Galveston, TX Short-Term Rental Checklist (Free, Printable)

📋 The Basics

Can I rent my place short-term here?: Yes, with a license or tax registration
Do I need a permit?: Yes. Every unit needs a GVR registration number from the city.
What taxes do I pay?: Total about 15%. Check your Airbnb payout report to see which ones Airbnb collects; you pay the rest yourself.

Your 3 steps to be legal

Register for a GVR number ($250 a year).
Name a 24/7 local contact who can respond within an hour.
Renew every December.

⚠️ Biggest risk: Missing renewal: platforms remove your listing.

Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.

This is the general rule for Galveston. Does your address qualify?

The free info covers the city as a whole. Your property can still be different: zoning can change from one street to the next, and an HOA or condo ban can stop rentals even where the city allows them.

Your $49 Compliance Check looks at your exact property:

Whether your exact address and zone allow short-term rentals
A check of HOA / condo rental restrictions to look for
Which permits and tax accounts you personally need
What you're missing right now
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🔎 How we check: official city, county and state sources, a last-verified date on every page, and nothing guessed. Learn more

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Permit / license / registration

Registration: Every short-term rental unit needs its own GVR registration number, administered by the City of Galveston since Oct 1, 2025 (Ordinance 15-012, Ch. 19). The GVR number must appear on every listing.
Renewal: Annual renewal Dec 1 to Dec 31; lapsed GVR numbers are sent to platforms and listings removed.
Local contact: A local contact must be available 24/7, respond to a complaint within one hour and resolve it within two hours, or face a City Marshal citation.

Zoning, where allowed & definitions

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Night limits, minimum stays & occupancy

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Fees, penalties & pending changes

Fees: 2026 registration fee: $250 per unit, valid through Dec 31, 2026; operators who registered late pay an extra $500 late fee.

Taxes & who collects them

Register / account for Texas state hotel occupancy tax (6%)
Register / account for City of Galveston hotel occupancy tax (9%)
What Airbnb collects: What Airbnb collects here: verify on Airbnb's local tax help pages and in your payout reports; you remain responsible for any tax it does not collect.
Vrbo and direct bookings: check which taxes Vrbo collects in your area; for direct bookings you collect and remit all of them yourself.

Total rate: 15%. City HOT 9% on gross revenue including cleaning/pet fees; Texas state HOT 6% (Texas Comptroller). Calculate.

HOA / condo check

Read your declaration, bylaws and rules for rental bans, minimum terms, caps and approval requirements.
Get any association sign-off or approval letter your city or association requires.
See our HOA & condo guide.

Insurance

Confirm your homeowner/condo policy covers short-term rental use, or add a short-term rental policy. Platform host protection is not a substitute for insurance.
Ask your association whether it requires specific liability coverage.

Deadlines

Renew city/county permits or registrations on their schedule (often annually): confirm the date with the office that issued it.
File state and local lodging tax returns on the schedule your tax office assigns.

Official sources

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Is my Galveston rental legal? Checklist