Short-term rental permit rules in Fort Worth, TX — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Fort Worth requires every short-term rental to be registered with the City under Code of Ordinances Chapter 7, Article XIII (Short-Term Rental Registration), adopted February 14, 2023. Initial registration is $150 with a $100 annual renewal. STRs are prohibited in residential zoning districts and only permitted in mixed-use, form-based, commercial, and industrial zones. Operating in a residential zone is a citable Class C misdemeanor.
Fort Worth Code of Ordinances Chapter 7 (Buildings), Article XIII (Short-Term Rental Registration) was adopted by City Council on February 14, 2023 via Ordinance No. 26005-02-2023. The ordinance defines a short-term rental as a residential dwelling unit or any portion of one rented for a period of 1 to 29 consecutive days. Every operator must apply for a Short-Term Rental Registration through the City of Fort Worth STR portal. The initial registration fee is $150 and the annual renewal is $100. Each registration is valid for one year and must be renewed with updated documentation. The application requires: (1) operator name, contact information, and 24/7 emergency contact who can respond to complaints, (2) proof of liability insurance, (3) the property's certificate of occupancy and demonstration that the property's zoning permits short-term rental use, (4) registration with the State of Texas and the City for Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) collection, and (5) installation of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers consistent with the International Property Maintenance Code as adopted by Fort Worth. The most consequential element of the ordinance is the zoning restriction: under the Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance, short-term rentals are not permitted in residential districts (including A-#, AR, B, R1, R2, CR, C, D, and UR), and are only allowed by right in most mixed-use (MU), form-based, commercial, and industrial zoning districts. This residential ban was challenged in court and upheld by a state district court in 2024 (City of Fort Worth Texas v. Crowder), which ruled the city could keep banning STRs from residential neighborhoods. Operators must also collect and remit the City of Fort Worth 9% Hotel Occupancy Tax and the State of Texas 6% HOT on every booking. Enforcement is conducted by Fort Worth Code Compliance.
Operating a short-term rental without a current City of Fort Worth Short-Term Rental Registration, or operating an STR on a property in a prohibited residential zoning district, is a violation of Chapter 7, Article XIII and the Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance. Violations are charged as Class C misdemeanors in Fort Worth Municipal Court, with fines of up to $2,000 per occurrence for offenses involving public health, safety, fire, or zoning, and up to $500 for other violations, with each day of operation a separate offense. Repeat violations may result in registration revocation and a one-year bar on reapplying for a new registration on the same property. Failure to collect and remit the Fort Worth and State of Texas Hotel Occupancy Taxes is independently enforceable by the city's Finance Department and the Texas Comptroller. Additional citable conduct includes operating without the required smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers; failure to provide a 24/7 responsive emergency contact; and overflow parking or excessive trash and noise that violates Fort Worth Code Compliance standards.
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