Notice: We're moving some of the information on this page to a new location. Beginning Dec 13th, 2023, you'll access it from Austintexas.gov/FSD.

HOTEL/STR | INFORMATION | OPERATING LICENSING

To Apply For A License
  1. Application
    • Click this link to find the short-term rental license application for your type. 
  2. $863.80 (non-refundable) Fee 
    • Cash, Check or Money Order Payable to the City of Austin. The application fee is non-refundable. 
    • (includes $817.00 Application Fee, $45.00 Notification Fee, and $1.80 DSD Technology Fee)
  3. Proof of Property Insurance
    • Declarations, Information or Summary Pages from your Policy
  4. Proof of Payment of City of Austin Hotel Occupancy Taxes (if applicable; IF you have been using your property as a Short Term Rental then proof of hotel occupancy taxes is required)
    • Copy of cancelled check, AND
    • Copy of the Most Recent Quarter Tax Report submitted to the City Controller’s Office, OR
    • If you have not had any renters in this quarter, a copy of the zero report filed
  5. Certificate of Occupancy OR Certified Inspection
    • To obtain your Certificate of Occupancy please call the Development Services Department at 978-4000, or contact by e-mail at DSDHelp@austintexas.gov. If one is not available for your property we ask for a third party STR inspection.  Here is a link to inspectors in your area.
Mail to: City of Austin – Austin Code Department,   Attn: Finance – STR, PO Box 1088, Austin, TX 78767. OR you may visit our office at 5202 East Ben White Blvd Unit 5, Ste 550, Austin, TX  78741 between 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
To Renew A License
$490.00 (non-refundable) Fee
  • Cash, Check or Money Order Payable to the City of Austin. The application fee is non-refundable.

Proof of Current Property Insurance
  • Declarations, Information or Summary Pages from your Policy

Proof of Payment of City of Austin Hotel Occupancy Taxes
  • Copy of cancelled check, AND
  • Copy of the Most Recent Quarter Tax report submitted to the City Controller’s Office, OR
  • If you have not had any renters in this quarter, a copy of the zero report filed

The license must be renewed before it expires. If the owner and/or street address of the STR have changed, you MUST submit a new application with signatures from all owners and the owner’s agent, if applicable.  If other application information has changed, the information must be sent in a letter signed by the owner, without having to submit a new application.

To renew the Operating License of your Short Term Rental (STR), the required documents and licensing fee can be mailed or brought in to our office. Mail to: City of Austin – Austin Code Department,   Attn: Finance – STR, PO Box 1088, Austin, TX 78767. OR you may visit our office at  5202 East Ben White Blvd Unit 5, Ste 550, Austin, TX  78741 between 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 
Operating License Types
NON_STR
Bed and Breakfast The use of an owner-occupied single-family residential structure to provide limited meal service and rooms for temporary lodging for overnight guests in return for compensation.
Boarding House Commercial A building, other than a hotel, where lodging and meals are provided for more than six (6) unrelated persons in return for compensation.
Boarding House Residential A building, other than a hotel, where lodging and meals are provided for more than siz (6) unrelated persons in return for compensation.
Hotel A building or a part of a building, in which there are guest rooms, rooming units or apartments which may be rented on a daily basis and are used primarily for transient occupancy and for which desk service is provided. In addition, one or more of the following services may be provided: maid, telephone, bellboy, or furnishing of linen.
Motel A building or a part of a building, in which there are guest rooms, rooming units or apartments which may be rented on a daily basis and are used primarily for transient occupancy and for which desk service is provided. In addition, one or more of the following services may be provided: maid, telephone, bellboy, or furnishing of linen.
Rooming House Commercial A building, other than a hotel, where lodging for more than six (6) unrelated persons is provided without meals in return for compensation.
Rooming House Residential A building, other than a hotel, where lodging for more than six (6) unrelated persons is provided without meals in return for compensation.
STR
Short Term Rental Type 1 (Owner-Occupied) Short-term rental primary structures are:
(1) rented for periods of less than 30 consecutive days,
(2) not part of a multifamily use,
(3) an entire dwelling unit, and
(4) recorded with Travis County Appraisal District (TCAD) as a homestead.
Short Term Rental Type 1-A (Owner-Occupied) Short-term rental partial units:
(1) must include the exclusive use of a sleeping room and shared use of a full bathroom,
(2) the owner is generally present at the licensed short-term rental property for the duration of any short-term rental of a partial unit,
(3) not more than one partial unit at the property is simultaneously rented for any period less than 30 consecutive days, and
(4) limited to a single party of individuals, and
(5) recorded with Travis County Appraisal District (TCAD) as a homestead.
Short Term Rental Type 1-Secondary (Owner-Occupied) Short-term rental secondary structures are:
(1) rented for periods of less than 30 consecutive days,
(2) not part of a multifamily use,
(3) associated with an owner-occupied principal residential unit,
(4) an entire dwelling unit, and
(5) recorded with Travis County Appraisal District (TCAD) as a homestead.
Short Term Rental Type 2 

(Non Owner-Occupied) Short-term rental structures:
(1) may not be located on a lot that is within 1000 feet of a lot on which another short-term rental (Type 2) use is located and
(2) are a permitted use in the following base districts:

  • Central Business District (CBD);
  • Downtown Mixed Use (DMU);
  • Planned Unit Development (PUD);
  • General-Retail Mixed Use (GR-MU);
  • Commercial Services Mixed Use (CS-MU);
  • Commercial Services Vertical Mixed Use (CS-V); and
  • General Retail Vertical Mixed Use (GR-V).
Short Term Rental Type 3 Short-term rental multifamily use structures are:
(1) rented for periods of less than 30 consecutive days,
(2) part of a multifamily residential use, and
(3) an entire dwellling unit.