Short-Term Rental permit in San Antonio, TX
Yes — you need a permit for short-term rental work in San Antonio.
No short-term rental may operate in San Antonio without a current, valid short-term rental permit. Rentals are sorted into tiers, and the hotel occupancy tax applies.
| Permit needed? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Where the line falls | No short-term rental may operate in San Antonio without a… |
| Fee | Not in the ordinance — the department quotes it |
| Review time | Not in the ordinance |
| Code section | Sec. 16-1103, tiers in Sec. 16-1107 |
How to pull the permit
- Put together a site plan showing where the work goes, with dimensions.
- Apply through the San Antonio building department.
- Pay the permit fee when the permit is issued. Work done before that isn't covered.
- Book each inspection listed on the permit as the job reaches that stage.
You pull this permit yourself, as the property owner.
If you skip it
San Antonio's code doesn't set a specific fine for this work. In practice the department can issue a stop-work order, and unpermitted work tends to surface during a sale, when the buyer's inspector or the title company asks for it.
Nearby cities, same job
Rules stop at the city line. If your lot is near a boundary, or you work across several towns, this is where they differ.
| City | Distance | Permit? | Where the line falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio | — | Yes | No short-term rental may operate in San Antonio without a… |
| New Braunfels | 30 mi | Yes | You need a short term rental permit in every zoning distr… |
| Killeen | 121 mi | Yes | You need a short-term rental permit to operate a vacation… |
| Corpus Christi | 144 mi | Yes | Operating a short-term or vacation rental needs a short-t… |
| College Station | 154 mi | Yes | Anyone operating a short-term rental must apply for and h… |
| Waco | 165 mi | Yes | You need a city license before you operate a short-term o… |
Other work in San Antonio
Questions people ask
I already built it without a permit. What now?
San Antonio can issue a stop-work order and require you to apply after the fact, sometimes with an extra fee. Work that was covered up may have to be opened for inspection. Full walkthrough here.
Does unpermitted work cause problems when selling the house?
Often, yes. A buyer's inspector or the title company may flag it, and lenders can balk at financing a home with open or missing permits. What to do about it.