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Short-Term Rentals in Austin, TX (2026)

10 verified short-term rentals rules for Austin, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Short-Term Rental Permits

Austin requires every short-term rental to hold a current operating license under City Code Chapter 25-2 Subchapter E. Applications go through Development Services, require proof of insurance, HOT tax account, and neighbor notification, with annual renewal and posted license number on every listing.

Austin STR Registration Rules

Heavy Restrictions

Austin Short-Term Rentals - Changes to Short-Term Rental Regulations (Feb 2025 / Oct 2025); STR Licensee/Owner Responsibilities; Fees

Short-term rentals (STRs), residences rented for less than 30 consecutive days, are regulated by City ordinance and licensed annually by Austin Development Services Code Compliance. [...] In February 2025, the Austin City Council adopted changes that made STRs an additional (accessory) use to all residential uses in all zoning districts as long as they have a valid operating license. In October...

Noise Rules

Austin short-term rentals are subject to Chapter 9-2 noise limits plus stricter STR-specific conditions under City Code Chapter 25-2. STR operators must post 24-hour contact info, respond to noise complaints within one hour, and face license revocation after repeat violations.

Austin STR Noise Rules

Heavy Restrictions

Austin City Code Section 4-23-34 (STR Guest Responsibilities); Section 4-23-41(E); Section 25-2-794

City ordinance governs these matters in section 4-23-34 of the City Code . An STR licensee or guest may not: Use or allow the use of sound equipment that produces sound in excess of 75 decibels at the property line between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Use or allow use of sound equipment that produces sound audible beyond the property line between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. Make or allow another to make noise o...

Taxes & Fees

Austin imposes an 11% Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) on STR stays plus a 6% Texas state HOT. Operators must hold a city operating license: $836.30 new or $385.30 renewal.

short-term-rentals/taxes-fees

Significant Restrictions

Austin Hotel Occupancy Taxes - City and State Tax Rates; Platform Tax Remittance; Late Penalties

The City of Austin's Hotel Occupancy Tax rate is 11 percent, comprised of a nine percent occupancy tax and an additional two percent venue project tax. Texas law requires that each bill or other receipt for a hotel charge subject to the tax imposed for a venue project contain a statement in a conspicuous location stating: "The City of Austin requires that an additional tax of two percent (2%) b...

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

Austin STR operators must provide one off-street parking space per bedroom under City Code Chapter 25-6. On-street parking by guests is allowed only where the street permits, and RPP (Residential Permit Parking) zones prohibit non-resident overnight parking.

Austin STR Parking Rules

Light Restrictions

Texas Transportation Code Sec. 545.302 (Stopping, Standing, or Parking Prohibited in Certain Places)

Sec. 545.302. STOPPING, STANDING, OR PARKING PROHIBITED IN CERTAIN PLACES. (a) An operator may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle: (1) on the roadway side of a vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street; (2) on a sidewalk; (3) in an intersection; (4) on a crosswalk; ... (b) An operator may not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger, stand or park an occupied or u...

Occupancy Limits

Austin City Code Chapter 25-2 Subchapter E caps STR occupancy at six unrelated adults or 10 total including related persons, whichever is lower, with no more than two adults per bedroom plus two. Outdoor occupancy after 10:00 PM is limited to six persons.

Austin STR Occupancy Limits

Significant Restrictions

Austin Short-Term Rentals - New Licensee/Operator Responsibilities (Feb 2025 / Oct 2025 changes)

In February 2025, the Austin City Council adopted changes that made STRs an additional (accessory) use to all residential uses in all zoning districts as long as they have a valid operating license. In October 2025, the following changes went into effect for property owners and tenant operators: [...] Single-family sites : An individual may operate up to two STR units on a site and may operate ...

Insurance Requirements

Austin STR licensees must carry at least $1 million in liability coverage specifically endorsed for short-term rental use, per City Code Chapter 25-2 Subchapter E. Proof of insurance is submitted with the annual license application and must remain in force throughout the license term.

Austin STR Insurance Requirements

Few Restrictions

Austin Short-Term Rentals - Changes to Short-Term Rental Regulations (October 2025)

In October 2025, the following changes went into effect for property owners and tenant operators: All licenses will now be valid for two years instead of one year. A Certificate of Occupancy and proof of insurance are no longer required for new applicants or renewals. Tenants may now operate STRs, with the permission of their landlord. [...] In February 2025, the Austin City Council adopted cha...

Night Caps

Austin does not impose an annual night cap on STR rentals like San Francisco's 90-day rule or Palm Springs' 32-day limit. However, Type 2 non-owner-occupied STRs are restricted in residential zones, and all STRs face occupancy and noise limits that effectively constrain heavy event-style bookings.

Austin STR Night Caps

Some Restrictions

Austin City Code Section 4-23-34 (STR Guest Responsibilities - noise/sound restrictions)

City ordinance governs these matters in section 4-23-34 of the City Code . An STR licensee or guest may not: Use or allow the use of sound equipment that produces sound in excess of 75 decibels at the property line between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Use or allow use of sound equipment that produces sound audible beyond the property line between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. Make or allow another to make noise o...

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Austin repealed its owner-occupancy classification on October 1, 2025. Non-owner-occupied and leased short-term rentals are allowed citywide under City Code Chapter 4-23; every unit still needs an operator's license, but there is no primary-residence requirement.

Austin Doesn't Limit Short-Term Rentals to Primary Residences

Some Restrictions

Austin City Code § 4-23-31 (Eligibility to Operate a Short-Term Rental)

An operator must own or lease the housing unit that will be operated as a short-term rental. On a site with three or fewer housing units, an individual can operate up to two short-term rentals. Except as provided in Subsection (D), an individual may operate short-term rentals on more than one site if the sites are located at least 1,000 feet apart.

Repeat Violator Strikes

Austin's short-term rental code builds an escalating track for repeat problem properties: two documented violations or disturbances let the director deny a license, and numerous complaints of repeated law violations or disturbances let the director declare the rental a nuisance short-term rental, revoke its license, and delist it under City Code Sec. 4-23-54.

Austin STR Repeat-Violator Nuisance Rule

Significant Restrictions

Austin City Code Sec. 4-23-54

(A)A person maintains a nuisance short-term rental when:(1)the director issues a notice of violation for operating without a short-term rental, the person continues to operate the short-term rental after the notice of violation is issued, and:(a)the person fails to obtain an operator's license,(b)the person is ineligible for an operator's license, or(c)the short-term rental is ineligible to be ...

Host Platform Liability

Booking platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo must require every Austin short-term rental listing to display a license number, remove any listing within 10 days of a city delist notice, and quarterly show hosts how much hotel occupancy tax the platform collected on their behalf. A platform that skips these steps loses the presumption of compliance and can't collect fees on bookings for a rental that isn't validly licensed.

Austin STR Platform Delisting Duties

Significant Restrictions

Austin City Code Secs. 4-23-22, 4-23-23, 4-23-25

A platform must require each user to include a license number in a short-term rental advertisement or promotion on the platform. ... (A)A platform must remove an advertisement or promotion for a short-term rental within 10 days from the date the director sends a delist notice. ... (C)A platform must provide the director with an electronic email address that can receive delist notices. ... (A)A ...

Looking for Travis County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Austin city rules.

Short-Term Rentals in Travis County