Guide · Cost to run
What it costs to run a San Antonio short-term rental.
San Antonio prices a permit by whether you live there: $450 for owner-occupied, $1,000 if not, each good for three years. The bigger costs are the 16.75% hotel tax and the density limit on investor rentals.
The short answer
Four numbers to know
| Permit | $450 Type 1, $1,000 Type 2 Type 1 is owner- or operator-occupied; Type 2 is not. An 8% surcharge applies to application fees, and the fee is non-refundable. |
|---|---|
| Hotel tax | 16.75% of the stay 6% state, 9% City of San Antonio and 1.75% Bexar County. File monthly, even with no taxable stays. |
| Density limit | 12.5% of homes per block face Applies to Type 2 permits. Past the limit you need a special exception from the Board of Adjustment. |
| Fines | $200 to $500 per day Each day is a separate offense, and three citations in three years revoke the permit with a 12-month wait to reapply. |
Fixed cost
What the permit costs
The columns show how many booked nights, at an example nightly rate before tax, cover each permit (examples, not forecasts).
| Item | Amount | Nights at $150 | Nights at $250 | Nights at $400 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 permit (3 years) | $450 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 1.1 |
| Type 1 with 8% surcharge | $486 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| Type 2 permit (3 years) | $1,000 | 6.7 | 4.0 | 2.5 |
| Type 2 with 8% surcharge | $1,080 | 7.2 | 4.3 | 2.7 |
Source: City of San Antonio Development Services STR permits page, read October 7, 2026. The page does not state an effective date for these fees. Spread over the three-year term, the surcharged permits work out to about $162 a year (Type 1) and $360 a year (Type 2). Not included: floor and parking plan preparation, insurance and the 24/7 operator.
Guest-paid, but it shapes your price
The tax stack on a stay
An illustration: 3 nights at $300 is a $900 rental price. At the combined rate, tax comes to about $150.75.
| Tax | Rate | On the $900 example |
|---|---|---|
| State of Texas hotel occupancy tax | 6.0% | $54.00 |
| City of San Antonio (7% general + 2% convention center) | 9.0% | $81.00 |
| Bexar County | 1.75% | $15.75 |
| Total | 16.75% | $150.75 |
This is a simplified illustration on the base rental price. Since March 10, 2025, Airbnb and Vrbo remit the state and city tax for their hosts, but operators still file monthly city reports and pay Bexar County tax through the city portal. Operators on other platforms report and pay everything themselves.
The real constraint
Whether you can get a permit
| Zoning | Any residential district except C-3, L, I-1, I-2 A separate permit is needed for each unit, and permits cannot be transferred to a new owner. |
|---|---|
| Type 2 density | 12.5% per block face Once reached, a special exception costs $460 with a homestead exemption or $690 without, plus the 8% surcharge. |
| Application | Issued within five business days You need a floor and parking plan, proof of ownership and a 24/7 designated operator. |
Full sourced rules, with evidence for each line, are on the San Antonio market page. For another Texas market, see the Austin cost guide or the Houston cost guide.
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