Corpus Christi, TX short-term rental registration
Corpus Christi registered its short-term rentals in 2022 by amending chapter 5 of the code rather than by rewriting its zoning, and the distinction matters: registration applies to any residential property let for less than thirty consecutive days in the areas already zoned for that use. It took effect city-wide on 11 July 2022. The permit runs on the calendar, not on your anniversary — it covers the calendar year and has to be renewed every January — and the city hands the administration to an outside portal.[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 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, in all areas of the city that are appropriately zoned for short-term rentals. The requirement came from an ordinance amending chapter 5 of the city's code of ordinances and took effect city-wide on 11 July 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, so the account and the filings live on that portal rather than on the city's own system, and questions about the registration process go to the development services department. The city presents the programme as a first step towards proper permitting and enforcement of rules that already existed, rather than 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, in all areas appropriately zoned for short-term rentals.[4]
The registration requirement took effect city-wide on 11 July 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 licence. The statewide obligation is the hotel occupancy tax, and the Comptroller applies it to houses, condominiums and apartments as well as hotels.[1]
The state rate is 6 percent on a room costing $15 or more each day. Local hotel taxes reach further down, to sleeping rooms costing $2 or more each day, and the local taxing authority collects them itself.[1]
A guest who stays thirty or more consecutive days without interruption becomes a permanent resident and is exempt. Written notice of that intention makes the exemption run from the notice date; 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]
How short-term rental taxes work for US hostsWhat 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 — 24 out of every 1,000. That ranks Corpus Christi 9th of the 13 Texas cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 9th of 13
- 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
Port Aransas, TX
Registration required
1,957 seasonal homes, 364 per 1,000 housing units.
Rules in Port AransasMarble Falls, TX
Permit required
179 seasonal homes, 51 per 1,000 housing units.
Rules in Marble FallsPort Isabel, TX
Registration required
316 seasonal homes, 119 per 1,000 housing units.
Rules in Port IsabelGalveston, TX
Registration required
5,711 seasonal homes, 160 per 1,000 housing units.
Rules in GalvestonFAQ
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
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.
Rental arbitrage calculator
Rent, deposit, furnishing, nightly rate and occupancy. You get monthly cash flow, the occupancy you break even at, and how long the setup takes to pay back.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.