What is the TOT tax rate in South Padre Island?

**11% TOT** is the current Hotel Occupancy Tax rate for short-term rentals in South Padre Island. Hosts are responsible for collecting this tax from guests, which includes city, venue, and state portions. Even if your booking platform collects taxes, you must still file quarterly tax reports to the city. *(53 words)*

How much does an STR permit cost in South Padre Island?

**$350** is the initial fee for the required Short-Term Rental Registration in South Padre Island. This registration is required annually. You must register your property with the city's Finance Department, provide a local contact, and pass a fire safety inspection. Failure to register can result in fines. *(51 words)*

What happens if I operate an illegal STR in South Padre Island?

**Fines of $500** per day can be levied if you operate a short-term rental without the required registration in South Padre Island. You need to register your property annually with the city's Finance Department, provide a local contact, and display your permit number in your listing. Ensure compliance to avoid penalties. *(55 words)*

Can renters host on Airbnb in South Padre Island?

**No**, renters are not allowed to host on Airbnb in South Padre Island, according to available regulations. The city requires property owners to register their property. Ensure you have the legal right to rent out the property before listing it on short-term rental platforms to avoid fines. *(50 words)*

South Padre Island

Moderate

TexasUpdated Feb 10, 2026

Gold-standard verification0% sourced

Cross-referenced against 5 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 5

Summary

Plain-english overview

The City of South Padre Island requires all short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) to register annually and pay a $350 initial fee. Hosts are responsible for a total 17% Hotel Occupancy Tax, which includes city, venue, and state portions.

Restriction level

Severity 26

Classification

Moderate

Severity

Why this classification

Moderate permit fee: $350
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
Reporting required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

To host an Airbnb in South Padre Island, you must first register your property with the city's Finance Department and pay a $350 permit fee. You'll need to provide a local contact person who can respond to issues 24/7 and ensure your property passes a fire safety inspection. Even if your booking platform (like Airbnb) collects taxes for you, you are still required to file quarterly tax reports to the city. Failure to register or display your permit number in your listing can result in fines of $500 per day.

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.2%

Permit fee$350

Processing time7-14 business days

7 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1The 17% total tax is split: 9% City HOT, 2% Venue Tax, and 6% State HOT.
2A local 24/7 contact person must be able to respond to the property within 1 hour.
3The STR permit number MUST be included in all online advertisements and listings.
4Even if you have zero bookings in a quarter, you must file a 'Zero' tax report.
5Occupancy is strictly limited based on the number of bedrooms (2 per bedroom + 2).
6Large-scale 'party houses' are effectively prohibited via occupancy and noise limits.
7Trash must be managed according to strict city sanitation schedules to avoid fines.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility6 rules

South Padre Island: Glass containers are strictly prohibited on the beach; hosts should warn guests of this local ordinance.
South Padre Island allows STRs in the following property types: Single-family residence, Apartment, Residential condo unit, Other residential real estate improvement.

Requirements15 rules

South Padre Island STR warning: The total tax burden is 17%, one of the highest in Texas.
South Padre Island STR warning: You must register for three separate tax accounts: State, City/County (Avenu), and County Venue (Localgov).
South Padre Island has different permit classes: Single License type for all residential units under 30 days. Hosted vs. unhosted rentals have different requirements.

Application process7 rules

How to set up an STR in South Padre Island: To host an Airbnb in South Padre Island, you must first register your property with the city's Convention Centre Department and pay a $125 annual fee. You are also required to collect and remit 17% in taxes (6% state, 10.5% city, and 0.5% county). You must designate a local contact person who can respond to complaints within one hour, 24/7. Finally, make sure your registration number is clearly visible on your online listing to avoid fines up to $500 per day.

Fees & costs1 rule

South Padre Island charges a registration fee of $125 (annual).

Taxes4 rules

South Padre Island: You must register for three separate tax accounts: State, City/County (Avenu), and County Venue (Localgov).

Limits & restrictions4 rules

South Padre Island occupancy calculation: Ordinance 25-04 references occupancy limits based on bedroom count (usually 2 per bedroom + 2). Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
South Padre Island limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
South Padre Island: The city uses Deckard Technologies (Rentalscape) for active enforcement and identifying unregistered listings.

Safety requirements1 rule

South Padre Island requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Littering and glass container prohibitions, 24/7 Local contact must respond within one hour, Parking must be in designated areas only.

Penalties2 rules

South Padre Island: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.

Exemptions2 rules

South Padre Island: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
South Padre Island exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days).

