Bell County, TX Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Bell County's Engineer FAQ states explicitly: 'If you are building in the unincorporated areas of the County (that is, you are not located within any of the cities located in Bell County) there is no building permit, building code or zoning with which you must comply.' Tex. Loc. Gov. Code Ch. 232 limits county authority to subdivision platting, drainage, and on-site sewage — not to dwelling occupancy. There is no Bell County STR registration program and no county-imposed maximum guests, occupants-per-bedroom, or maximum-overnight-guest cap. The only occupancy-related limits that apply in unincorporated Bell County come from: (a) the on-site sewage facility (OSSF) permit through the Bell County Public Health District, which sizes the septic system to the number of bedrooms; (b) HOA or subdivision deed restrictions; and (c) International Property Maintenance Code minimum-room-size standards if voluntarily adopted by a city. Inside city limits, look to that city's STR ordinance — Killeen, Temple, and Belton each have separate code sections.