Corpus Christi, TX short-term rental registration
Corpus Christi asks you to register a short-term rental, and the rule applies in the areas already zoned for that use. The city does not require the rental to be your primary residence.[3]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified September 20, 2026.
Can you rent short term in Corpus Christi?
Register before you list
What you apply for: Short-term rental registration permit
- Seasonal homes
- 3,322
- Housing units
- 136,279
- Residents
- 317,419
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City ruleRegistration required
- City fee$250
- Tax on each staySet locally
- Seasonal homes24 per 1,000
Corpus Christi short-term rental registration
Corpus Christi requires registration of any residential property rented to another party for a period of less than thirty consecutive days. The requirement applies in all areas of the city that are appropriately zoned for short-term rentals. It came from an ordinance amending chapter 5 of the city's code of ordinances and took effect citywide on July 11, 2022. Short-term rental permits are issued annually, are valid for the calendar year, and must be renewed every January to stay compliant. The permit fee was set at $250. The city has contracted with MUNIRevs to administer the permit application. The account and the filings live on that portal rather than on the city's own system. Questions about the registration process go to the development services department. The city presents the program as a first step toward proper permitting and enforcement of rules that already existed. It is not presented as a new restriction on where rentals may operate.[3]
What Corpus Christi asks of you
The ordinance amends chapter 5 of the city code to require registration of any residential property rented for less than thirty consecutive days. It applies in all areas appropriately zoned for short-term rentals.[4]
The registration requirement took effect citywide on July 11, 2022.[4]
Permits are issued annually, are valid for the calendar year, and must be renewed every January to remain compliant.[3]
The permit fee was set at $250.[3]
The city has contracted with MUNIRevs to administer the short-term rental permit application, so accounts and filings are handled on that portal.[3]
What Texas asks wherever you host
These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.
Texas issues no state short-term rental license. What the state does impose is its hotel occupancy tax. The Comptroller applies it to houses, condominiums and apartments, not only to hotels.[1]
A room priced at $15 or more a day owes the state 6 percent. Local hotel taxes start lower, at $2 a day for a sleeping room. The local taxing authority collects those itself.[1]
After thirty consecutive days without interruption, a guest becomes a permanent resident, exempt from the tax. A guest who announces that plan in writing is exempt from the date of the notice. Any interruption voids it.[2]
What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Corpus Christi
Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.
| Layer | Rate | Remitted to |
|---|---|---|
| Texas state hotel occupancy tax[1] | 6% | The state revenue department |
| Corpus Christi hotel occupancy tax[3] | Not published | The city |
The city publishes its hotel occupancy tax rate separately from the registration pages. The state's 6% is due to the Comptroller whatever the local rate turns out to be.[1]
What the census counts
How much of Corpus Christi is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 3,322 of Corpus Christi's 136,279 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 24 out of every 1,000. It ranks Corpus Christi 15th of the 23 Texas cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 15th of 23
- Share of housing
- 24 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $210,400
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where Corpus Christi sits among its neighbors
San Antonio, TX
Permit required
Type 1 if the owner or operator lives on site, Type 2 if not. Type 2 rentals are capped at 12.5% of a block face.
San Antonio short-term rental rulesPort Aransas, TX
Registration required
1,957 seasonal homes, 364 per 1,000 housing units.
Port Aransas short-term rental rulesLago Vista, TX
Permit required
252 seasonal homes, 51 per 1,000 housing units.
Lago Vista short-term rental rulesNew Braunfels, TX
Allowed by zone
1,008 seasonal homes, 23 per 1,000 housing units.
New Braunfels short-term rental rulesFAQ
Corpus Christi short-term rental questions
When does a Corpus Christi permit expire?
Does registration change where I can rent?
Where do I apply?
Sources
- Hotel Occupancy Tax, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, read on September 20, 2026
- Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemptions (publication 96-224), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, read on September 20, 2026
- Short Term Rentals (STR), Development Services, City of Corpus Christi, read on September 20, 2026
- City Council approves registration requirement for short-term rentals, City of Corpus Christi, read on September 20, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on September 20, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
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