Rental Rules by City / Texas / Richardson
Richardson short-term rental rules & tax calculator
📋 The Basics
- Can I rent my place short-term here?
- Yes, with a license or tax registration
- Do I need a permit?
- Yes, with $300 registration and 500-ft spacing.
- What taxes do I pay?
- Total about 13%. Check your Airbnb payout report to see which ones Airbnb collects; you pay the rest yourself.
Your 3 steps to be legal
- Check spacing map.
- Register with floor plan.
- Remit 7% HOT monthly.
⚠️ Biggest risk: Penalties and revocation.
Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.
Tax calculator
Rates used: Texas state hotel occupancy tax 6% + City of Richardson HOT 7% = 13%. Mandatory cleaning fees are included in the taxable total. Texas 6% + Richardson 7% HOT. No platform tax agreements: remit city HOT directly via the registration system by the 20th.
What Airbnb collects: Verify in payouts which taxes your platform remits.
Advanced details (laws, fees, sources)
Rules
| Registration | STR registration required, including owner-occupied and partial-home rentals; non-refundable $300 registration fee; annual renewal due by Dec 31. |
|---|---|
| Spacing | New single-family STRs must be 500 ft from existing STRs (Ordinance 4597). |
| Requirements | Dimensioned floor plan with evacuation routes, local contact able to be on site within 1 hour, list of listing links, posted Good Neighbor Guide and certificate. |
| Penalties | Late HOT: 15% penalty plus 1%/month interest; registration may be revoked. |
Items marked "Verify with the city" could not be confirmed from an official source; call the office listed before relying on them.
Sources
Free tools
Free "Is my rental legal?" checklist · Free tourist tax calculator
Rules can change
Richardson's rules, its tax rates and platform policies can change through a council vote, a new state law or a court ruling, often with little notice to hosts. We re-check this page monthly; subscribers get notified. Stay Compliant for $4.99/mo.
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Get a personalized STR Compliance Check ($49) for your exact address in any US city: the permits, registrations and tax accounts you need, with official sources, delivered by email in 48 business hours. Not legal advice.
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Stay Compliant: $4.99/month
Rules, tax rates and Airbnb/Vrbo policies can change without warning, and hosts who miss a change can be fined. Get alerts when your city, county or state changes, deadline reminders, a pending-bill watch list and a monthly host brief (even in quiet months: "we checked on [date]; no changes"). Compare plans.
By paying, you agree to our Terms and Refund Policy.
Not legal or tax advice. Last verified Oct 26, 2026. Rules and rates change: confirm with the official sources linked before you rent or file.