City Watch — Houston
Pending STR legislation and regulatory rating tracking for Houston.
City portrait · J. Hamilton Studio
- Citywide STR certificate of registration required — the director shall approve a complete, compliant application (ministerial process, Ord. 2025-322)
- Whole-home / non-owner-occupied rental permitted by-right; no cap, no primary-residence or host-present requirement
- Houston has no zoning, so no residential-zone exclusion applies
- City hotel occupancy tax applies to STR stays
Based on: Code of Ordinances, Houston, TX, Ch. 28, Art. XXIII (Secs. 28-721 through 28-743), Ordinance No. 2025-322, adopted
“It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, rent, lease, or advertise a short-term rental within the city limits without a valid certificate of registration as provided in this article.”— Code of Ordinances, Houston, TX, Ch. 28, Art. XXIII (Secs. 28-721 through 28-743), Ordinance No. 2025-322, adopted
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 21, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Houston · system last checked Sep 21, 2026
City Watch tracks changes from public sources (council agendas, state bills, local news) as coverage is activated for this market — 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.