RuleGrid

Texas · Travis County

Travis County

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

Texas has no statewide STR license or registration, and Texas counties generally lack authority to zone or license land use in unincorporated areas, so Travis County imposes no county-level STR permit, license, or zoning restriction on short-term rentals in its unincorporated areas. STRs located inside incorporated cities (Austin, Lakeway, West Lake Hills, Bee Cave, Rollingwood, Pflugerville, etc.) are governed by each city's own STR ordinance, not the county — e.g., the City of Austin runs a paid annual/biennial STR licensing program. On lodging tax: the 6% Texas state Hotel Occupancy Tax (Tex. Tax Code ch. 156) applies to all rooms costing $15+ per day rented for under 30 consecutive days countywide. A 2% county HOT was voter-approved in November 2019 (Proposition A) to fund the Travis County Exposition Center, but the county states this local HOT capacity is currently fully utilized by the City of Austin so no funds are available for County use — meaning the county 2% is authorized but its effective collection/allocation for the county is not confirmed. No statewide Texas STR preemption law is in effect, so local city rules remain the controlling STR authority.

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

Requirements checklist

  • county County short-term rental permit/license Not required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Unincorporated Travis County · official page ↗
  • state Texas Comptroller Hotel Occupancy Tax registration Required
    Fee: $0 / one-time · Renewal: — · Applies to: Any person collecting payment for a room/space (including STRs) costing $15 or more per day rented for under 30 consecutive days · official page ↗

Taxes

TaxRateAdministered byAirbnb remitsVrbo remits
Texas State Hotel Occupancy Tax 6% Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts — —
Travis County Hotel Occupancy Tax (Exposition Center) — Travis County — —

Lodging-tax estimator

Estimate the combined transient/lodging tax (~6.0%) on a stay in Travis County. 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: Texas counties generally cannot zone unincorporated land, so Travis County imposes no zoning-based STR restriction in unincorporated areas; STR land-use rules exist only inside incorporated cities.

  • This record covers unincorporated Travis County only. STRs inside city limits (e.g., Austin, Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Pflugerville) are governed by that city's ordinance, which may require licensing, zoning compliance, occupancy caps, or (in Austin) a paid Short-Term Rental license.
  • Owners must still comply with generally applicable county rules (noise, septic/OSSF, life-safety) and any private HOA/deed restrictions. County OSSF/life-safety specifics were not individually verified for this record.
  • No statewide Texas STR preemption law is in effect as of 2026-07-11; local city ordinances remain the controlling authority.

Enforcement

Active enforcement
no
Fines
—
Notes
Travis County has no county-level STR permit program in unincorporated areas, so there is no county STR-specific enforcement or penalty scheme to cite. STR enforcement in the region is conducted by individual cities (e.g., the City of Austin, via 3-1-1/Code Connect) under their own ordinances. State HOT non-remittance is enforced by the Texas Comptroller.

Get change alerts for Travis County

RuleGrid checks Travis County every night. Add your email and we'll alert you the moment a rule changes — free, one email per change, unsubscribe anytime.

By subscribing, you agree to receive RuleGrid change alerts. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy.

Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in Travis County?
Texas has no statewide STR license or registration, and Texas counties generally lack authority to zone or license land use in unincorporated areas, so Travis County imposes no county-level STR permit, license, or zoning restriction on short-term rentals in its unincorporated areas. STRs located inside incorporated cities (Austin, Lakeway, West Lake Hills, Bee Cave, Rollingwood, Pflugerville, etc.) are governed by each city's own STR ordinance, not the county — e.g., the City of Austin runs a paid annual/biennial STR licensing program. On lodging tax: the 6% Texas state Hotel Occupancy Tax (Tex. Tax Code ch. 156) applies to all rooms costing $15+ per day rented for under 30 consecutive days countywide. A 2% county HOT was voter-approved in November 2019 (Proposition A) to fund the Travis County Exposition Center, but the county states this local HOT capacity is currently fully utilized by the City of Austin so no funds are available for County use — meaning the county 2% is authorized but its effective collection/allocation for the county is not confirmed. No statewide Texas STR preemption law is in effect, so local city rules remain the controlling STR authority.
Do I need a license or registration for a short-term rental in Travis County?
Yes — Travis County requires: Texas Comptroller Hotel Occupancy Tax registration. See the requirements checklist for fees, renewal, and official links.
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Travis County?
Texas State Hotel Occupancy Tax (6%), Travis County Hotel Occupancy Tax (Exposition Center) — roughly 6.0% combined. Use the lodging-tax estimator on this page for a specific stay.

Official sources

Related coverage

In Texas

Cities in this county Austin

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