BondPermit · Short-term rental check

Short-term rental rules — Austin, TX

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What we checked
  • Austin, TX's short-term-rental registration requirement
  • Austin, TX's lodging-tax requirement
  • Whether the published rules are still current
What we found
  • A licence is required — $836.30 new · $385.30 renewal
  • Lodging tax applies — City 11% + State 6%
  • !Rules here changed recently — see what changed below
  • !This city publishes a daily penalty for operating unregistered
Austin, TX · free check

Short-term rental rules (preview)

What you get free: the city's core registration + lodging tax to confirm. Full packet, fine exposure, and stage checklist are in the $49 report below.

Registration / license
Short-Term Rental (STR) Operating License under City Code Chapter 4-23.
Cost$836.30 new · $385.30 renewal
Issued byCity of Austin · Development Services Department — Code Compliance ([email protected] · 512-974-9144)
What changed — The old Type 1 / Type 2 / Type 3 framework NO LONGER EXISTS — old Code §§ 25-2-788 to 25-2-799 were repealed effective Oct 1 2025 (Ord. 20250227-039) and Chapter 4-23 defines no STR 'types'. 'Type 1/2/3' now survives only as a billing label on the fee schedule, with no legal effect. There is NO owner-occupancy requirement and NO citywide or census-tract cap. STRs are an accessory use permitted in ALL districts with a valid license; new § 25-2-904(B) states short-term rental use cannot be prohibited. Each STR needs its own license; licenses are not transferable.
Lodging / occupancy tax
Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) — City 11% + State 6%
RateCity HOT 11% (9% occupancy + 2% venue project) plus Texas state HOT 6%. Since Apr 1 2025 (Ord. 20250227-041) the PLATFORM collects and remits city HOT — but the operator must still file quarterly reports with the City, INCLUDING zero reports for quarters with no rentals (most-missed step). Limited Purpose Jurisdiction: license required, no local HOT. ETJ: neither.
Paid toCity of Austin Financial Services (HOT) + Texas Comptroller
Key deadline (confirm at source)
Delisting is live but throttled — removals are phased, starting with properties that generated nuisance complaints, and notices are paused for six months after the new licensing system launched (~Nov 2026). The City has used Deckard Technologies listing-matching since Jan 7 2026.
Penalty band exists in city code
up to $500 per day (each day a separate offense, strict liability) · Full statute cite + what gaps trigger it → in the $49 report
🔒 In the $49 report (not free)
  • 4 operator exposure gaps (what missing can fine / delist you)
  • Full city application packet (5 items + official guide PDFs)
  • 5 official document & portal links (ordinance, how-to, HOT guide…)
  • Stage-specific action sequence (existing operator vs new owner)
  • Cited money & enforcement snapshot (fee + penalty statute + contacts)
Austin, TX · paid upgrade

Full STR compliance report — $49

Free above = core registration + tax for Austin, TX. Paid unlocks the full cited packet: penalty statute, what missing can fine or delist you (existing hosts), or the complete first-list checklist (new owners), city application items, official document links, and action sequence. Research only — not legal advice. Usually ready in minutes after payment; we guarantee delivery within 48 hours.

Which describes you?
Austin's enforcement clock is running. Code DEADLINE is applied below — $29 instead of $49, through Sept 30, because that's when the useful filing window closes. One report, your address, cited to the city's own record.
Austin, TX · stay current

Watch Austin, TX for rule changes — $9.99/mo

We re-check Austin, TX's official short-term-rental license & tax pages and email you the moment they change — a heads-up to re-check, never a legal verdict. Cancel anytime.

BondPermit by AurumFlux AI · informational only, not legal advice · bondpermit.com