Bell County, Texas
Killeen, TX vacation rental requirements
Killeen requires a yearly short-term rental permit ($200 with the inspection, then $100), $500,000 in liability insurance, a local contact who can be there within an hour, and a posted evacuation plan. Renewals need a floor plan showing bedrooms, exit routes, extinguishers, and smoke alarms. Stays owe 15% hotel tax (6% state, 7% city, 2% county); Airbnb collects only the state share.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
If your permit is revoked (for example after three nuisance citations), the property can’t be registered again for a year.
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 Killeen
Apply through Neumo
Register each unit through the city’s vendor, Neumo, with owner and local contact details, signatures, the fee, and proof of $500,000 liability insurance.Source
Pass the inspection
Before the permit is issued, the city checks smoke alarms in every bedroom and hallway, a 2A 10BC extinguisher on each floor, bedroom exits, GFCI outlets near water, 4-inch address numbers, and a posted evacuation plan. Guests can’t park on dirt or grass.Source
Post the host rules
Post your 24-hour contact, a local contact who can be there within 60 minutes, parking, noise, and trash rules, and emergency numbers. The city tells neighbors within 200 feet about your permit.Source
Renew with a floor plan
Renew from 30 days before the permit expires. The renewal needs a floor plan showing sleeping areas, evacuation routes, and where the fire extinguishers and smoke detectors are, plus a sworn compliance statement.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. File Killeen’s 7% through Neumo every month by the last day of the next month, zero returns included. Bell County’s 2% is part of the 15% total. Airbnb doesn’t collect either.Source
Fees
$200 the first year, $100 a year after
| First-year permitIncludes the initial inspection | $200 |
|---|---|
| Annual renewal | $100 |
Inspection checklist
What the inspector looks for, from City of Killeen’s published checklist.
- Smoke alarms in bedrooms, hallways, and each floor
- 2A 10BC fire extinguisher on each floor
- CO alarms, if installed
- Emergency evacuation plan posted
- GFCI within 6 feet of water; no extension cords
- Address numbers at least 4 inches tall
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 Rentals · City of Killeen
- Short Term Rental FAQ and Checklist · City of Killeen
- Short Term Rental Registration (Code §§ 31-950 to 31-961) · City of Killeen (Zoneomics copy)
- Texas Airbnb market data (active listings) · AirROI
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.