City Watch
Short-term rental rules in San Antonio, TX
How San Antonio 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.
- Type 2 non-owner-occupied density cap of 12.5% per block face
- Type 1 owner/operator primary residence — no density limit (asymmetric)
- Over-cap requires Board of Adjustment special exception
- Permit fees raised June 2024; enforcement toughened
- HOT ~17% monthly filing
Based on: San Antonio Unified Development Code (UDC) §35-374.01 Short Term Rentals (2018/2019, amended June 2024)
Summary of the rule
UDC §35-374.01 (amended 2023-01-01): Type 2 STRs limited to 12.5% of the single-family units on a block face (round down; 14 units x 12.5% = 1 STR), and 12.5% of units in 8+ unit multifamily buildings — this is a BY-RIGHT density limit; a Board of Adjustment special-exception route exists above 12.5% (not an exceptionless hard ceiling)
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring San Antonio · system last checked Nov 10, 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.