Brazoria County, Texas
Surfside Beach, TX vacation rental requirements
Surfside Beach requires a short-term rental registration before you list ($200 a year), a placard visible from the street, the registration number in every ad, and a 24/7 contact who responds within an hour. Stays owe 6% state plus 5% village hotel tax; Airbnb and VRBO don’t collect the village tax.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
The village says its hotel tax is 5%; the Comptroller’s 2025 data show 4%. Use the village’s rate unless it tells you otherwise.
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
Brazoria County, Texas
Then pick your city
Texas counties can’t zone, so rental permits and the local hotel tax are set by each city. Pick your city, or the unincorporated page if you’re outside city limits.Source
Village of Surfside Beach, Texas
Register before you list
Register in the village’s short-term rental and hotel tax portal and pay the fee: $200 if you register by June 30, $100 from July 1, $50 from October 1. Renew for $200 each year; registrations expire December 31.Source
Post the placard and list the number
Display the village-issued placard where it can be seen from the street, put the registration number in every ad, and name a local contact who can respond within an hour, any time.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. Collect and file the 5% village hotel tax yourself, even for Airbnb and VRBO bookings. Returns are quarterly (due April 20, July 20, October 20, January 20), even when nothing is due. Keep records four years.Source
Fees
$200 a year
| Registration, January 1 to June 30 | $200 |
|---|---|
| Registration, July 1 to September 30 | $100 |
| Registration, October 1 to December 30 | $50 |
| Annual renewal | $200 |
Fees are non-refundable. Source
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
- Hotel Occupancy Tax: General Instructions · Village of Surfside Beach
- Airbnb and VRBO hotel tax notice · Village of Surfside Beach
- Texas beach towns Airbnb market data (active homes) · 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.