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Texas · El Paso

El Paso

city Allowed Needs review · last verified 2026-07-11

As of 2026-07-11, the City of El Paso has NO adopted short-term-rental registration, licensing, or permit ordinance. STRs operate under the same generally-applicable/nuisance ordinances as any dwelling; the only mandatory registration is for hotel occupancy tax (HOT). A dedicated STR ordinance (formally defining STRs in city code plus operating requirements) is in the proposal/public-feedback stage and has not been enacted. Combined lodging tax on El Paso stays is 17.5%: 6% Texas state HOT (Tax Code ch. 156), 9% City of El Paso HOT, and 2.5% El Paso County HOT (all three confirmed on the El Paso County Hotel/Motel Tax page). On 2026-06-09 the City Council approved extending HOT collection to short-term rentals (previously uncollected), estimated to raise ~$3.5M/yr; implementation begins no earlier than 90 and no later than 180 days after approval (roughly Sept–Dec 2026), during which STR operators will register and remit HOT. There is no statewide Texas STR preemption law in effect, so local rules govern.

Not legal advice. Last verified 2026-07-11 · sources linked below.

Requirements checklist

  • city Short-Term Rental Registration / Permit Not required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: STR operators within El Paso city limits · official page ↗
  • state Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Permit Required
    Fee: $0 / one-time · Renewal: Ongoing; periodic returns filed with the Comptroller · Applies to: Anyone renting a room/space costing $15 or more per day for stays under 30 consecutive days · official page ↗
  • city City of El Paso Hotel Occupancy Tax registration/remittance Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: Periodic remittance to the City of El Paso · Applies to: STR operators collecting on directly-booked stays within city limits (extension to STRs approved 2026-06-09, implementation 90-180 days after) · official page ↗

Taxes

TaxRateAdministered byAirbnb remitsVrbo remits
Texas State Hotel Occupancy Tax 6% Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts — —
City of El Paso Hotel Occupancy Tax 9% City of El Paso — —
El Paso County Hotel Occupancy Tax 2.5% El Paso County — —

Lodging-tax estimator

Estimate the combined transient/lodging tax (~17.5%) on a stay in El Paso. Estimate only — not tax advice.

Operating rules

Primary residence
No
Min stay (nights)
—
Max nights / year
—
Max occupancy
—
Zoning-restricted
No
Cap on licenses
—

Zoning: No STR-specific zoning overlay or use restriction has been adopted. A proposed land-development-code amendment would formally define/allow short-term rentals and add basic operating requirements, but it remains in the proposal/public-feedback stage and is not yet enacted.

  • No adopted STR ordinance as of 2026-07-11; STRs are legal and largely unregulated at the city level aside from HOT and generally-applicable nuisance ordinances.
  • Texas has no statewide STR preemption law in effect; cities regulate locally.
  • A dedicated STR ordinance with operating requirements is in the proposal/feedback stage; the specific date of the next public workshop could not be confirmed from an official source and has been left out.

Enforcement

Active enforcement
no
Fines
—
Notes
There is no STR permit/registration regime to enforce; STRs are subject only to generally-applicable nuisance and code ordinances. Enforcement/compliance activity centers on hotel occupancy tax collection, which the City Council voted on 2026-06-09 to extend to short-term rentals, with implementation phasing in 90-180 days after approval.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in El Paso?
As of 2026-07-11, the City of El Paso has NO adopted short-term-rental registration, licensing, or permit ordinance. STRs operate under the same generally-applicable/nuisance ordinances as any dwelling; the only mandatory registration is for hotel occupancy tax (HOT). A dedicated STR ordinance (formally defining STRs in city code plus operating requirements) is in the proposal/public-feedback stage and has not been enacted. Combined lodging tax on El Paso stays is 17.5%: 6% Texas state HOT (Tax Code ch. 156), 9% City of El Paso HOT, and 2.5% El Paso County HOT (all three confirmed on the El Paso County Hotel/Motel Tax page). On 2026-06-09 the City Council approved extending HOT collection to short-term rentals (previously uncollected), estimated to raise ~$3.5M/yr; implementation begins no earlier than 90 and no later than 180 days after approval (roughly Sept–Dec 2026), during which STR operators will register and remit HOT. There is no statewide Texas STR preemption law in effect, so local rules govern.
Do I need a license or registration for a short-term rental in El Paso?
Yes — El Paso requires: Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Permit; City of El Paso Hotel Occupancy Tax registration/remittance. See the requirements checklist for fees, renewal, and official links.
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in El Paso?
Texas State Hotel Occupancy Tax (6%), City of El Paso Hotel Occupancy Tax (9%), El Paso County Hotel Occupancy Tax (2.5%) — roughly 17.5% combined. Use the lodging-tax estimator on this page for a specific stay.

Official sources

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Informational summary of publicly available sources; not legal advice. Verify against the linked official sources.