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- or operator-occupied properties and Type 2 for non-owner-occupied rentals. STRs are not allowed in the C-3, L, I-1 and I-2 zoning districts. Type 2 permits are capped at 12.5% of homes on a block face (rounded down), multifamily buildings of five to seven units may have only one, and buildings of eight or more units are capped at 12.5% of units. The city's permit page now lists three-year permit fees of $450 (Type 1) and $1,000 (Type 2) plus an 8% surcharge, up from the $300 and $450 set in June 2024. Permits are revoked after three citations in three years, and platforms must remove listings without a valid permit number. Guests pay 16.75% in combined hotel occupancy taxes (6% state, 9% city, 1.75% Bexar County).
At a glance
What you need to know before you buy or list
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Type 1 (owner- or operator-occupied) and Type 2 (non-owner-occupied) permits | Type 1 permits are for properties that are owner- or operator-occupied; Type 2 permits are for rentals that are not. In a multifamily building, one non-owner-occupied unit on the same parcel as an owner-occupied unit under common ownership counts as Type 1. STRs are not allowed in the C-3, L, I-1 and I-2 zoning districts. Permits last three years, are not transferable to a new owner, and the permit type cannot be changed at renewal [1] [2] [3] |
| 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 (a secondary source says at least one is always allowed); multifamily buildings of five to seven units may have only one Type 2 rental, and buildings of eight or more units are capped at 12.5% of units. A lot is counted on the one block face it is addressed on (corner lots can't use two). Once the limit is reached, owners need a special exception from the Board of Adjustment ($460 with a homestead exemption, $690 without, plus an 8% surcharge) [4] [1] [2] [5]Confirming |
| $450 Type 1, $1,000 Type 2 (plus 8% surcharge) | The city's STR permit page now lists $450 for a Type 1 permit and $1,000 for a Type 2 permit, each covering three years and charged again at renewal, plus an 8% surcharge on all application fees. These replace the $300 (Type 1) and $450 (Type 2) fees set by the June 2024 ordinance. A secondary source ties the increase to the FY 2027 budget adopted September 17, 2026; the city page does not state an effective date [2] [6] [7] |
| Fines of $200 to $500 a day; revocation after three citations | Violations carry fines of $200 to $500 per occurrence, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense. A permit is revoked after three or more confirmed citations on three separate occasions within a rolling three-year period, and the owner or operator can't reapply for that property for 12 months. The 2024 changes added enforcement through an administrative hearing officer or district court injunction, mandatory compliance meetings with the Development Services director for properties with excessive complaints, and a requirement that platforms remove listings without a valid permit number within ten business days [1] [6] [3] |
| 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 [1] [5] |
| 16.75% hotel occupancy tax | Guests pay 6% Texas state HOT, 9% City of San Antonio HOT (a secondary source splits this into 7% general and 2% convention center) and 1.75% Bexar County HOT, 16.75% combined. Since March 10, 2025, Airbnb and Vrbo remit state and city HOT for their hosts, but operators must still file monthly city HOT reports and pay Bexar County HOT themselves through the city's portal; operators on other platforms report and pay city and county HOT monthly, even with zero revenue [8] [9] [10] [5] |
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We checked the city's STR pages on sa.gov (permits, DSD overview, Finance HOT page), Ordinance 2024-06-13-0433 and its amendment FAQ, the Texas Comptroller HOT FAQ, and news on the FY 2027 budget. The permit page now shows higher fees; confirm their effective date (likely October 1, 2026 with the FY 2027 budget) against the adopted budget or the DSD fee schedule, and watch the proposed phased Development Services fee increase. The old sanantonio.gov DSD STR page and fee schedule block automated fetching.
The city's STR permit page now lists $450 for Type 1 and $1,000 for Type 2 three-year permits, plus an 8% surcharge, up from $300 and $450, and raises Board of Adjustment special exception fees to $460 / $690. A secondary source ties the change to the FY 2027 budget adopted September 17, 2026; the budget takes effect October 1, 2026. Exact fee effective date not yet confirmed on an official source.
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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.