Comal County, Texas
New Braunfels, TX vacation rental requirements
New Braunfels doesn’t allow short-term rentals in any residential zone. In commercial zones a permit ($206, then $128 a year) and a yearly fire inspection are required, and most zones also need a special use permit. The application needs a site plan, a floor plan, and $500,000 in liability insurance. Stays owe 6% state plus 7% city hotel tax, filed monthly with 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.
Part of New Braunfels is in Guadalupe County; the same city rules apply.
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
Comal 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
City of New Braunfels
Check your zoning and flood zone
Use the city’s STR map. Residential zones don’t allow rentals at all. In C-4, C-4A, and C-4B you need only the permit; other non-residential zones also need a special use permit. Homes in the floodway can’t be rented.Source
Prepare the application
Gather your deed, an emergency contact, a site plan, a floor plan, proof of $500,000 per-occurrence commercial liability insurance, the tenant notification sheet, and utility rate information. Add an authorization letter if a manager applies.Source
Apply and pass the fire inspection
Apply in the city’s online permit portal before you list anywhere. Each year, pay the $128 renewal, then schedule the Fire Marshal’s life-safety inspection. Post the emergency contact decal at the entrance.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. New Braunfels’s 7% hotel tax isn’t on Airbnb’s collection list. Register with the city and file monthly by the 20th, even with no revenue, through the Rentalscape portal.Source
Fees
$206 the first year, $128 a year after
| Initial permit (includes fire inspection) | $206 |
|---|---|
| Annual renewal | $128 |
| Late hotel tax | $50 to $100, then 15% of the tax |
Inspection checklist
What the inspector looks for, from City of New Braunfels’s published checklist.
- Fire Marshal life-safety inspectionEvery year, before renewal.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
- Short Term Rentals · City of New Braunfels Planning and Development Services
- 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.