Austin

Austin significantly overhauled its short-term rental rules in September 2025, moving to a biennial licensing system and requiring $1M in liability insurance. The city requires a valid license for all rentals under 30 days, and major platforms now collect and remit the 11% city hotel occupancy tax.

To host an Airbnb in Austin, you must first secure a city license, which now lasts for two years and costs $836.30 for new applicants. You are required to have a $1 million liability insurance policy and include your license number on all public listings. While platforms like Airbnb now handle most of the 11% city tax for you, you are still responsible for managing guest occupancy (max 10 adults) and ensuring noise levels are low during quiet hours (10 PM - 7 AM).