City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Lubbock, TX
How Lubbock regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- Short-term rental use may occur only in a legal accessory dwelling unit or within a primary residence (UDC §39.02.019) — non-owner-occupied whole-home STR foreclosed
- STR is a 'Limited' use listed across residential and mixed-use districts, always subject to the ADU/primary-residence restriction
- STR-specific permit and a 7% municipal hotel occupancy tax also apply
Based on: Lubbock Unified Development Code § 39.02.019 (Specific Use Standards) — Short-term rental subsection; permit
Summary of the rule
Short-term rental. A. Owner responsibilities. The use shall have an owner, operator, or agent who shall: i. Obtain a Short-Term Rental Permit (See Section 39.07.029, Short-Term Rental Permit); ii. Assess and collect the hotel property tax in accordance with Chapter 351, Municipal Hotel Occupancy Taxes, of the Texas Tax Code; and iii. Timely remit to the City of Lubbock accounting department, or designee, all City hotel occupancy taxes collected pursuant to state law and in compliance with Article 18.03 of the City of Lubbock Code of Ordinances. B. Accommodations. The use shall only occur in: i. A legal accessory dwelling unit; or ii. Within a primary residence.
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Last reviewed Sep 16, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Lubbock · system last checked Oct 26, 2026
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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.