LicensedRental

Galveston County, Texas

League City, TX vacation rental requirements

League City requires a short-term rental permit, renewed every year by December 1 for $300, with an inspection by December 31. Stays owe 6% state plus 7% city hotel tax; Airbnb collects the city tax.

Checked against official sources November 8, 2026

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Permit
Required, $300 a year
Renew by December 1; advertising without a permit is illegal.Source
Inspection
Yearly, by December 31
Hotel taxes
6% state + 7% city
Airbnb collects the city tax.Source

These rules come from a 2023 news report; we couldn’t read the ordinance or the city’s application. The city uses Rentalscape to find unpermitted rentals. Confirm the current fee and inspection checklist with the city before you list.

Your licensing checklist

In order: the state, the county, then the town.

State of Texas

  1. 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

    Texas hotel occupancy tax →

  2. 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

  3. 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

  1. 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

  2. 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 League City, Texas

  1. Get the permit and pass the inspection

    Apply to the city for a short-term rental permit before you advertise. Renew it by December 1 each year ($300) and complete the required inspection by December 31.Source

  2. 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. League City’s hotel tax is 7%; Airbnb collects it. For direct bookings, register with the city, file quarterly, and keep tax records for three years.Source

Fees

$300 a year

Annual renewal$300

Source

Sources

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.