Amarillo requires every short-term rental operator to register and remit the city's 7% Hotel Occupancy Tax (plus 2% Amarillo-Potter Events Venue District tax) through the Localgov portal, with monthly returns due by the 10th. The Planning Department also handles zoning-side permitting inquiries.
The City of Amarillo treats short-term rentals (under 30 consecutive days) as hotels for tax purposes under Tex. Tax Code Ch. 351, requiring operators to register with the City through the Localgov tax portal. Combined local lodging tax is 9% (7% city HOT + 2% Amarillo-Potter Events Venue District), in addition to the 6% Texas state HOT collected by the Comptroller under Tex. Tax Code Ch. 156. Returns are filed monthly and due by the 10th of the month following the reporting period; if the 10th falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline shifts to the next business day. Even when platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo) collect HOT on a host's behalf, the City directs hosts to register with Localgov and document platform-collected amounts. Zoning, life-safety, and parking questions are handled by the Planning Department (planning@amarillo.gov, 806-378-6290) and Building Safety (806-378-3041). Texas does not preempt municipal STR registration, so Amarillo's program operates under home-rule authority.
Operating without registering for HOT collection or failing to remit on time exposes the operator to penalties, interest, and back-tax assessment by the City Finance Department, and potential code enforcement on zoning or life-safety violations. Late HOT filings also accrue penalties under Texas Tax Code rules.
See how Amarillo's registration rules rules stack up against other locations.
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