Austin, TX Short-Term Rentals: Repeat Violator Strikes (2026)

The escalation starts at the application stage: under Sec. 4-23-43(B), the director may deny a new or renewal operator's license if the property was the subject of at least two separate disturbances affecting the quiet enjoyment of others, or at least two violations of federal law, state law, or City Code. Once licensed, an operator who runs into trouble first gets a written notice of intent to revoke and a pre-revocation conference under Sec. 4-23-53, followed by a written compliance plan listing corrective measures and a deadline.

If the same or similar issues recur within six months of the director determining the operator complied with that plan, Sec. 4-23-52(D) lets the director revoke the license again without issuing another notice of intent or holding another conference. Sec. 4-23-54 defines a 'nuisance short-term rental' as one with numerous complaints documented through police and code compliance calls for service (including 311 calls), police reports, disturbance-causing gatherings, or noise complaints, tied to either repeated law violations or disturbances interfering with others' quiet enjoyment. A nuisance declaration, whether made by the director or a court, is grounds for revocation under Sec.

4-23-52(A)(2)-(3), and under Sec. 4-23-41(G) the operator is ineligible for any new operator's license for 12 months from the later of the revocation date or a denied appeal. Under Sec. 4-23-41(H), the property itself cannot be the subject of a new operator's license for six months after a revocation, or 12 months if the revocation was specifically because the rental was declared a nuisance.