Cedar Park's Short-Term Rentals: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles short-term rentals a little differently. In Cedar Park, Texas, there are 11 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Host Presence Rule

Cedar Park does not require a host or property manager to be present on-site or in town during a short-term rental stay. Unhosted (whole-home) rentals are allowed.

Key details: Host-presence required: No. Unhosted/whole-home STRs: Allowed. Local-contact response time: Not specified in ordinance. Bed-and-Breakfast use: Requires owner-occupancy (separate use type).

No fines exist for operating an STR without an on-site host. Registration and HOT enforcement penalties (up to $500/day under Article 1.01) still apply.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Cedar Park gives residents more flexibility on host presence rule.

Taxes & Fees

Cedar Park imposes a 7% Hotel Occupancy Tax on STR stays under 30 days (Article 10.03) and, starting October 1, 2026, will require all STR owners to register with the city and pay a $100 annual fee.

Key details: City HOT rate: 7%. State HOT rate (additional): 6%. Registration required: Yes (starting Oct 1, 2026). Annual registration fee: $100 per property. STR definition threshold: Rentals of 30 consecutive days or fewer.

Failure to collect, report, or remit the 7% HOT is a violation of Article 10.03 subject to penalties and interest under city collection procedures, and the city may pursue delinquent operators. Operating an unregistered STR on or after October 1, 2026 will be a code violation enforceable through the city's standard municipal court process (Class C misdemeanor framework, up to $500 per Texas LGC §54.001 for non-health/safety ordinances).

Permit Requirements

Cedar Park City Council approved an ordinance on April 23, 2026 requiring all short-term rental owners to register with the city. Registration becomes mandatory on October 1, 2026; the fee is $100 per property per year.

Key details: Permit required: Yes — registration mandatory starting Oct 1, 2026. Annual fee: $100 per property. STR definition: Residential rental ≤30 consecutive days to non-permanent resident. Hotel occupancy tax: 7% local + 6% state = 13% combined. Maximum fine: $500 per day per violation (general penalty).

Violations of Cedar Park ordinances are punishable under the general penalty in Article 1.01 of the Code of Ordinances by a fine of up to $500 per offense, with each day a violation continues constituting a separate offense. STR-specific enforcement (operating without registration after October 1, 2026) is handled by Code Compliance under the Development Services Department.

Registration Rules

Every short-term rental property in Cedar Park must register with the city beginning October 1, 2026. Registration is per-property (not per-owner) and renews annually at $100.

Key details: Registration required: Yes — effective Oct 1, 2026. Fee: $100 per property per year. Approximate active STRs: ~200 (city staff estimate, April 2026). HOT filing: Monthly or quarterly, due last day of month after quarter. Combined HOT rate: 13% (7% city + 6% state).

Failure to register an STR property on or after October 1, 2026, or failure to remit HOT, is enforceable under the general penalty (Article 1.01) — up to $500 per offense, with each day a separate offense. Unpaid HOT can also be collected with interest and penalties as provided in Tex. Tax Code Ch. 351.

Occupancy Limits

Cedar Park's adopted STR registration ordinance does not set a guest-occupancy cap; the operative ceiling is Texas Property Code §92.010, which allows up to three adults per bedroom in any residential dwelling.

Key details: City STR occupancy cap: None set. Texas statutory cap: 3 adults per bedroom (Prop. Code §92.010). Children under 6: Not counted toward limit. Enforcement: Civil action by neighbors within 3,000 ft.

Exceeding the §92.010 cap is enforceable by a private civil action: any owner or lessee of a dwelling within 3,000 feet of the over-occupied property (or a governmental entity/civic association acting on their behalf) may sue to enjoin the violation. Fire-code occupant-load violations are enforceable by the Cedar Park Fire Marshal.

Cedar Park is more permissive than most cities when it comes to occupancy limits. That said, there are still limits.

Night Caps

Cedar Park does not impose an annual cap on the number of nights an STR may be rented; the city's October 2026 registration ordinance regulates registration and HOT collection, not nights booked.

Key details: Annual nights cap: None. Hosted vs. unhosted distinction: Not made by city. Single-stay taxability threshold: 30 consecutive days or fewer. Year-round rentals allowed: Yes (with registration + HOT).

