LicensedRental

Texas county rules

Rains County, TX vacation rental rules and taxes

Rains County sits between Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork. There’s no county rental permit or county hotel tax we could find. State law lets the counties around Lake Tawakoni zone near the lake, and neighboring Hunt County does; ask Rains County whether it has lake-area rules.

Checked against official sources November 8, 2026
Market
Emory about 40 Airbnb listings
County rental rules
None found
Lake Tawakoni is one of the few areas where Texas counties may zone.Source
County hotel tax
None reported
Rains County doesn’t report a county hotel tax to the Comptroller.Source

What to do

  1. Then pick your city

    Texas counties can’t zone, so rental permits and the city hotel tax are set by each city. Pick your city, or the unincorporated page if there is one for your area.Source

  2. Ask about lake zoning

    Chapter 231 of the Local Government Code lets counties zone around Lake Tawakoni. Hunt County requires lake-area building permits and limits short stays; we found no Rains County lake ordinance. Ask the county judge’s office before you build or list near the lake.Source

Towns

Full guide

Emory

Emory charges its own hotel tax; stays owe 6% state + 7% city hotel tax. We didn’t check the city’s code for short-term rental rules, so ask the city whether you need a permit.

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 Spot something out of date?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.