Galveston

Operating rules

Primary residence

No

Min stay (nights)

—

Max nights / year

—

Max occupancy

—

Zoning-restricted

Yes

Cap on licenses

—

Zoning: STRs are allowed across most of the island, but certain neighborhoods have adopted short-term-rental restrictions (deed restrictions / subdivision rules). The City publishes an interactive map of 'Neighborhoods with short-term rental restrictions' to identify where STRs are and are not permitted.

• No citywide cap on the number of STR registrations was found in official sources.
• The updated STR ordinance (Ordinance 25-060) was approved at the City Council's November 13, 2025 meeting and took effect immediately upon adoption. It was developed by a Council-appointed Short-Term Rental Ad Hoc Committee over 19 meetings (March-October 2025).
• The ordinance established a Short-Term Rental Licensing Board. Under a three-strike rule, three violations at a property within 12 months can lead the board to recommend license revocation; the recommendation goes to the city manager and then to City Council, which makes the final decision. A first revocation can last up to six months; repeat problems after a license is restored can lead to permanent revocation. Board composition was NOT confirmed from an official source (the draft's claim that the board is 'city staff chosen by the city manager' could not be verified and has been removed).
• Effective October 1, 2025 the City of Galveston assumed STR regulatory authority and HOT collection from the Galveston Park Board of Trustees.

Enforcement

Active enforcement

yes

Fines

Failure to comply with STR registration or HOT payment requirements is a Class C misdemeanor punishable upon conviction by a fine not to exceed $500 per offense, with each day a separate offense. Lapsed/invalid GVR numbers result in listing removal (platforms are notified). Under the November 2025 ordinance's three-strike rule, three violations at a property within 12 months can lead the Short-Term Rental Licensing Board to recommend license revocation (a first revocation up to six months; repeat problems after restoration can lead to permanent revocation); the recommendation goes to the city manager and then City Council, which makes the final decision.

Notes

The City actively enforces via listing-platform takedowns for lapsed registrations and adopted stricter enforcement (STR Licensing Board, three-strike rule) in Ordinance 25-060, approved November 13, 2025 and effective immediately. Specific board composition and the exact permanent-revocation trigger are drawn from news reporting; the full ordinance text (image PDF) was not machine-read.