Grapevine, TX Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Grapevine does not currently require a general rental registration or license for long-term (30 days or more) single-family and multi-family rentals. The city relies on complaint-driven code enforcement and fire inspections to ensure rental properties meet building, fire, and property maintenance standards. Short-term rentals (STRs) of less than 30 days are a separate category: they are regulated under the city's short-term rental ordinance and hotel occupancy tax program. STR operators must register with the city, obtain a Short-Term Rental permit if required by zoning (currently limited in most residential areas), and collect and remit the 7 percent city hotel occupancy tax plus the 6 percent state hotel occupancy tax. Multi-family properties must comply with annual fire safety inspections in certain cases, especially for buildings over a certain size. Habitability standards are enforced under the International Property Maintenance Code and Texas Property Code Chapter 92, which requires landlords to provide smoke alarms, secure locks, and working amenities. Tenants may contact Grapevine Code Enforcement for complaints about unsafe or unsanitary rentals. Rental property owners should also note Grapevine's requirement for registration of changes in ownership for water/utility accounts and for HOA-governed properties. Because Grapevine is a tourist hub, STR compliance is actively monitored.