City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Canyon Lake, TX
How Canyon Lake regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- mandatory but free, one-time ministerial WORD permit for short-term lodging (<30 days)
- 3% lodging user fee remitted quarterly to WORD
- whole-home STR permitted by-right — no county zoning, no cap, no owner-occupancy requirement
- no county STR ordinance (Texas counties lack general ordinance/zoning power in unincorporated areas)
Based on: Water Oriented Recreation District of Comal County (WORD) — enabling legislation Ch. 324 Tex. Local Gov't Code (created
Summary of the rule
All tourism businesses operating in Canyon Lake are required to obtain permits from WORD, specifically including short-term lodging (less than 30 consecutive days). For a first-time applicant the permit is free ('Yes! If you are a first time applicant it is free.').
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 15, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Canyon Lake · system last checked Oct 23, 2026
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.