Texas county rules
Dallas County, TX vacation rental rules and taxes
Dallas County has no rental rules of its own and doesn’t report a county hotel tax to the Comptroller. Rules and the local hotel tax come from your city: Dallas, Irving, Garland, Grand Prairie, and Farmers Branch each handle short-term rentals differently.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026What to do
Then pick your city
Texas counties can’t zone, so short-term rental permits, zoning limits, and the local hotel tax come from the city your home is in. Outside city limits there’s usually no permit, but deed restrictions and HOA rules often limit rentals.Source
Towns
Dallas
Dallas is the biggest rental market in North Texas. The city voted in 2023 to ban short-term rentals in single-family neighborhoods and to require registration, but a court order has blocked both since late 2023; the Texas Supreme Court hears the city’s appeal on December 3, 2026. Meanwhile every rental must register for the city’s 9% hotel tax and file it monthly, because Airbnb doesn’t collect it.
Full guideFarmers Branch
Farmers Branch has about 100 Airbnb listings. Stays owe 6% state + 7% city hotel tax. We haven’t confirmed whether the city requires a short-term rental permit, so ask before you list.
Full guideGarland
Garland licenses short-term rentals every year for $500, with an annual inspection, proof of liability insurance, a 48-hour minimum stay, and no guest parking on the street. Airbnb collects Garland’s 7% hotel tax.
Full guideGrand Prairie
Grand Prairie requires a $480 yearly short-term rental permit with an inspection. The application needs a site plan showing parking and a dimensioned floor plan with evacuation routes, plus $1 million liability insurance. You pay the 7% city hotel tax yourself; booking sites don’t.
Full guideIrving
Irving’s new rules took effect July 31, 2026: every short-term rental registers with code enforcement each year, new rentals in single-family homes need a conditional use permit, and no more than 10% of homes on a block can be rentals. Two-night minimum and four off-street parking spaces. Airbnb collects Irving’s 9% hotel tax.
Sources
- County zoning authority (Local Government Code ch. 231) · Texas Legislature
- Local Hotel Occupancy Tax Reporting 2025 · Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (data.texas.gov)
- 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.