Fort Bend County, TX Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- County STR Ordinance
- None
- County Occupancy Cap
- Not set
- Authority Limit
- Local Gov't Code Ch. 233
- Septic Sizing
- 30 TAC §285.91 (by bedroom)
- City Rules Apply
- Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond
Summary
Fort Bend County imposes no STR-specific occupancy limits in unincorporated areas. Texas counties lack general police power to regulate STRs under Local Gov't Code Ch. 233. Practical limits derive from International Residential Code bedroom/egress rules and on-site septic system capacity (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality OSSF rules in 30 TAC Ch. 285).
Sec. 92.010. OCCUPANCY LIMITS. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the maximum number of adults that a landlord may allow to occupy a dwelling is three times the number of bedrooms in the dwelling. (b) A landlord may allow an occupancy rate of more than three adult tenants per bedroom: (1) to the extent that the landlord is required by a state or federal fair housing law to allow a higher occupancy rate... (d) In this section: (1) "Adult" means an individual 18 years of age or older. (2) "Bedroom" means an area of a dwelling intended as sleeping quarters. The term does not include a kitchen, dining room, bathroom, living room, utility room, or closet or storage area of a dwelling.
Full Breakdown
Fort Bend County has not adopted a short-term rental ordinance for unincorporated areas. The county does not issue STR permits, zoning approvals, or Certificates of Occupancy and has no county-set guest cap for vacation rentals. Texas counties operate under limited zoning authority outside city ETJs (Local Gov't Code Ch. 91 sizing tables tie usage to bedroom count; and (3) any subdivision deed restrictions or HOA covenants that may cap rentals or guest counts. Inside municipal limits (Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, Stafford, Katy, Fulshear, Meadows Place), the city ordinance controls.
Sugar Land, for example, restricts STRs to specified zones with a Conditional Use Permit. Effective October 1, 2024, Fort Bend County imposes a county Hotel Occupancy Tax of 7% on stays under 30 days outside city limits and 2% inside city limits, on top of the 6% state HOT (Tex. Tax Code Ch. 156); collection enforcement began May 1, 2025.
Violations & Fines
There are no county STR occupancy violations in unincorporated Fort Bend County because no STR ordinance exists. OSSF overload, building/fire code violations, or HOA/deed-restriction breaches are enforced by the Fort Bend County Health & Human Services OSSF program, the Fire Marshal, or by private civil action. Inside city limits, the city's STR or zoning ordinance controls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fort Bend County set an occupancy limit for Airbnbs?
Do I need an STR permit in unincorporated Fort Bend County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Bend County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Fort Bend County to another location·View the Texas short-term rentals overview
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