Lubbock, TX Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

Long-term rentals (30 days or more) of an accessory dwelling are generally permitted in Lubbock so long as the owner-occupancy condition of the underlying Specific Use Permit continues to be met. Short-term rentals — typically defined as rentals of less than 30 consecutive days — are regulated under the Lubbock Code of Ordinances and require operators to register with the city, obtain a Hotel Occupancy Tax permit, and remit both the state hotel tax (6%) and the local hotel occupancy tax (7%) under Texas Tax Code Chapter 351 and the city's local hotel tax ordinance. STRs operating near Texas Tech University and the Medical District (including Overton, Tech Terrace, and Maxey Park neighborhoods) face the highest enforcement attention. ADUs typically cannot be operated as standalone STRs unless the property's SUP specifically authorizes short-term rental — most ADU SUPs limit use to long-term residential occupancy. Texas Local Government Code Chapter 211 and the Texas Supreme Court's decision in Tarr v. Timberwood Park (2018) limit cities' ability to prohibit STRs outright in residential zones, but cities retain authority to regulate registration, tax collection, life-safety, and operational impacts. HOAs in Lubbock master-planned communities can prohibit STRs through enforceable CC&Rs.