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Short Term Rentals
Short term rentals are one- or two-family dwellings that are rented for overnight lodging for less than 30 days at a time. Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, resort properties, apartment unit rentals, or dwellings that are rented for a period longer than 30 days are not considered short-term rentals. Permits and annual life safety inspections are required for all short-term rental units within the city limits. Any one- or two family dwelling advertised as a short-term rental on home sharing websites such as AirBnB, VRBO, HomeAway, etc. must be permitted before the advertisement is posted.
Short Term Rental Permit Application
Download the permit application that is needed in order to operate a short term rental property in New Braunfels.
Where can I operate a short-term rental?
Eligibility to operate a short term rental depends on the zoning and land use classification of a property. To view where short term rentals are authorized, not authorized, or authorized with special permitting, please visit the city's Short Term Rental Web Map.
- Short Term Rental Regulations
- Registering a Short Term Rental
- Current Short Term Rental Permit Holders
Short Term Rental Regulations
The following requirements apply to all short-term rental units within the City Limits:
- Short-term rentals are not allowed in any residential zoning districts.
- A special use permit must be obtained in all non-residential zoning districts, excluding C-4, C-4A, and C-4B.
- Short-term rentals are not allowed in the floodway (not the floodplain.)
- Hotel occupancy taxes are required to be paid on a monthly basis.
- Annual life safety inspections are required from the Fire Marshal’s Office.
- Maximum occupancy of two (2) adults per sleeping area, plus an additional four (4) adults.
- A minimum of one off-street parking space, not including the garage, must be provided per sleeping area.
- A decal with emergency contact information must be visible at the entry of the short-term rental.
This list is for informational purposes only and is not a comprehensive description of all short-term rental regulations. To review all regulations for short-term rentals, please visit the ordinance here.
Registering a Short Term Rental Unit
If you are operating a short-term rental, you must first apply for a permit to be registered. To register your short-term rental, please visit our online portal.
What You'll Need to Register:
Proof of residency on the premises by providing two of the follwing:
- Motor vehicle registration
- Driver’s license
- Texas State identification card
- Voter registration
- Tax documents
- Utility bill
Proof of possession of the premises:
- Valid lease; or
- Warranty deed
There is a $206 application fee that must be paid prior to submitting an application. The initial application fee includes the first life safety inspection fee.
Current Short Term Rental Permit Holders
Inspections
Annual life-safety inspections are required to renew your short-term rental permit. To schedule a life safety inspection, you will first need to pay the $128 renewal fee on the MUNIRevs portal. Once you have paid the renewal fee, you can schedule an inspection with the Fire Marshal’s Office here. An updated STR decal will be mailed to your mailing address once you have passed your annual inspection.
HOT Taxes (Hotel/Motel Tax)
Hotel Occupancy Tax filings and payments are due on a monthly basis through the MUNIRevs portal. For additional information on HOT Taxes, please visit the City’s Finance HOT Tax Information page.
Transferabililty
A short term rental permit is transferable to a new property owner. The new property owner must submit an Ownership Transfer Form to City Planning Division Staff at City Hall. Upon review and approval of the ownership transfer form, a MUNIRevs registration guide will be emailed to them. The $128 life safety inspection fee must be paid through the MUNIRevs portal. Once the new property owner has paid for the inspection fee, they can proceed to schedule an inspection with the Fire Marshal’s Office. An updated STR decal will be mailed to the updated mailing address once the inspection has passed.
Additional Resources
- If you suspect a short-term rental is unregistered, please report it using the Short Term Rental Complaint Form.
- To check the zoning of your property, you can use the City’s Interactive Zoning Map. Once you have located your property, you can click on it to open a pop-up that will link you to your zoning district’s ordinance.
- To check if your property is located in the floodway, you can use the City’s Interactive Flood Zone Map.