Cameron County levies a county Hotel Occupancy Tax under Texas Tax Code Ch. 352, authorized because it borders the Gulf of Mexico. The tax may not exceed 7% of the room price. On South Padre Island the total tax stacks: 6% state + county + 10.5% city.
Short-term rentals (under 30 days) are 'hotels' for tax purposes. Texas Tax Code Ch. 352 lets qualifying counties — including any 'county that borders the Gulf of Mexico' — impose a county HOT, capped at 7% of the room price. On South Padre Island a guest pays 6% state HOT (remitted to the Comptroller), a small Cameron County venue tax (0.5%), and the city's 10.5% rate (8.5% occupancy + 2% venue), all in addition to each other and remitted to their respective governments. Operators collect and remit these taxes monthly.
Failure to collect and remit Hotel Occupancy Tax exposes operators to back taxes, penalties, and interest under state and local law; South Padre Island can also fine and revoke the STR license.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Home composting is allowed in Cameron County. Texas law protects it: an HOA cannot ban composting of yard vegetation, but a compost pile that draws pests cou...
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Cameron County has no ordinance banning or regulating artificial turf on private property. Cities may set their own rules, and an HOA may steer choices towar...
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Cameron County places no restriction on using native or drought-resistant plants. Texas law actually protects that choice: an HOA cannot ban water-conserving...
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Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in Texas. Cameron County can't deny a building permit just because a project uses rainwater collection, and HOAs...
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Cameron County itself sets no lawn-watering schedule. Restrictions come from your water utility or irrigation district's state-required drought contingency p...
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There is no city-style weed ordinance for private lots, but Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 343 lets Cameron County treat overgrown weeds in the unincorpo...
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