What are the short-term rental rules and taxes in Galveston, Texas?

Galveston regulates short-term rentals through the city, and hotel occupancy tax (HOT) comes from two levels, the State of Texas and the City of Galveston. If you've hosted on the island for a while, the biggest recent changes are who you deal with and the November 2025 ordinance. This page covers what the city, the Texas Comptroller and the platforms say, for stays under 30 days.

Checked on Nov 4, 2026. This is not legal or tax advice; confirm with the city's STR office or a CPA.

Do you need a permit or registration

Yes. The city's STR FAQ handout (opens in a new tab) says every short-term rental needs a GVR number, each rentable unit needs its own, and the number must be on every listing.

Who you register with now. The city's ordinances page (opens in a new tab) says City Council moved STR registration and HOT collection to the City of Galveston, effective Oct 1, 2025. The Park Board handled both before that. Airbnb's Galveston page (opens in a new tab) still tells hosts to register and pay the Park Board, so follow the city's pages.

How to register. The city's registration page (opens in a new tab) says to apply online through the city's STR portal (opens in a new tab) or in person. Have ready:

• Property address or GCAD number
• Number of bedrooms and sleeping capacity
• A 24-hour contact who lives within one hour of the rental
• A bank account or card for payment

Your GVR number is assigned once you pay.

Fees and deadlines. Ordinance 25-060 (opens in a new tab), adopted Nov 13, 2025, sets:

• $250 per unit per year, for a January to December license year
• Payment due by Dec 31 for the coming year. The registration page says renewals open Dec 1.
• A $500 late fee if you miss Dec 31, unless you bought the home after the deadline
• Immediate suspension if you operate without paying. You can't advertise or rent while suspended.
• The fee is non-refundable and not prorated

If a registration lapses, the city sends your GVR number and address to the platforms and the listing comes down. A new owner needs a new registration and a new GVR number.

Occupancy and sales taxes

State. The Texas Comptroller (opens in a new tab) sets the state HOT at 6% of the cost of a room, on rooms rented for $15 or more a day. It applies to houses, condos and rooms that homeowners rent.

City. The city's STR HOT summary (opens in a new tab) says visitors in hotels and short-term rentals pay 9% HOT to the City of Galveston. A 2020 city auditor summary (opens in a new tab) gives the same 9%.

The city's FAQ says a correct reservation receipt shows two tax lines, one for the state and one for Galveston. None of the official pages we read list a Galveston County hotel tax for homes inside city limits. If your home is outside city limits, these city rules don't apply; ask Galveston County.

What Airbnb and Vrbo collect for you there

Airbnb. Airbnb's Texas tax article (opens in a new tab) lists:

• Texas State Hotel Occupancy Tax at 6% of the listing price including cleaning fees, for 29 nights and shorter
• Galveston Hotel Occupancy Tax at 9% of the listing price including cleaning fees, for 30 nights and shorter

The Comptroller's Airbnb FAQ (opens in a new tab) says Airbnb has collected state HOT for all Texas hosts since May 1, 2017.

Vrbo. Vrbo's US tax list (states N to Z) (opens in a new tab) shows it collects:

• Texas state HOT for stays under 30 nights, since Apr 1, 2019
• City of Galveston HOT for stays under 30 nights, since Aug 1, 2021

It lists no rates. The city's FAQ adds that Vrbo doesn't collect for integrated property managers that use their own payment processing.

Ordinance 25-060 on platforms. Platforms that collect state HOT must also collect city HOT and require the registration number on listings. The owner stays responsible for the tax either way.

What stays your job:

• City reports. File a HOT report for every period, even when platforms paid it all. The city says platforms remit in one lump sum, so nothing posts to your account unless you report.
• Direct bookings. Collect and remit both the 6% state and 9% city tax yourself.
• State account. The Comptroller's Airbnb FAQ (opens in a new tab) and HomeAway FAQ (opens in a new tab) say hosts who offer all their rentals through Airbnb, or all through HomeAway, may close their state HOT account. Neither covers a mix of platforms, so confirm with the Comptroller. If you keep it open, file zero reports or face a $50 non-filer penalty.

