League City, TX Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual Night Cap
- None
- Host-Presence Rule
- Not required
- Primary Residence Only
- Not required
- Permit Renewal
- Annual
- State Preemption
- None (no TX statewide STR law)
- HOA/Deed
- May impose stricter limits
Summary
League City's STR ordinance (Sec. 125-3.14.18) sets no annual night cap or maximum-rented-days limit. Permitted operators may rent year-round, subject to permit renewal, HOT remittance, parking, and posted occupancy rules.
Every short-term rental (STR) property in League City is required to have a STR permit and the permit number must be displayed when listing on a booking platform. Permits are issued through the City Building Dept and must be renewed annually. City Ordinance Sec. 125-3.14.18 requires STR property owners to be fully compliant before advertising or listing on online booking platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, and Home & Away. What qualifies as a short-term rental (STR)? A short-term rental (STR) means a property where all or a portion of a residential dwelling unit, including an apartment or accessary building, may be rented or leased for compensation to members of the public for use as sleeping accommodations on a temporary or transient basis of less than 30 consecutive days. A short-term rental does not include a hospital, sanitarium, or nursing home; or a dormitory or other housing facility owned or leased and operated by an institution of higher education. Why do I need a permit? League City Council approved an Ordinance that requires a short-term rental permit and hotel occupancy tax certificate to operate. STRs who list or advertise their rental properties without a STR permit are subject to fines of up to $500.
Full Breakdown
Section 125-3.14.18 of the League City zoning code establishes a permit, inspection, posting, and tax-remittance framework for short-term rentals but does not impose a ceiling on the number of nights per year a permitted property may be rented. The City's published STR Operator Guidelines and Permit Checklist similarly contain no annual rented-night limit, host-presence requirement, or primary-residence-only mandate. Texas does not preempt local STR regulation under any statewide statute, so the absence of a night cap reflects a deliberate local choice rather than state law. Operators must, however, remain continuously compliant with annual permit renewal, the four-parking-space requirement, posted occupancy maximums, the 24-hour local contact obligation, and quarterly Hotel Occupancy Tax remittance. HOA covenants in master-planned subdivisions such as Tuscan Lakes, Mar Bella, or Westover Park may impose private night-cap or duration limits stricter than the City Code.
Violations & Fines
Because no city night cap exists, exceeding any specific rented-night threshold is not itself a violation. The City may, however, suspend or revoke a permit for repeated noise, parking, occupancy, or HOT-remittance violations, with citation fines up to $500 per offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a maximum number of nights I can rent my property in League City?
Does the city require me to live in the home?
Can my HOA still cap rental nights?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in League City
Texas rules heatmap·Compare League City to another location·View the Texas short-term rentals overview
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