City Watch
Short-term rental rules in New Braunfels, TX
How New Braunfels 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 rentals prohibited outright in ALL residential zoning districts
- Whole-home/absentee STR permitted only in non-residential zones
- Special Use Permit (discretionary) required in non-residential zones except C-4/C-4A/C-4B
- Rezoning requests to enable residential-district STR have been denied
- Ban upheld at 5th Circuit June 2026 (Marfil v. City of New Braunfels) — in force
Based on: Code of Ordinances § 144-5.17 (STR zoning prohibition originally enacted 2006, amended 2011; further amendments per
Summary of the rule
Short-term rentals are not allowed in any residential zoning districts.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Active litigation / open question
Marfil v. City of New Braunfels, No. 25-50025 (5th Cir.) — 5th Circuit affirmed summary judgment for the City on June 18, 2026; held no constitutional right to operate STRs and that the City has a legitimate interest in restricting STRs to preserve residential neighborhoods. Residential-district STR ban REMAINS IN FORCE. Source ↗
Reported as fact only, reflecting the code as currently in effect — not legal advice, and not a prediction of the outcome. Verify current status before relying on it.
Last reviewed Sep 15, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring New Braunfels · system last checked Oct 25, 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.