The Woodlands, TX Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

The Woodlands Township is organized under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 289A as a special-purpose district. Township officials have publicly stated that the enabling legislation does not authorize the Township to pass ordinances or assess civil fines, so STRs are regulated administratively by the Development Standards Committee (DSC) and Covenant Administration through the Residential Development Standards (last recorded December 10, 2024) and a required Short-Term Rental Maintenance and Use Agreement adopted in late 2019. To operate, an owner must apply through the Township Permitting Portal, sign the Maintenance and Use Agreement, submit a certificate of insurance, designate a local responsible party with a backup contact, and renew annually; a $500 compliance deposit is required. The Maintenance and Use Agreement requires that all renters be at least 21 years old and that occupancy and parking be managed to avoid nuisance (noise, parking, trash). The Township does not publish a per-bedroom or numeric guest cap; instead, occupancy is constrained by (1) the deed restrictions and covenants of the specific village (Alden Bridge, Cochran's Crossing, College Park, Creekside Park, Grogan's Mill, Indian Springs, Panther Creek, Sterling Ridge, Town Center, Carlton Woods), (2) the International Residential Code bedroom egress and minimum-area rules adopted through the Township's third-party inspection program, and (3) any Property Owners Association rental caps where applicable. Compliance is enforced by revoking the STR approval after Standards or Covenants violations rather than by criminal fine. Properties physically located inside the City of Houston's portion of The Woodlands' boundary or in the Township's narrow ETJ overlap may also be subject to Houston's STR registration ordinance (effective Jan 1, 2026) and the state 6% Hotel Occupancy Tax (Tex. Tax Code Ch. 156).