Short-Term Rental permit in Waco, TX
Yes — you need a permit for short-term rental work in Waco.
You need a city license before you operate a short-term or vacation rental. Sec. 13-466 makes it unlawful to operate a bed-and-breakfast facility or a short-term rental facility without meeting the license requirement, and Sec. 13-465 defines short-term rental types I, II, and III. Sec. 13-471 adds further limits, such as how many units a type III property may rent. So an Airbnb or Vrbo needs the city license first.
| Permit needed? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Where the line falls | You need a city license before you operate a short-term o… |
| Fee | Not in the ordinance — the department quotes it |
| Review time | Not in the ordinance |
| Code section | Sec. 13-466 (short-term rental facility license required) |
| Based on | Waco Code Chapter 13, Article XIII (Bed and Breakfast and Short-Term Rental Facilities) |
How to pull the permit
- Put together a site plan showing where the work goes, with dimensions.
- Apply through the Waco 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
Waco'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waco | — | Yes | You need a city license before you operate a short-term o… |
| Killeen | 46 mi | Yes | You need a short-term rental permit to operate a vacation… |
| Grand Prairie | 79 mi | Yes | Operating a short-term or vacation rental needs a valid, … |
| College Station | 86 mi | Yes | Anyone operating a short-term rental must apply for and h… |
| Richardson | 102 mi | Yes | No size threshold in the code |
| Lewisville | 104 mi | Yes | Operating a short-term or vacation rental needs a short-t… |
Other work in Waco
Questions people ask
I already built it without a permit. What now?
Waco 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.