Short Term Rental

Get, Renew or Cancel a Permit

Starting Nov. 20, we are transitioning to BuildSA, increasing efficiency in the permitting process. We have created step by step guides and updated the STR fact sheet to help in the application process. 

• Registering and getting a STR permit
• Renewing a STR permit

DSD staff is available to answer your questions and provide any guidance as you begin to use the new system, please Email Us. 

Permits are issued within 5 business days after a fully completed application is received. Valid for 3 years, permits are $100 and cannot be transferred. One permit is needed per individual unit. Owners or operators must remit all applicable state, county, and city Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT). If you currently own or operate a STR, you are required to pay or report “zero” HOT every month (9% for the City of San Antonio, 1.75% for Bexar County). To apply for a permit, have the following information at hand:

• Contact information for: property owner, applicant, and 24/7 designated operator
• Floor plan and parking plan showing:
  • Maximum number of guests
  • Location of fire extinguishers
  • Sleeping areas
  • Emergency evacuation routes
  • Designated parking spaces
• Owner authorization (if the person applying is not the owner, a notarized authorization from the owner is needed.)
• Proof of ownership (if you have recently purchased the property, please provide the recorded warranty deed.) Staff uses the Bexar County Appraisal District to verify the owner of record.

Once you have a permit, the number will need to be included as you advertise in the various platforms. 

RENEW YOUR PERMIT

Permits are renewed through the BuildSA portal. The fee to renew is $100. If you have any changes (like an updated floor plan or updated applicant information) since your original application was submitted, please include all the updated documents. If there are no changes to your original application, provide a statement confirming this. We will check the HOT account status, so please ensure you are current with the monthly payments.

If you need assistance, send us an email.

CANCEL A PERMIT

To cancel an STR permit, send us an email that has:

• Statement confirming you want to cancel your STR permit and HOT account
• Property address
• HOT account number
• STR permit number

The City’s Finance Department will check your HOT account, and if current with payments, will close it. Once Finance sends a confirmation to us, your STR permit will be cancelled.

San Antonio’s short term rental ordinance came into effect in 2018 and applies only to properties within its city limits. Staff is available to assist you. Please include property address and HOT account number:

• For STR permits – Email Us.
• For HOT – Email Us.

Definition

An STR is defined as a residential dwelling unit, apartment, condominium, or accessory dwelling (refer to Sec. 35-101A) where sleeping areas are rented overnight to guests for less than 30 consecutive days (but not less than 12 hours). There are two types of STRs:

• Type 1 – primary residence of the owner of operator. This applies to primary and accessory dwelling units.
• Type 2 – property is not occupied by owner or operator

Where and How Many Are Allowed

STRs are allowed in any residential zoning district and in districts with established residential use except: C-3, L, I-1, and I-2 districts. However, in connection with submission of the application, each applicant shall acknowledge that any permit granted by the director under this Article (STR ordinance) does not supersede any property-specific restrictions against short term rentals that may exist under law, agreement, lease, covenant or deed restrictions.  

The ordinance uses “blockface,” or one side of the street between intersections, in the calculations done to determine (the density) home many STRs are allowed. 

• Type 1 – no density limitation
• Type 2 – allowed by right, up to 12.5% of units on blockface. Only one is allowed by right on a blockface or multi-family unit.

If a property has 5 or more units, it is a multi-family. Limit is 12.5% of total number of units on property. Once the density limit is reached, a special exception for a permit is needed from the Board of Adjustment. The fee for properties with a Homestead Exemption is $400 and $600 for all others. Applications are submitted through the BuildSA online portal.

To see where permitted STRs are located, use use our interactive map. Expand and click on the “One-Stop” layer, click and expand the “Development”, and click on “Short Term Rentals.” Make sure to “zoom in” in order to view icons.

Enforcement

All short term rentals are required to have a permit. Once a call is logged into the 311 system, the complaint is forwarded to the Code Enforcement Section and an inspection will take place within 3 days. A 14-day notice will be issued for an observed violation. If the violation has not been corrected at the time of reinspection, a citation is issued for up to $500 per day the property remains in violation of the STR ordinance.

REPORTING A SUSPECTED UNPERMITTED STR

• Call 3-1-1 and report a violation for a short term rental operating without a permit

• Go online to 311, choose “Property Maintenance & Construction” and select “Short Term Rentals Permit”
• Email us. Include the property address and, if possible, the active listing as shown on the advertising website (like Airbnb, VRBO, Homeaway).

REPORTING A problem with a STR

To report a problem with an existing STR, here are a few helpful numbers:

• Noise – 210.207.SAPD (7273). Obtain case number and email
• Trash – Call 3-1-1
  
• Parking – 210.207.SAPD (7273) for street parking concerns, blocking driveways, parking on private property, parking too close to intersections, and parked vehicles impeding traffic on city streets.
• 24 hr. contact – To access, please go to the BuildSA online portal
  • Click of “Land Development” and input the STR permit number in the “Application Number” field
  • Click “Search”
  • Click “More Details” and look under “Related Contacts”

Resources

Tracking