El Paso, TX Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual Cap
- None
- Whole-Home Allowed
- Yes, year-round
- Owner-Occupied Allowed
- Yes, year-round
- State Law
- No statewide STR cap in Texas
- Risk
- Nuisance abatement for repeat issues
Summary
El Paso does not impose an annual night cap on short-term rentals. Operators may rent their properties year-round provided they comply with tax, zoning, and noise rules.
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. The term does not include:(1) a hospital, sanitarium, or nursing home;(2) a dormitory or other housing facility owned or leased and operated by an institution of higher education or a private or independent institution of higher education as those terms are defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, used by the institution for the purpose of providing sleeping accommodations for persons engaged in an educational program or activity at the institution
Full Breakdown
Unlike San Francisco or New York, El Paso has no cap on how many nights per year an STR may be rented. Both whole-home and owner-occupied rentals are permitted year-round. This approach aligns with Texas Property Code protections for property owners and the state's generally deregulated STR landscape. However, if an operator's property receives repeated nuisance citations, the city can pursue Chapter 240 nuisance abatement which may effectively limit operation. Hosts should focus on compliant year-round operation rather than annual caps.
Violations & Fines
No specific penalty tied to night counts. Nuisance or zoning violations can, however, lead to injunctive relief and operational limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a limit on STR nights per year in El Paso?
Can my El Paso STR operate as an unhosted whole-home rental full time?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Paso
Texas rules heatmap·Compare El Paso to another location·View the Texas short-term rentals overview
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