Houston

Operating rules

Primary residence

No

Min stay (nights)

1

Max nights / year

—

Max occupancy

No numeric citywide occupancy cap. The official ARA FAQ (Q14) states plainly: 'There are no maximum occupancy limits.' Every public listing/advertisement must still state the maximum permitted occupancy limits (Sec. 28-741).

Zoning-restricted

No

Cap on licenses

—

Grandfathering: An owner who applied for a certificate of registration on or prior to the effective date (January 1, 2026) may continue such use while the application is pending or until it is denied or revoked (Ordinance Sec. 7(b)). Per Ordinance Sec. 7(a) and the ARA FAQ, ARA began accepting applications August 1, 2025.

Zoning: Houston has no conventional zoning; the STR framework is registration-based rather than zoning-based, and STRs are not confined to particular districts. Owners must declare that STR use does not violate applicable deed restrictions, HOA/condominium rules, bylaws, or minimum-occupancy-duration requirements.

• Minimum individual stay: no owner/operator shall allow rental of an STR for a period of less than one night.
• Advertising or promoting an STR as an event space (parties/banquets/receptions, etc.) is prohibited; the ban targets advertising STRs as event spaces, not ordinary family/personal use.
• Certificate is non-transferable; a change of ownership requires the purchaser/transferee/lessee to apply for a new certificate.
• A copy of the approved certificate must be posted at a conspicuous location inside the front entrance, along with a 24-hour emergency contact.
• Owner/operator must complete annual human-trafficking identification/reporting training and provide a 24-hour emergency contact who can respond within one hour of notice.
• STR insurance is NOT required (ARA FAQ Q17).

Enforcement

Active enforcement

yes

Fines

Any person who violates any provision of Article XXIII commits an offense and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00 for each violation, with each day a violation continues constituting a separate offense.

Notes

Enforcement mechanisms took effect January 1, 2026. The city may notify platforms (Sec. 28-734) to delist any STR listing lacking a valid certificate; platforms must remove the listing within 10 business days of the city's notice. Certificates may be denied or revoked for false/incomplete information, failure to show HOT registration/remittance, or a certificate revoked within the prior 12 months (which can also bar reapplication). Remedies are cumulative.