Brazos County, TX Short-Term Rentals: Permit Requirements (2026)

Brazos County has not adopted an STR registration ordinance for unincorporated areas. The county does not have authority under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 233 to require residential building permits or to zone single-family use, which means STR-specific operating permits, occupancy caps, and good-neighbor rules are absent at the county level. Texas HB 2127 (the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, 2023) further preempts municipal regulation of areas occupied by state-level fields including business and commerce, though its application to STRs continues to be litigated. Statewide, Texas Tax Code Chapter 156 imposes a 6% State Hotel Occupancy Tax on rentals under 30 days, payable to the Texas Comptroller; failure to remit creates personal liability under §156.202. The City of College Station requires STRs to register with the city, comply with the Unified Development Ordinance's STR overlay (including parking and density rules), and remit a 7% city HOT. The City of Bryan requires STR registration and remits a 7% city HOT under Bryan Code of Ordinances Chapter 78. Brazos County itself does not currently impose a county hotel occupancy tax. Operators are still bound by deed restrictions, HOA covenants, and septic/OSSF capacity limits enforced by the Brazos County On-Site Sewage Facility program.