Filing and registering for what you file yourself

City HOT. From the city's online reporting page (opens in a new tab) and FAQ:

• File online through the city's reporting system, which takes card or ACH, or pay by check to "City of Galveston."
• Monthly reports are due the 20th of the following month.
• Properties with no more than $500 a month or $1,500 a quarter in tax may file quarterly, due Apr 20, Jul 20, Oct 20 and Jan 20. Above $1,500 in a quarter, you file monthly.
• Report Airbnb and Vrbo bookings and file zero reports.
• Penalties and interest apply after the due date. The page doesn't list amounts; ask the city at 409-797-3500.

Ordinance 25-060 also requires a monthly HOT collection report, even for months with no rentals. The reporting page still allows quarterly filing for small accounts, so confirm your frequency with the STR office at 409-797-5195.

State HOT. For direct bookings, the Comptroller (opens in a new tab) says returns are due the 20th of the month after each month, or after each quarter if you qualify for quarterly filing.

Other local rules

From Ordinance 25-060 unless noted.

Local contact. Reachable 24/7. Respond in person or by phone within one hour of a complaint. Not responding within an hour is a violation, and so is not resolving the complaint within two hours of contact. The FAQ and registration page add that the contact must live within one hour of the rental.

Occupancy. The ordinance sets no number, but you must post the maximum occupancy, and the registration asks for sleeping capacity.

Parking. On-street parking must follow city and state law and can't block alleys, sidewalks, neighbors' driveways, traffic or emergency vehicles. Parking must be on an approved surface. Post off-street parking locations and limits.

Noise and conduct. Quiet hours come from the city's noise chapter (Chapter 24) and must be posted. The ordinance doesn't print the hours. You're responsible for guests following noise, trash, firearms, fireworks and barking dog rules.

What to post inside:

• Maximum occupancy and parking rules
• Quiet hours and noise limits
• The 24-hour local contact and phone number
• Flood hazards and evacuation routes
• Emergency numbers, including weather updates
• A notice that violations can bring citations

The emergency info sign and house rules sign cover most of this.

Safety equipment. The ordinance doesn't list smoke alarms, CO alarms or extinguishers. Ask the fire marshal what code requires, and see how many smoke and CO alarms a rental needs.

Signs. In residential zones, a sign can be up to 22 by 33 inches, attached to the house, a fence or a post no taller than 5 feet in total, and not lit. Historic districts follow overlay standards.

Three strikes. Three violations within 12 months, logged through the STR hotline or city departments, send your license to revocation review by the STR Licensing Board. A first revocation lasts up to six months, with City Council making the final call. Repeat revocations can be permanent, and a revoked rental must be delisted everywhere.

Penalties. Violations are Class C misdemeanors, up to $500 per offense, and each day counts separately. Fire safety, zoning, health and sanitation violations can reach $2,000. Each ad is a separate offense.

Zones. The ordinance sets no citywide cap. The city's rentals page (opens in a new tab) links a map of neighborhoods with STR restrictions, so check your address. RVs, campers and trailers can't be STRs outside permanent RV parks.

Complaints. The city's rentals page lists the STR hotline as 409-797-3990. The older FAQ handout shows 409-247-8160; use the number on the live page.

Where to check for changes

• City of Galveston rentals page (opens in a new tab) and Ordinance 25-060 (opens in a new tab)
• City STR registration (opens in a new tab) and HOT reporting (opens in a new tab)
• Texas Comptroller hotel occupancy tax (opens in a new tab)
• Airbnb Texas taxes (opens in a new tab) and Vrbo tax list (opens in a new tab)

For other markets, see how to find the rules for your city. For income tax, see short-term rental taxes for US hosts. More guides for running a rental are at /hosting/.