No nights-per-year violation exists. Operating without the required registration on or after October 1, 2026 is enforceable as a code violation through municipal court (Class C, up to $500 per Tex. LGC §54.001).

Cedar Park is more permissive than most cities when it comes to night caps. That said, there are still limits.

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Cedar Park does not limit short-term rentals to a host's primary residence. Both owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied (whole-home) STRs are allowed, subject only to registration and Hotel Occupancy Tax compliance.

Key details: Primary-residence-only rule: No. Whole-home STRs allowed: Yes. Investor-owned STRs allowed: Yes. Bed-and-Breakfast (separate use): Owner-occupied, up to 5 guest rooms. State preemption: Texas HB 2127 (2023) limits municipal land-use restrictions.

Because no primary-residence requirement exists, there are no Cedar Park penalties tied to non-owner-occupied STR operation. Standard violations (failure to register on or after Oct 1, 2026, or failure to remit HOT) are punishable under Article 1.01 by up to $500 per day.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Cedar Park gives residents more flexibility on primary-residence-only rule.

Cedar Park's short-term rental ordinance and Hotel Occupancy Tax apply only to rentals of 30 consecutive days or fewer. Longer 'extended home-share' or month-plus stays are treated as ordinary residential tenancies, not STRs.

Key details: STR threshold: Stays of 30 consecutive days or fewer. Stays ≥30 days: Not regulated as STRs. Permanent-resident exemption: Tex. Tax Code §156.101 (right to use ≥30 days). Applicable framework for long stays: Tex. Property Code Ch. 92 (landlord-tenant). Separate home-share permit: None.

Because 30+ day stays are not STRs, no Cedar Park STR registration fine or HOT obligation attaches. Standard residential landlord-tenant rights and any HOA covenants apply.

Cedar Park is more permissive than most cities when it comes to extended home share. That said, there are still limits.

Insurance Requirements

Cedar Park's STR registration ordinance does not require operators to carry liability insurance. Coverage is left to the operator and any platform-provided host protection (e.g., Airbnb AirCover, VRBO Liability Insurance).

Key details: City insurance requirement: None. Minimum liability coverage: Not specified by city. Airbnb AirCover: $1M host damage / $1M liability (platform-provided). VRBO Liability Insurance: $1M per booking (platform-provided).

No city penalty applies because no insurance is required. Uninsured operators face standard civil liability for guest injuries or property damage and may be denied claims under a non-commercial homeowner's policy.

Cedar Park is more permissive than most cities when it comes to insurance requirements. That said, there are still limits.

Noise Rules

STR guests in Cedar Park must comply with Article 8.08 of the Code: nighttime quiet hours run 10 PM-7 AM in residential zones, with limits of 50 dB(A)/60 dB(C) at night and 70 dB(A)/80 dB(C) by day.

Key details: Code section: Cedar Park Code Art. 8.08. Residential quiet hours: 10:00 PM - 7:00 AM daily. Daytime residential limit: 70 dB(A) / 80 dB(C). Nighttime residential limit: 50 dB(A) / 60 dB(C). Geographic scope: City + 600 ft of ETJ.

A noise-ordinance violation is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 per occurrence under Tex. LGC §54.001. Repeated violations at a registered STR may also trigger code-enforcement action and, after Oct. 1, 2026, potential consequences for the property's STR registration.

Parking Rules

Cedar Park Code §17.04.005 prohibits parking on public roadways and right-of-way within residential subdivisions, so STR guests must park in the driveway or garage. Vehicles left over 48 hours on a city street are deemed abandoned.

Key details: On-street parking in residential subdivisions: Prohibited (§17.04.005). Abandoned-vehicle threshold: 48 hours on right-of-way. Off-street parking standards: Article 14.05. Max fine per violation: $500 (Class C misdemeanor).

Violation of Article 17.04 is a Class C misdemeanor under Tex. LGC §54.001, punishable by a fine up to $500. Vehicles parked over 48 hours on the right-of-way may be impounded as abandoned. Repeat parking complaints tied to an STR can trigger code-enforcement action.

This is one of the stricter rules in Cedar Park's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Cedar Park gives residents more room on short-term rentals. 6 of the 11 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

This guide is based on Cedar Park's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.