Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in Fredericksburg?

Yes. Fredericksburg requires Short-Term Rental Permit, and the fee is $300. Short-term rentals are legal in Fredericksburg city limits but require an annually renewed city Short-Term Rental Permit (fees tiered by bedroom count: $300 for 1 bedroom up to $1,000 for 5 bedrooms per the city's 2024 fee presentation) with a passed inspection, and hosts must remit the city's 7% hotel occupancy tax themselves because Airbnb/Vrbo do not remit it to the city. The biggest restriction is zoning: under the ordinance effective January 1, 2024, new non-owner-occupied 'Unoccupied' STRs are not allowed by right in the R-1/R-2 single-family districts (special exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment only) and STR uses are prohibited in R-3, while commercial districts (C-1, C-1.5, C-2, CBD) allow all STR types by right. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.

How much does a short-term rental permit cost in Fredericksburg?

The Short-Term Rental Permit fee in Fredericksburg is $300, renewed annual. Fees are tiered by bedroom count per the City of Fredericksburg Development Services STR Owner/Operator Update (June 18, 2024, linked from the city STR hub): 1 bedroom $300, 2 bedrooms $500, 3 bedrooms $700, 4 bedrooms $900, 5 bedrooms $1,000, plus a $300 transfer fee; permit_fee_cents reflects the 1-bedroom minimum ($300). City Council adopted this new STR fee schedule in December 2023 ('New STR permit fees set for 2024', Fredericksburg Standard). CAUTION: the Airbnb Help Center and several third-party guides still list '$150/unit + $100/bedroom', but that formula traces to the pre-2024 regime (it appears verbatim in a November 2022 local realty article) and is outdated. The posted city fee schedule (effective March 25, 2026) itemizes only related charges: re-inspections $75 and 'Short Term Rental Appeal to City Council $500' — the STR application fee itself is not on that PDF, so confirm the current amount with Development Services. STRs in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) need no permit but must still remit city HOT.

How to get a short-term rental permit in Fredericksburg, TX (2026)

Fredericksburg requires Short-Term Rental Permit — the fee is $300, renewed annual. Here's how to get and keep it.

Permit at a glance

Permit required	Yes
Permit name	Short-Term Rental Permit
Permit fee	$300
Renewal	Annual

Step by step

1
Confirm your property is eligible
Confirm the property's zoning allows short-term rentals. Eligibility depends on zoning and STR category (five categories: STR-Accessory/ADU, STR-B&B, STR-Facility, STR-Unoccupied, STR-Nonconforming). C-1, C-1.5, C-2 and CBD commercial districts allow all STR uses by right (STR-Condo needs a conditional use permit). Owner-occupied categories (STR-ADU and STR-B&B, which require a Gillespie CAD homestead exemption or a resident 24-hour contact) are permitted in most residential districts. New STR-Unoccupied (whole-home, non-owner-occupied) rentals are NOT permitted by right in R-1 and R-2 single-family districts — only via special exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment for 'stranded' properties meeting strict adjacency criteria (e.g., sharing 2+ lot lines with lawful STR-Unoccupied or C-2/CBD/PF-zoned property). R-3 multi-family prohibits STR uses. Permits issued before April 1, 2022 continue as legal nonconforming ('grandfathered') and are transferable on sale subject to the Sec. 20-221(3) transfer-of-ownership rules. Max occupancy is 2 persons per bedroom plus 2, capped at 12.
2
Apply for the Short-Term Rental Permit
Submit the Short-Term Rental Permit application to Fredericksburg and pay the $300 fee. Fees are tiered by bedroom count per the City of Fredericksburg Development Services STR Owner/Operator Update (June 18, 2024, linked from the city STR hub): 1 bedroom $300, 2 bedrooms $500, 3 bedrooms $700, 4 bedrooms $900, 5 bedrooms $1,000, plus a $300 transfer fee; permit_fee_cents reflects the 1-bedroom minimum ($300). City Council adopted this new STR fee schedule in December 2023 ('New STR permit fees set for 2024', Fredericksburg Standard). CAUTION: the Airbnb Help Center and several third-party guides still list '$150/unit + $100/bedroom', but that formula traces to the pre-2024 regime (it appears verbatim in a November 2022 local realty article) and is outdated. The posted city fee schedule (effective March 25, 2026) itemizes only related charges: re-inspections $75 and 'Short Term Rental Appeal to City Council $500' — the STR application fee itself is not on that PDF, so confirm the current amount with Development Services. STRs in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) need no permit but must still remit city HOT.
3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for Fredericksburg. Some are collected automatically by the booking platform and some you may need to remit yourself.
4
Renew on schedule
The permit renews annual — set a reminder so it never lapses, since operating on an expired permit typically triggers fines.

STR rules change without warning.

Get an email the moment Fredericksburg changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.

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Verified July 10, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with Fredericksburg before applying.

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