10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Galveston County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Texas counties cannot zone or license STRs, so unincorporated Galveston County (Bolivar Peninsula, Bacliff, San Leon) sets no permit. Inside the City of Galveston, an owner must obtain a city short-term rental license before making any dwelling available.
Galveston Code of Ordinances § 19-114(e)
No owner may make available for a short-term rental unit any building/property unless that building/property is licensed as a short-term rental in accordance with this article.
Galveston makes STR owners responsible for ensuring guests do not violate noise laws. Quiet hours and noise restrictions follow City Code Chapter 24 and must be posted inside the unit. Complaints go to the 24/7 STR hotline. Counties have no noise ordinance.
Galveston Code of Ordinances § 19-116(a)
The owner, agent or representative is responsible to ensure that clients and/or occupants who rent their short-term rental units do not violate city or state laws, including; but not limited to, restrictions on parking, trash disposal, noise, discharge of firearms, use of fireworks, barking dogs, and/or any other conduct.
Galveston STRs pay a $250 annual city registration fee (per unit) plus a 15% lodging tax: 9% City of Galveston hotel occupancy tax and 6% Texas state HOT. Unincorporated county STRs still owe the 6% state tax.
Galveston Code of Ordinances § 19-115(e)(1)b
The annual short-term rental registration fee shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) (per rental unit) or as determined by city council.
Galveston requires STR occupants to comply with city and state parking regulations. On-street parking cannot block alleys, sidewalks, other driveways, or impede travel or emergency vehicles, and off-street parking must be posted inside. Counties set no such rule.
Galveston Code of Ordinances § 19-116(b)
Occupants of short-term rental units shall comply with the parking regulations of the city code and state law and as further defined in this article under "on street parking."
Galveston's STR ordinance sets no single numeric guest cap; instead the owner must post the maximum number of occupants inside the unit, governed by building and land-development code. Unincorporated county areas have no STR occupancy rule.
Galveston Code of Ordinances § 19-116(g)(1)
The owner or manager of the property shall post in a conspicuous location of the short-term rental unit the following minimum information: a. Maximum number of occupants.
The current Galveston STR ordinance does not require owners to carry or prove liability insurance to register. Registration collects owner, operator, and 24/7 contact details only. Hosts should still expect platform, lender, or windstorm coverage needs on the hurricane coast.
Galveston places no cap on the number of nights or bookings per year. A short-term rental is simply any rental of a dwelling for under 30 consecutive days, and licensed units may operate year-round. Unincorporated county areas have no cap either.
Galveston Code of Ordinances § 19-113
Short-term rental. Means the use of a residential dwelling unit or accessory building fit for human habitation for any type of consideration on a temporary or transient basis, for a period less than thirty (30) consecutive days.
The City of Galveston administers STR registration. Licenses run the calendar year, January through December, are nontransferable, and require a named local contact available 24/7. Unincorporated Galveston County has no registration program.
Galveston Code of Ordinances § 19-115(b)
An annual city license is valid for twelve (12) months from January through December. The license is nontransferable. If an owner sells a property being used as a short-term rental unit, the new owner must obtain a new license prior to operating the property as a short-term rental.
Galveston does not require the host to be present during stays. Instead the owner must designate a local contact available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, who responds to complaints within one hour and resolves them within two.
Galveston Code of Ordinances § 19-115(d)(4)a
The local contact person is the person designated by the owner or the operator who shall be available twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days a week for the purpose of: 1. Responding in person or by telephone within one (1) hour to complaints regarding city code violations.
Galveston does not require an STR to be the owner's primary residence. Owners may designate an operator or a written-permitted lessee to run the rental, making the island a non-owner-occupied investment market. Counties impose no residency rule either.
1 cities in Galveston County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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