Amarillo, TX Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual Night Cap
- None
- STR Definition
- Stay under 30 consecutive days
- Permanent-Resident Exemption
- 30+ consecutive days same guest (state HOT)
- State Preemption
- No TX statewide STR cap
- HOA/Deed
- May impose stricter limits (private)
Summary
Amarillo does not impose an annual night cap on short-term rentals. The City defines an STR as a stay under 30 consecutive days for tax purposes but does not limit how many nights per year a property may be rented. Texas has no statewide STR night cap.
Sec. 156.001. DEFINITIONS. (a) In this chapter, "hotel" means a building in which members of the public obtain sleeping accommodations for consideration. ... (b) 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. 156.101. 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.
Full Breakdown
Neither Amarillo's Code of Ordinances nor any state statute caps the total nights an STR may operate in a calendar year. The City's working definition of a short-term rental, drawn from its hotel occupancy tax framework, is a stay of less than 30 consecutive days, which determines whether a booking is taxable as a hotel stay rather than treated as a residential lease. Stays of 30 consecutive days or longer with the same occupant are exempt from HOT under Tex. Tax Code Ch. 156 and Ch. 351. Texas has no statewide statute imposing annual night caps, primary-residence requirements, or hosted/unhosted distinctions on STRs, leaving regulation to home-rule cities. Operators should still observe occupancy limits in the International Property Maintenance Code adopted by Amarillo and any private deed restrictions or HOA covenants, which can independently restrict STR use.
Violations & Fines
Because no city or state night cap exists, the City cannot cite a host for exceeding a per-year operating threshold. Enforcement focuses instead on tax non-remittance, zoning misuse, occupancy/overcrowding, and nuisance complaints. HOA covenants and deed restrictions remain privately enforceable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a limit on how many nights I can rent my Amarillo home as an STR?
When does a stay stop being a short-term rental?
Can my HOA still restrict STR nights?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Amarillo
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Amarillo to another location·View the Texas short-term rentals overview
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