Tarrant County cities do not impose annual night caps on STRs, but most cap each booking at 29 nights. Stays over 29 nights convert to long-term tenancies under Texas Property Code Chapter 92.
Tarrant County STR regulations generally do not cap the number of nights a property can be rented per year, unlike some coastal cities in Texas. Instead, cities define an STR by stay length and regulate operations year-round. Fort Worth, Arlington, Grapevine, and other Tarrant County cities define a short-term rental as a lodging with stays of 29 nights or less, matching the Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax threshold in Tax Code Chapter 156. Stays of 30 days or more are classified as residential tenancies governed by Texas Property Code Chapter 92 and do not require an STR permit or HOT collection. This means permitted STRs can operate 365 nights a year as long as each individual stay is 29 nights or fewer. Fort Worth limits STRs to specific zones (primarily commercial, mixed-use, and some multi-family districts) but does not cap nights within those zones. Arlington caps the total number of STR permits by district rather than by night count. Grapevine has geographic restrictions but no annual night cap. Unincorporated Tarrant County has no STR night cap.
Renting beyond 29 nights without converting to a long-term lease does not trigger an STR violation but may trigger landlord-tenant obligations. Operating an STR without a permit (regardless of nights) carries 500 to 2,000 dollar per day fines in Fort Worth and Arlington.
See how Tarrant County's night caps rules stack up against other locations.
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