San Marcos, TX Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in San Marcos, TX, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before operating, no exceptions
- Applies to
- Rentals under 30-day lease terms
- Multi-unit buildings
- Separate permit per unit
- Type 1 spacing limit
- 660 linear feet between permits
- Revoked-permit reapply wait
- 12 months, same property
Summary
San Marcos bars operating a short-term rental, a dwelling with fewer than five bedrooms rented for under 30 days, without a city-issued permit under Sec. 34.804, with a separate application required for each unit.
(a)No short term rental shall operate within the City of San Marcos without a current valid short term rental permit. (b)All individual units having cooking, sleeping, and bathing facilities, within common buildings, regardless of ownership, shall require a separate, individual permit for each unit intended to be used as a short term rental.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 41).
Full Breakdown
San Marcos requires a current, valid permit under Sec. 34.804 before any short-term rental, a dwelling with fewer than five bedrooms rented for stays under 30 days, can operate anywhere in the city. Owners apply under Sec. 34.805 with an application fee set by city council, proof of ownership or a valid lease, names and contact information for owner/operator/agent, a 24-hour local responsible party, and a list of hosting platforms used to advertise the unit. Buildings with multiple units each having their own cooking, sleeping, and bathing facilities require a separate permit per unit. Type 1 short-term rentals in single-family zoning face a 660-linear-foot spacing limit between permitted units on the same street; Type 2 rentals in non-residential districts do not.
Violations & Fines
Operating a short-term rental without a valid permit, skipping the separate permit required for each unit, or advertising without the permit number displayed violates Sec. 34.804 and Sec. 34.811; permits can be denied, suspended, or revoked for good cause, and a revoked owner cannot reapply for 12 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in San Marcos?
What does the San Marcos STR permit application require?
Is San Marcos's STR permit rule affected by Texas preemption?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Marcos
How San Marcos compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Texas rules heatmap·Compare San Marcos to another location·View the Texas short-term rentals overview
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