San Antonio, TX Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Section 16-1107 of the City Code splits San Antonio short-term rentals into two regulatory tiers based on whether the host actually lives there. Type 1 STRs, defined in Sec. 16-1107(a), apply to rentals of less than thirty consecutive days on property that "is owner or operator occupied," and only this tier may rent out less than an entire dwelling unit, such as a single bedroom, provided the sleeping area includes at least shared use of a full bathroom. Type 2 STRs, defined in Sec. " A Type 2 unit may not rent less than the entire dwelling, and if it comes up for permit renewal after receiving a city notice of violation tied to life, health or public safety, the building official can order an inspection before the permit is renewed.

Sec. 16-1101 pins down what "occupied" means for each status: owner occupied requires the title-holder to make the property their legal residence, evidenced by a homestead exemption or vehicle registration; operator occupied requires a lessee with the owner's written permission to do the same. Sec. 16-1103(b) further limits how many non-owner-occupied units on one lot can qualify as Type 1 to just the units on the same parcel as an owner-occupied unit; additional non-owner-occupied units on that parcel are automatically classed Type 2.