Short-term rental rules · San Antonio, Texas
Short-term rentals in San Antonio, explained properly.
San Antonio allows short-term rentals with a city permit in two types: Type 1 for owner-occupied homes and Type 2 for non-owner-occupied rentals. Type 2 permits are capped at 12.5% of homes on a block face (always at least one), and small multifamily buildings of fewer than eight units may have only one. The 2024 ordinance raised fees ($300 Type 1, $450 Type 2, both for three years), added administrative enforcement and permit revocations of up to three years, and requires platforms to remove listings without a valid permit number. Guests pay about 16.75% in combined hotel occupancy taxes.
Draft. These rules were compiled from the sources listed below — official where available, with fields that rely on secondary sources marked for review — and have not yet been checked line by line. Confirm with the city before making decisions.
At a glance
What you need to know before you buy or list
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Type 1 (owner-occupied) and Type 2 (non-owner-occupied) permits | Type 1 permits are for hosts who live full-time in the property; Type 2 permits are for rentals where the host does not live on site. Both renew every three years[1]Confirming |
| Type 2 capped at 12.5% per block face | No more than 12.5% of homes on a block face may hold a Type 2 permit, rounding down, with at least one always allowed; multifamily buildings with fewer than eight units may have only one Type 2 rental. Owners can seek an exception from the Board of Adjustment ($400 with a homestead exemption, $600 without)[1][2]Confirming |
| $300 Type 1, $450 Type 2 | The 2024 fee increase set Type 1 permits at $300 (up from $100) and Type 2 permits at $450[1]Confirming |
| Administrative enforcement and revocations up to three years | The 2024 changes added civil enforcement through administrative hearing officers, mandatory meetings for operators with many violations, permit revocations of up to three years, and a requirement that platforms remove listings without a valid permit number. A secondary source reports fines of $200 to $500 per occurrence, each day a separate offense[1][2]Confirming |
| Occupancy set by the property maintenance code | There is no fixed guest cap; occupancy follows the San Antonio Property Maintenance Code, and sleeping areas that don't meet safety standards can't be counted[2]Confirming |
| About 16.75% hotel occupancy tax | A secondary source lists 7% city HOT, 2% city convention center HOT, 1.75% Bexar County HOT and 6% Texas state HOT (16.75% combined). Airbnb and Vrbo are now required to collect city HOT[2]Confirming |
| Last researched | September 25, 2026 |
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Watch the city's Development Services STR page (blocked to automated fetching in this pass) and the current STR ordinance PDF on docsonline.sanantonio.gov. Confirm the 2024 ordinance date and fee effective date directly.
Sources
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This page is general information compiled from public sources, not legal or tax advice. HOA rules, deed restrictions and zoning for a specific property can be stricter. Confirm with the local permitting office and a qualified professional before buying or listing a property.