Where short-term rentals are allowed in Fredericksburg, TX
Fredericksburg, in the Hill Country, ties the right to rent short term to your zoning district before any permit is issued. No limit on nights appears in what the city publishes.[3]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified September 20, 2026.
Can you rent short term in Fredericksburg?
Your zoning decides
What you apply for: Short-Term Rental permit
- Seasonal homes
- 751
- Housing units
- 6,525
- Residents
- 11,419
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City ruleAllowed by zone
- City feeNone published
- Tax on each staySet locally
- Seasonal homes115 per 1,000
Fredericksburg TX short-term rental permit
Fredericksburg requires a permit to operate a short-term rental inside the city limits, under Chapter 23, Article V of the city code. It requires nothing at all in its extra-territorial jurisdiction, where short-term rentals need no permit to operate. Inside the city the answer is zoning-led. C1 Neighborhood Commercial, C1.5 Commercial, C2 Commercial and the Central Business District allow all short-term rental uses by right. The condominium variant is the exception, needing a conditional use permit instead. A facility or complex holding several short-term rental units on a single commercial property is developed under the multifamily regulations of its base zoning district. Inspections are not a formality in Fredericksburg. One is required before a new permit is issued and when the permit transfers to another owner. Others follow on complaint, after additions or modifications, and every year at renewal.[3]
What Fredericksburg asks of you
City Ordinance Chapter 23, Article V requires a permit to operate a short-term rental inside the Fredericksburg city limits.[3]
Short-term rentals in the city's extra-territorial jurisdiction are not required to obtain a permit at all.[3]
The C1 Neighborhood Commercial, C1.5 Commercial, C2 Commercial and Central Business District zones allow all short-term rental uses by right, except the condominium form, which needs a conditional use permit.[3]
A complex of several short-term rental units on a single commercial property is developed under the multifamily regulations of its base zoning district.[3]
Inspections are required before a new permit is issued, when a permit transfers to another owner, on complaint, after additions or modifications, and annually at renewal.[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 Fredericksburg
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 |
| Fredericksburg hotel occupancy tax[4] | Not published | The city |
The city runs its own hotel occupancy tax alongside the state's, and publishes its filing rules separately from the permit pages. A property in the ETJ still owes the state tax even though it needs no city permit.[4]
What the census counts
How much of Fredericksburg is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 751 of Fredericksburg's 6,525 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 115 out of every 1,000. It ranks Fredericksburg 10th of the 23 Texas cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 10th of 23
- Share of housing
- 115 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $460,300
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where Fredericksburg sits among its neighbors
Austin, TX
Permit required
In every zoning district, as an accessory to residential use. Each rental needs its own city license.
Austin short-term rental rulesNew Braunfels, TX
Allowed by zone
1,008 seasonal homes, 23 per 1,000 housing units.
New Braunfels short-term rental rulesGranbury, TX
Allowed by zone
98 seasonal homes, 16 per 1,000 housing units.
Granbury short-term rental rulesBandera, TX
Certificate required
40 seasonal homes, 109 per 1,000 housing units.
Bandera short-term rental rulesFAQ
Fredericksburg short-term rental questions
Which Fredericksburg zones allow a short-term rental by right?
Do I need a permit in the Fredericksburg ETJ?
How often is a Fredericksburg short-term rental inspected?
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 Rental Permit, frequently asked questions, City of Fredericksburg, read on September 20, 2026
- Hotel Occupancy Taxes, City of Fredericksburg, 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 host fee calculator
What Airbnb's 15.5% single fee takes from a booking, and the nightly rate that keeps your payout after the split fee.
Airbnb cleaning checklist generator
Build a printable turnover checklist by room, with restock, photos to take and a place for the cleaner to sign. Free PDF, no sign-up.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.