Galveston County, Texas
Jamaica Beach, TX vacation rental requirements
Jamaica Beach requires a short-term rental registration with a $250 application fee and a $250 annual operation fee. The application needs a floor plan sketch of the bedrooms and a property sketch of guest parking, and occupancy is two per bedroom plus two. Stays owe 6% state plus 9% city hotel tax; Airbnb collects both.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
Renting without an approved registration number brings an immediate citation.
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
Galveston 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
Expect a business personal property account
Since May 2024 the Galveston County Appraisal District treats short-term rentals as businesses and values their furnishings and fixtures for property tax. If you disagree with the value, protest by the deadline on your notice.Source
City of Jamaica Beach, Texas
Draw the floor plan and parking sketch
Sketch the floor plan to show which rooms count as bedrooms (each must have a window and be inside the appraisal district’s living area), and sketch the property to show the parking spaces for guests. The city uses these to set your maximum occupancy and parking on the certificate.Source
Apply for the registration
Submit the Short-Term Rental Registration Application with the sketches and a 24-hour contact, and pay the $250 nonrefundable application fee. Once approved, pay the $250 annual operation fee.Source
Post the certificate and list the maximum
Post the registration certificate at the rental and put the city’s approved maximum occupancy in every ad and rental agreement.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. Jamaica Beach’s hotel tax is 9%; Airbnb collects it. For direct bookings, file quarterly by the 15th after each quarter and email the report and receipt to the city.Source
Fees
$500 the first year, $250 a year after
| Application feeNonrefundable. | $250 |
|---|---|
| Annual operation fee | $250 |
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
- As short-term rentals bloom, Galveston County, Bay Area cities scramble to regulate them (August 1, 2024) · Community Impact
- Frequently Asked Questions: Short-Term Rental Ordinances · City of Jamaica Beach
- Pay Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Quarterly · City of Jamaica 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.