:

Texas Department of Transportation
TRV Attn: DMWT Licensing
6230 E. Stassney Ln
Austin, TX 78744
email: info@dontmesswithtexastest.org

LICENSE REQUEST FORM

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NOTE: The department may waive or reduce the amount of fees, royalties, or other monetary or nonmonetary value to be assessed if it is determined by TxDOT that the waiver will further the goals and missions of the department and result in a net benefit to the state.

Additional Information

NOTICE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING

This is a request to enter into a license agreement with TxDOT for the use of the Don’t mess with Texas registered mark. If TxDOT denies the request, a written statement describing the reason for denial will be provided to the requestor. A requestor may appeal a denial of a license request to the executive director or designee by submitting a written request for appeal. The decision of the executive director or his or her designee will be final. Please submit all appeals to:

Don’t mess with Texas
Travel Information Division
Texas Department of Transportation
TRV Attn: DMWT Licensing
6230 E. Stassney Ln
Austin, Texas 78744

If the department approves a license request, the requestor will be contacted by the department and the requestor must execute a written license agreement with TxDOT prior to any use of the Don’t mess with Texas mark. Approval of this request is preliminary and is not an approval of a license or any terms of the submitted request. All license agreements will contain terms and conditions the department deems necessary to protect the department, including, but not limited to: (1) license term and geographical area; (2) rights granted, including patent-rights; (3) description of products utilizing the trademark; (4) fees or royalties; (5) inspection of licensee’s books and records; (6) policing of trademark or copyright infringement; (7) prohibited uses; (8) indemnification of the department; and (9) a non-exclusivity clause.

PUBLIC INFORMATION

Requests for the licensure of department intellectual property that is determined to be public information under Texas Government Code, Chapter 552 will be processed in accordance with all applicable laws.

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