College Station, TX Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

The formula is simple: count the bedrooms, multiply by three, and that is the maximum number of adults a host may allow in the dwelling. Because the statute caps adults specifically, the math turns entirely on the count of adult occupants. The definition of bedroom does real work here. A bedroom is an area of a dwelling intended as sleeping quarters, so lawful capacity comes only from rooms actually meant for sleeping. A garage, a tent in the yard, or a parked vehicle is not intended as sleeping quarters and adds nothing to the count, and College Station's rules treat sleeping in those spaces on a rental property as prohibited.

The statute carves out exceptions that can lift the ceiling. A landlord may allow a higher occupancy rate to the extent a state or federal fair housing law requires it. And an adult whose presence pushes the dwelling over the limit may stay while seeking temporary sanctuary from family violence, for a period that does not exceed one month.

For hosts, practical duties come with the cap: rental listings must accurately state the maximum occupancy, and the host is responsible for making sure guests actually comply. Exceeding occupancy limits can cost a College Station host the rental permit.