Bell County, Texas
Belton, TX vacation rental requirements
Every short-term rental in Belton needs a yearly city permit, and a rental you don’t live in can’t be within 500 feet of another. Belton amended its rules in April 2026. Stays owe 6% state, 7% city, and 2% county hotel tax, reported quarterly to the city.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
Belton amended its short-term rental ordinance effective April 28, 2026 (Ordinance 2026-12). We couldn’t read the amendment or the current fee schedule; ask Planning what changed.
Your licensing checklist
In order: the state, the county, then the town.
State of Texas
Know who pays the hotel tax
Airbnb collects and pays the 6% state hotel tax on its bookings. If guests pay you directly or through a site that doesn’t collect, register with the Comptroller and file the state tax yourself.Source
Register for local hotel tax
Your city (and in some places your county) charges its own hotel tax, filed with that city or county, not the state. Airbnb pays it only in the places on its list; everywhere else you register and file it yourself, even for Airbnb bookings.Source
Check your city’s rules
Many Texas cities require a short-term rental permit or registration, and some require an inspection, a local contact, or posted rules. Outside city limits there’s usually no permit, but deed restrictions and HOA rules often limit rentals. Pick your area for the local rules.Source
Bell County, Texas
Then your city
Texas counties can’t zone, so rental rules come from the city your home is in. Outside city limits there’s usually no permit, but deed restrictions and HOA rules may limit rentals. Pick your city.Source
Hotel taxes on each stay
Stays of 29 nights or less owe the 6% state hotel tax, which Airbnb collects on its bookings. If guests pay you directly, file it with the Texas Comptroller. Bell County reports a 2% hotel tax; Airbnb doesn’t collect it. Around Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow outside city limits, ask the county how to file.Source
City of Belton
Apply on the city portal
Create an account and apply for each property, with an emergency contact. Renew yearly with proof you’ve paid the city hotel tax.Source
Hotel taxes on each stay
Stays of 29 nights or less owe the 6% state hotel tax, which Airbnb collects on its bookings. If guests pay you directly, file it with the Texas Comptroller. Report income and pay Belton’s 7% every quarter on the city portal, entering zero for empty months. Airbnb doesn’t collect it. Bell County’s 2% is filed separately.Source
Fees (2023 ordinance)
| Annual permitAs adopted in 2023; check the current fee schedule | $50 |
|---|
Sources
- Hotel Occupancy Tax FAQs: Airbnb · Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
- Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Texas · Airbnb
- County zoning authority (Local Government Code ch. 231) · Texas Legislature
- Local Hotel Occupancy Tax Reporting 2025 · Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (data.texas.gov)
- Short-term Rental · City of Belton Planning
- Texas Airbnb market data (active listings) · AirROI
- Belton City Council approves permits for short-term rentals (Killeen Daily Herald, March 14, 2023) · Killeen Daily Herald (republished by Government Resource Associates)
A plain-language summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the office before you apply. Spot something out of date? Email hello@licensedrental.com.