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Laredo, TX Hotels & Lodging: Transient Occupancy Tax (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Local tax rate
7 percent of room consideration
Taxable threshold
Rooms $2.00/day or more
Report/payment due
Last day of following month
Permanent resident exemption
30+ consecutive days
Late-filing penalty
5% plus 5% after 30 days
Delinquent interest
10% per year

Summary

Laredo levies a local hotel occupancy tax of 7 percent on room charges of $2.00 or more per day at any hotel, motel, or similar lodging in the city, collected by the operator and remitted monthly to the city tax collector under Code of Ordinances Sec. 30-17.

(a)There is hereby levied a tax upon the cost of occupancy of any room or space furnished by any hotel where such cost of occupancy is at the rate of two dollars ($2.00) or more per day, such tax to be equal to seven (7) percent of the consideration paid by the occupant of such room to such hotel, exclusive of other occupancy taxes imposed by other governmental agencies.(b)No tax shall be imposed hereunder upon a permanent resident.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 Update 3 | Land Development Code: Supplement 1).

Full Breakdown

Sec. 30-16 defines "hotel" broadly to include hotels, motels, tourist homes, lodging houses, trailer motels, dormitory space rented to individuals or groups, and apartments not occupied by permanent residents, capturing most short-term lodging arrangements while excluding hospitals, sanitariums, and nursing homes. Sec. 00 or more per day, on top of and separate from the state hotel occupancy tax. A permanent resident, defined as an occupant with the right to occupy a room for at least 30 consecutive days in the current or preceding calendar year, is exempt from the local tax under Sec.

30-17(b), and that status attaches as of a binding agreement to stay 30 consecutive days without a break in payment. Religious, charitable, and educational organizations are exempt from the state tax but must still pay the city and county local taxes; the United States government is exempt only when paying the hotel directly, while federal employees paying with personal funds owe both state and local tax. Sec. 30-18 makes every hotel operator responsible for collecting the tax for the city, and Sec. 30-19 requires a monthly report to the tax collector, filed by the last day of the month following each collection period, listing total room consideration and tax collected, along with a copy of the operator's monthly state comptroller report.

Violations & Fines

Sec. 30-21 makes it a misdemeanor, punishable under Sec. 1-6, for any hotel operator to fail to collect the tax, fail to file the required monthly report, fail to pay the tax, or to file a false report. An operator who misses the filing or payment deadline forfeits a penalty of 5 percent of the tax due, and an additional 5 percent if the tax remains unpaid more than 30 days after it was due (minimum penalty $1.00). Delinquent tax draws interest at a yearly rate of 10 percent, beginning 60 days after the due date.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Laredo's hotel occupancy tax rate?
The city levies a 7 percent tax on the consideration paid for any hotel room or sleeping space costing $2.00 or more per day, under Code of Ordinances Sec. 30-17(a). This is separate from and in addition to the state hotel occupancy tax.
Who is exempt from Laredo's local hotel tax?
Permanent residents who occupy or commit to occupy a room for at least 30 consecutive days are exempt under Sec. 30-17(b). The United States government is exempt only when it pays the hotel directly; employees paying with personal funds still owe the tax.
When must a hotel report and pay the tax?
Sec. 30-19 requires every operator to file a report with the city tax collector by the last day of the month following each collection month, showing room consideration and tax collected, and to pay the tax due at the same time, along with a copy of the state comptroller report.
What happens if a hotel doesn't pay on time?
Sec. 30-21 imposes a 5 percent penalty for a late report or payment, an additional 5 percent if unpaid after 30 days, and 10 percent yearly interest starting 60 days after the due date; failing to collect, report, or pay is a misdemeanor.

Sources & Official References

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