Cameron County

Operating rules

Primary residence

No

Min stay (nights)

—

Max nights / year

—

Max occupancy

—

Zoning-restricted

No

Cap on licenses

—

Zoning: Texas counties generally lack authority to zone unincorporated land, so Cameron County imposes no county-wide STR zoning or land-use restriction. Land-use limits on STRs exist only inside incorporated cities under their own ordinances (e.g., South Padre Island, Brownsville).

• No county-wide STR permit, license, occupancy cap, or minimum-stay ordinance was found for unincorporated Cameron County.
• The only county obligation identified is Hotel Occupancy Tax registration and monthly remittance via the Localgov portal.
• Inside city limits, the applicable city's STR ordinance controls: South Padre Island (Ord. 15-03, updated by 17-09; $50 registration fee waived for owners already paying HOT) and Brownsville (STR ordinance adopted November 12, 2024; permit, liability insurance, and life-safety equipment required) both require STR registration and HOT remittance.
• Stays of more than 30 consecutive days are not subject to HOT and are treated as long-term rentals.

Enforcement

Active enforcement

yes

Fines

Late HOT filers face a 5% penalty on unpaid taxes for filings delayed beyond 30 days, plus 10% annual interest on delinquent taxes.

Notes

Enforcement at the county level is via the Hotel Occupancy Tax collection program (Localgov portal). STR-specific code enforcement (permits, occupancy, nuisance) occurs at the city level within incorporated areas (e.g., South Padre Island, Brownsville).