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for South Padre Island

0/3

steps completed

Step 1

Obtain Hotel Occupancy Tax Account

2-3 days

Official resource

Step 2

Submit STR Registration Application

Complete the STR registration form including the local 24/7 contact information.

1 week$350

Documents needed

Floor Plan
Property Manager Info

Official resource

Step 3

Pass Fire Inspection

Schedule and pass a mandatory fire safety inspection to ensure compliance with occupancy limits.

Variable

Frequently asked questions

5 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

South Padre Island

Moderate

TexasUpdated Feb 10, 2026

Gold-standard verification0% sourced

Cross-referenced against 5 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 5

Summary

Plain-english overview

Restriction level

Severity 26

Classification

Moderate

Severity

Why this classification

Moderate permit fee: $350
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
Reporting required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.2%

Permit fee$350

Processing time7-14 business days

7 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1The 17% total tax is split: 9% City HOT, 2% Venue Tax, and 6% State HOT.
2A local 24/7 contact person must be able to respond to the property within 1 hour.
3The STR permit number MUST be included in all online advertisements and listings.
4Even if you have zero bookings in a quarter, you must file a 'Zero' tax report.
5Occupancy is strictly limited based on the number of bedrooms (2 per bedroom + 2).
6Large-scale 'party houses' are effectively prohibited via occupancy and noise limits.
7Trash must be managed according to strict city sanitation schedules to avoid fines.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility6 rules

South Padre Island: Glass containers are strictly prohibited on the beach; hosts should warn guests of this local ordinance.
South Padre Island allows STRs in the following property types: Single-family residence, Apartment, Residential condo unit, Other residential real estate improvement.

Requirements15 rules

South Padre Island STR warning: The total tax burden is 17%, one of the highest in Texas.
South Padre Island STR warning: You must register for three separate tax accounts: State, City/County (Avenu), and County Venue (Localgov).
South Padre Island has different permit classes: Single License type for all residential units under 30 days. Hosted vs. unhosted rentals have different requirements.

Application process7 rules

How to set up an STR in South Padre Island: To host an Airbnb in South Padre Island, you must first register your property with the city's Convention Centre Department and pay a $125 annual fee. You are also required to collect and remit 17% in taxes (6% state, 10.5% city, and 0.5% county). You must designate a local contact person who can respond to complaints within one hour, 24/7. Finally, make sure your registration number is clearly visible on your online listing to avoid fines up to $500 per day.

Fees & costs1 rule

South Padre Island charges a registration fee of $125 (annual).

Taxes4 rules

South Padre Island: You must register for three separate tax accounts: State, City/County (Avenu), and County Venue (Localgov).

Limits & restrictions4 rules

South Padre Island occupancy calculation: Ordinance 25-04 references occupancy limits based on bedroom count (usually 2 per bedroom + 2). Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
South Padre Island limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
South Padre Island: The city uses Deckard Technologies (Rentalscape) for active enforcement and identifying unregistered listings.

Safety requirements1 rule

South Padre Island requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Littering and glass container prohibitions, 24/7 Local contact must respond within one hour, Parking must be in designated areas only.

Penalties2 rules

South Padre Island: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.

Exemptions2 rules

South Padre Island: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
South Padre Island exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days).

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for South Padre Island

0/3

steps completed

Step 1

Obtain Hotel Occupancy Tax Account

2-3 days

Official resource

Step 2

Submit STR Registration Application

Complete the STR registration form including the local 24/7 contact information.

1 week$350

Documents needed

Floor Plan
Property Manager Info

Official resource

Step 3

Pass Fire Inspection

Schedule and pass a mandatory fire safety inspection to ensure compliance with occupancy limits.

Variable

Frequently asked questions

5 answered

Disclaimer

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

7 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Obtain Hotel Occupancy Tax Account

Submit STR Registration Application

Pass Fire Inspection

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in South Padre Island?

2What is the TOT tax rate in South Padre Island?

3How much does an STR permit cost in South Padre Island?

4What happens if I operate an illegal STR in South Padre Island?

5Can renters host on Airbnb in South Padre Island?

Disclaimer

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

7 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Obtain Hotel Occupancy Tax Account

Submit STR Registration Application

Pass Fire Inspection

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in South Padre Island?

2What is the TOT tax rate in South Padre Island?

3How much does an STR permit cost in South Padre Island?

4What happens if I operate an illegal STR in South Padre Island?

5Can renters host on Airbnb in South Padre Island?

Disclaimer