Short-Term Rentals in Dallas County, TX (2026)

5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 9 cities in Dallas County, Texas.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Dallas County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Short-Term Rental Permits

No Dallas County STR registration requirement for unincorporated areas. Texas has no state-level STR permit or registration requirement. Counties generally lack authority to regulate land use. Hosts must register with TX Comptroller for tax collection.

Unincorporated Dallas County STR Registration

Few Restrictions

Tex. Tax Code Sec. 351.002 (Municipal Hotel Occupancy Tax Authorized)

Sec. 351.002. TAX AUTHORIZED. (a) A municipality by ordinance may impose a tax on a person who, under a lease, concession, permit, right of access, license, contract, or agreement, pays for the use or possession or for the right to the use or possession of a room that is in a hotel, costs $2 or more each day, and is ordinarily used for sleeping.(b) The price of a room in a hotel does not in...

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Taxes & Fees

TX state Hotel Occupancy Tax of 6% applies to all rentals under 30 consecutive days per TX Tax Code Chapter 156. Hosts must register with TX Comptroller. Platforms may collect state tax automatically. Stays of 30+ consecutive days are exempt.

Unincorporated Dallas County STR Taxes

Some Restrictions

Tex. Tax Code Sec. 156.001(a),(b) — Hotel Definition Includes 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, or ot...

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Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

No county parking requirements for short-term rentals. Texas counties cannot zone or impose parking requirements. No guest parking ratios, no off-street parking mandates. State highway rules apply to public roads.

Unincorporated Dallas County STR Parking

Few Restrictions

Tex. Transp. Code Sec. 545.303(a)-(b)

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 authorized...

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Night Caps

Dallas County does not impose a maximum number of short-term rental nights per year in unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack general authority to regulate STRs, and no Commissioners Court order sets a night cap. Individual cities within Dallas County (Dallas, Irving, Garland) may cap STR use but those rules do not apply to unincorporated parcels.

Dallas County Short-Term Rental Night Caps

Few Restrictions

Tex. Tax Code Sec. 156.101 (Hotel Occupancy Tax Exception - Permanent Resident 30+ Days)

Sec. 156.101. EXCEPTION--PERMANENT RESIDENT. This chapter does not impose a tax on a person who has the right to use or possess a room in a hotel for at least 30 consecutive days, so long as there is no interruption of payment for the period. Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1686, ch. 389, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1982. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 328, Sec. 4, eff. Aug. 26, 1991. Sec. 156.102. E

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Platform Liability

Dallas County imposes no platform-liability requirements on Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar STR hosting sites. Texas has no statewide platform mandate. City rules vary. Dallas Chapter 42B requires registration numbers in listings, but other cities are silent. Counties lack authority to regulate platforms.

No County Platform-Liability Rules for STR Hosting Sites

Few Restrictions

Tex. Tax Code Sec. 156.001, 156.051(a)

Sec. 156.001. DEFINITION. ... For purposes of the imposition of a hotel occupancy tax under this chapter, Chapter 351 or 352, or other law, 'hotel' includes a short-term rental. In this subsection, 'short-term rental' means the rental of all or part of a residential property to a person who is not a permanent resident under Section 156.101. ... Sec. 156.051. TAX IMPOSED. (a) A tax is imposed on...

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