Lubbock, TX Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Sleeping Area
- 70 sq ft first occupant
- Each Additional
- 50 sq ft per person
- Egress
- Each bedroom required
- Smoke Alarms
- Every sleeping room
- CO Detectors
- Required where applicable
Summary
Lubbock has no STR-specific occupancy cap, but IPMC limits occupants by bedroom area (70 sq ft first, 50 each added) and fire code requires egress and smoke alarms.
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; or (2) if an adult whose occupancy causes a violation of Subsection (a) is seeking temporary sanctuary from family violence ... (d)(2) "Bedroom" means an area of a dwelling intended as sleeping quarters.
Full Breakdown
Lubbock has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code which sets minimum floor area per occupant. Under IPMC 404, sleeping rooms must provide at least 70 square feet for one occupant and 50 additional square feet per additional occupant. Every sleeping room must have an emergency egress window meeting IRC Section R310 dimensions. The International Fire Code as adopted by Lubbock Fire Marshal applies to dwellings used for transient occupancy and requires functional smoke alarms in each sleeping room and on each level, plus carbon monoxide alarms where fuel-burning appliances or attached garages exist. HOAs and deed restrictions under TX Property Code Chapter 209 may impose additional occupancy restrictions. A common best practice is maximum 2 guests per bedroom plus 2, but the actual code limit is area-based.
Violations & Fines
Overcrowding or egress violations: IPMC citations up to 2000 dollars per day. Missing smoke alarms: fire code violations with daily accrual.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many guests can my Lubbock Airbnb sleep?
Do I need smoke detectors in my short-term rental?
Sources & Official References
- [1]IPMC 2021
Other rules in Lubbock
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Lubbock to another location·View the Texas short-term rentals overview
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