4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Bell County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Bell County has no county-level short-term rental permit ordinance for unincorporated areas. Texas counties generally lack zoning authority and cannot license residential land-uses outside subdivision and floodplain rules. The City of Belton (county seat) adopted its STR ordinance on March 13, 2023, requiring an annual STR permit. Killeen, Temple, and Harker Heights operate their own city-level STR rules. Texas Tax Code Chapter 156 (state hotel occupancy tax) applies to stays under 30 days regardless of location.
Bell County imposes a 2% county Hotel Occupancy Tax on short-term lodging (under 30 days) in unincorporated areas, on top of the 6% state HOT. Rentals inside Killeen, Temple, Belton, or other city limits also pay that city's HOT. Reports due by the 20th of each following month.
Bell County does not regulate STR parking in unincorporated areas. Texas counties cannot impose off-street parking minimums on residential lots (Tex. Loc. Gov. Code Ch. 232). On-street parking on county-maintained roads must not block travel lanes, mailboxes, or driveways. City limits add their own STR parking rules.
Tex. Transp. 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;(5) between a safety zone and the adjacent curb or within 30 feet of a place on the curb immediately opposite th...
Bell County does not set occupancy limits for short-term rentals in unincorporated areas. Texas counties have no zoning or building-code authority over single-family dwellings (Tex. Loc. Gov. Code Ch. 232). Inside Killeen, Temple, Belton, or other city limits, that city's STR or housing code applies.
Tex. Prop. 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...
1 cities in Bell County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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