Short-Term Rentals in Houston, TX (2026)
7 verified short-term rentals rules for Houston, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Short-Term Rental Permits
Houston adopted STR regulations in April 2025 (Ord. 2025-322), effective January 1, 2026. All STRs require a Certificate of Registration ($275 fee plus $33.10 admin fee). As of April 2026, platforms must remove unregistered listings.
Houston Short-Term Rental Registration (Ord. 2025-322)
Some RestrictionsCity of Houston, Proposed Short-Term Rental Regulations, Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, Section 28 - Article XXIII (April 25, 2025), Q7 (Application Requirements)
7. Is the application process lengthy? The application process can be completed quickly if the applicant gathers the following items and information in advance of going online to apply for the STR Certificate of Registration: a. The property address. b. Name(s) and contact information for the property owner(s). c. Emergency Contact...
Noise Rules
STR guests must comply with Chapter 30 sound limits (58 dBA nighttime residential). Two or more noise citations within 12 months may result in the operator's Certificate of Registration being revoked under Ord. 2025-322.
Houston STR Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsCity of Houston, Proposed Short-Term Rental Regulations, Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, Section 28 - Article XXIII (April 25, 2025), Q12 (General Requirements)
12. What are the general requirements for STR owners/operators/occupants? General requirements include posting/displaying specific information (see Question 13, below), compliance with the City's noise and sound regulations, building and neighborhood protection requirements, waste and litter requirements, fire code provisions, minimum stay requirements, and ...
Taxes & Fees
Houston STR operators owe a combined 17% hotel occupancy tax: 6% state, 7% city, 2% Harris County, and 2% Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. Major platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo auto-collect both state and city portions.
Houston STR Hotel Occupancy Tax
Some RestrictionsTexas Tax Code Sec. 156.001(b), 156.052 (Hotel Occupancy Tax - Short-Term Rentals)
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,...
Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Houston's STR ordinance (Ord. 2025-322) does not impose specific off-street parking requirements for STRs beyond standard residential parking rules. Street parking is subject to the 24-hour limit under Chapter 26.
Houston STR Parking Rules
Few RestrictionsTex. Transportation Code § 545.302
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;(5) between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within 30 feet of a place on the curb immediately opposite the ends o...
Occupancy Limits
Houston's 2025 STR ordinance (Chapter 28, Art. XXIII) regulates short-term rentals citywide. The ordinance defines STRs as dwellings rented for less than 30 consecutive days and requires a certificate of registration. Specific occupancy caps are tied to the property's capacity as determined during registration.
Houston Short-Term Rental Occupancy Limits
Light RestrictionsTex. Property Code § 92.010
Sec. 92.010. OCCUPANCY LIMITSGoReset Texas Constitution and Statutes chevron_right Texas Constitution chevron_right Agriculture Code chevron_right Alcoholic Beverage Code chevron_right Auxiliary Water Laws chevron_right Business & Commerce Code chevron_right Business Organizations Code chevron_right Civil Practice and Remedies Code chevron_right Code of Criminal Procedure chevron_right Educatio...
Repeat Violator Strikes
Houston can revoke every short-term rental certificate an owner or operator holds citywide if three or more of their individual certificates are revoked within any 24-month period.
Houston Short-Term Rental Repeat-Violator Rule
Significant RestrictionsHouston Code of Ordinances § 28-733(b)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if three (3) or more certificates of registration issued to the same owner or operator are revoked within any consecutive twenty-four (24) month period pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Director may initiate proceedings to revoke all remaining certificates of registration held by that property owner or operator. Such revocations...
Host Platform Liability
Texas does not impose statutory liability on Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar platforms for unregistered host listings. Houston's 2024 STR ordinance regulates operators directly, not the marketplace. Platform tax-collection agreements remain voluntary, though all major platforms collect Texas state hotel occupancy tax.
No Platform Liability Mandate for STR Hosting Sites in Texas
Few RestrictionsTex. Tax Code § 156.001
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 housing facil...
Looking for Harris County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Houston city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Harris County →