Houston short-term rental laws (2026)
Since January 1, 2026, every short-term rental inside Houston city limits has needed its own certificate of registration, and with it a rental is legal anywhere in the city. There is no primary-residence rule, so an LLC can register, and so can a tenant whose lease allows short-term rental use. Each host completes human trafficking prevention training every year, and stays shorter than one night are not allowed. Fines run $100 to $500 per violation for every day it continues, and two noise convictions in 12 months can cost you the certificate.[1]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified September 14, 2026.
Is Airbnb legal in Houston?
Legal, with a city registration
Each rental inside city limits needs a certificate of registration. Operating or advertising without one is unlawful.
7 official sources · verified September 14, 2026
Photo: Alisa Matthews on Unsplash
- PermitRequired · $275 a year plus administrative fee
- Primary residenceNot required
- Number on listingRequired
- Night capNone published
Every Houston rule, sorted by what it asks
Filter by topic. Each line carries the number of its official source, listed at the bottom of the page.
You must
- Hold a certificate of registration for each rental or unit[3]
- Complete human trafficking training every year[1]
- As a tenant, show a lease or lessor letter that allows short-term rental use[4]
- Show the registration number and maximum occupancy on every listing[1]
- Apply to renew within the 90 days before the certificate expires[1]
- New owner or lessee: apply for a new certificate[1]
- Confirm the rental breaks no covenant, HOA rule, deed restriction or lease[1][4]
- Have an emergency contact who answers at all times and responds within 1 hour[1]
- Follow the city's noise, neighborhood protection, solid waste and fire codes[1]
- Report and pay the 7% Houston hotel tax quarterly to Houston First[6]
You must not
- Operate or advertise without a certificate of registration[1][5]
- Leave hotel taxes unpaid or give false information, grounds to revoke[1]
- Reapply for the same property within a year of most revocations[1]
- Rent for less than one night[1]
- Advertise for weddings, concerts, bachelor or bachelorette parties[1]
- Get two noise convictions in 12 months or two nuisance abatements[1]
Not required
- Primary residence[1]
- Being on site during stays[1]
- A yearly night cap[1]
- A cap on rentals in the city or per owner[3]
- A city occupancy limit[3]
- Short-term rental insurance or proof of it[3]
- Being an individual: corporations and LLCs can register[1]
- Collecting the 6% state tax when you rent only through a remitting platform[7]
How to apply in Houston
Official name: Short-term rental certificate of registration
- 1
Complete a human trafficking prevention course and keep the certificate of completion.[4]
- 2
If you list anywhere other than Airbnb, register with Houston First for hotel occupancy tax and keep proof.[4]
- 3
Gather your ID, the owner's authorization or your lease, an emergency contact and a link to every listing, because the portal cannot save a draft and times out after an hour.[2]
- 4
Submit the registration online and pay the $275 fee plus the administrative fee.[3]
- 5
Add the registration number and maximum occupancy to every listing, and post the certificate and emergency contacts inside the front entrance.[1]
Four jurisdictions, same questions
The Houston column comes from the official sources on this page. The other columns show the headline rule from each WonderGuest page. Open a page for the full detail.
| Question | Houston | Austin | San Antonio | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit | Required$275 a year plus administrative fee | Required$836.30 new, up to 2 years | Required$300 or $450, every 3 years | RequiredState license, $170 a year |
| Primary residence | Not required | Not required | Varies | Not required |
| Night cap | None published | None published | None published | None published by the state |
| Number on listing | Required | Required | Required | Not required |
| Where allowed | Inside city limits, within HOA rules | Every zoning district | Not in C-3, L, I-1 or I-2 districts | No local bans after June 1, 2011 |
| Occupancy tax | 7% city hotel tax, paid quarterly | 11% city tax, platforms collect | 6% state hotel tax | 6% state tax, Airbnb collects |
| Fine without permit | $100 to $500 per violation per day | Up to $500 per offense, per day | $100 to $500 per violation per day | Second-degree misdemeanor |
| Austin rules | San Antonio rules | Florida rules |
Coming up
What's changing
Effective January 1, 2027
The city begins notifying platforms to remove Houston listings that lack a certificate of registration.[2]
FAQ
Houston short-term rental questions
Is Airbnb legal in Houston, Texas?
How much does it cost to register a short-term rental in Houston?
When will platforms remove unregistered Houston listings?
Do I need to prove I pay hotel tax if I only list on Airbnb?
Sources
- Ordinance No. 2025-322 (chapter 28, article XXIII), City of Houston, read on September 14, 2026
- Business licensing: short-term rentals, City of Houston Administration and Regulatory Affairs, read on September 14, 2026
- Short-term rental regulations: answers to FAQs (April 25, 2025), City of Houston, read on September 14, 2026
- Policy ARA-RP-003, short-term rental registration, City of Houston Administration and Regulatory Affairs, read on September 14, 2026
- Short-term rental enforcement notice (January 1, 2027 delisting), City of Houston, read on September 14, 2026
- Hotel occupancy tax, Houston First Corporation, read on September 14, 2026
- Hotel occupancy tax FAQs, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, read on September 14, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on September 14, 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.