Bell County, Texas
Salado, TX vacation rental requirements
Salado requires a short-term rental permit inside the village and its extraterritorial jurisdiction: $200 the first year with a life safety inspection, then $100 a year. Stays owe 6% state, 7% village, and 2% county hotel tax.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
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
Village of Salado
Apply for a permit
Download the village’s registration application, then schedule the life safety inspection. Homes in the ETJ outside village limits need a permit too.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. Salado’s 7% hotel tax isn’t on Airbnb’s collection list, so register with the city and file it yourself, Airbnb bookings included.Source
Fees
$200 the first year, $100 a year after
| Initial permit (incl. inspection) | $200 |
|---|---|
| Annual renewal | $100 |
| Re-inspection | $100 |
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 (STRs) · Village of Salado
- 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.