13 verified short-term rentals rules for El Paso, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
The City of El Paso does not currently require a short-term rental permit, license, or registration. STR operators need only register for the Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) and the City of El Paso 9% local HOT, plus general business compliance. A city STR ordinance is under consideration but had not been adopted as of May 2026.
Tex. Tax Code Sec. 351.001 (Municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax - Definitions)
Sec. 351.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:(1) "Municipality" includes any incorporated city, town, or village.(2) "Convention center facilities" or "convention center complex" means facilities that are primarily used to host conventions and meetings. The term means civic centers, civic center buildings, auditoriums, exhibition halls, and coliseums that are owned by the municipality or oth...
Short-term rentals in El Paso are subject to the same Chapter 9.40 noise limits as other residences, including 50 dB(A) nighttime property-line cap and the 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM quiet hours.
Texas Penal Code Sec. 42.01 (Disorderly Conduct — Unreasonable Noise)
Sec. 42.01. DISORDERLY CONDUCT. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly: ... (5) makes unreasonable noise in a public place other than a sport shooting range, as defined by Section 250.001, Local Government Code, or in or near a private residence that he has no right to occupy ... (c) For purposes of this section:(1) an act is deemed to occur in a public place or ...
El Paso short-term rentals are subject to a 17.5% combined Hotel Occupancy Tax: 6% Texas state HOT, 9% El Paso city HOT, and 2% county venue tax.
Tex. Tax Code Sec. 156.001 (Hotel Occupancy Tax - Short-Term Rental Definition)
Sec. 156.001. DEFINITIONS. (a) In this chapter, "hotel" means a building in which members of the public obtain sleeping accommodations for consideration. The term includes a hotel, motel, tourist home, tourist house, tourist court, lodging house, inn, rooming house, or bed and breakfast. The term does not include:(1) a hospital, sanitarium, or nursing home;(2) a dormitory or other housin...
El Paso short-term rentals must provide at least one off-street parking space per bedroom, up to the lot's permitted capacity, under Chapter 20 (Zoning).
Texas Transportation Code Sec. 545.303 (Additional Parking Regulations)
Sec. 545.303. ADDITIONAL PARKING REGULATIONS. (a) An operator who stops or parks on a two-way roadway shall do so with the right-hand wheels of the vehicle parallel to and within 18 inches of the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.(b) An operator who stops or parks on a one-way roadway shall stop or park the vehicle parallel to the curb or edge of the roadway in the direction of authori...
El Paso does not set a specific STR occupancy cap, but all dwellings must comply with International Residential Code occupancy based on bedroom count and square footage.
Texas Property Code Sec. 92.010 (Occupancy Limits)
Sec. 92.010. OCCUPANCY LIMITS. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the maximum number of adults that a landlord may allow to occupy a dwelling is three times the number of bedrooms in the dwelling.(b) A landlord may allow an occupancy rate of more than three adult tenants per bedroom:(1) to the extent that the landlord is required by a state or federal fair housing law to allow a hig...
El Paso's STR ordinance requires operators to carry minimum $1 million liability insurance naming the property; Texas has no state STR insurance mandate, but Airbnb/Vrbo host protection does not replace primary liability coverage.
El Paso does not impose an annual night cap on short-term rentals. Operators may rent their properties year-round provided they comply with tax, zoning, and noise rules.
Tex. Tax Code Sec. 156.001 (Hotel Occupancy Tax - Short-Term Rental Definition)
Sec. 156.001. DEFINITIONS. (a) In this chapter, "hotel" means a building in which members of the public obtain sleeping accommodations for consideration. The term includes a hotel, motel, tourist home, tourist house, tourist court, lodging house, inn, rooming house, or bed and breakfast. The term does not include:(1) a hospital, sanitarium, or nursing home;(2) a dormitory or other housin...
El Paso requires STR operators to register for Hotel Occupancy Tax with the City Tax Assessor-Collector. A separate operating license is not currently required, but zoning compliance must be confirmed before renting.
El Paso does not require an STR host to be physically present during guest stays. Whole-home rentals where the host lives elsewhere are explicitly permitted under Chapter 7, Section 7.10, consistent with Texas Local Government Code Chapter 229.
El Paso does not restrict short-term rentals to a host's primary residence. Texas HB 1620 (2025) and Local Government Code Chapter 229 broadly preempt cities from banning non-owner-occupied STRs in residential zones outright.
El Paso may suspend or revoke an STR registration after repeated noise, occupancy, or tax violations. Code Compliance and EPPD track citations against the registration certificate, with escalating fines per offense under Chapter 7.
Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar platforms collect Texas state Hotel Occupancy Tax automatically on El Paso bookings, but the city portion of HOT must usually be remitted directly by the host through the El Paso Tax Office.
Texas Tax Code Sec. 156.001 (Hotel Occupancy Tax — Short-Term Rental Definition)
Sec. 156.001. DEFINITIONS. (a) In this chapter, "hotel" means a building in which members of the public obtain sleeping accommodations for consideration. The term includes a hotel, motel, tourist home, tourist house, tourist court, lodging house, inn, rooming house, or bed and breakfast. ... (b) For purposes of the imposition of a hotel occupancy tax under this chapter, Chapter 351 or 352,...
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement El Paso city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in El Paso County →