This guide is written directly for short‑term rental investors planning to operate in Uvalde, TX and/or within Uvalde County. It synthesizes city‑level guidance and state‑level obligations and is based solely on the provided sources.

Overview: Are short‑term rentals allowed in Uvalde, TX?

Short‑term rentals are allowed in Uvalde, subject to city permits and tax compliance. Specifically:

• Operators must obtain a Special Use Permit from the City of Uvalde Planning & Development Department before renting (stays under 30 days are the functional definition used locally).
• Operators must register, collect, report, and remit the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) at the City of Uvalde rate of 7%, using the city’s online portal.
• As of the latest reports, Uvalde is actively approving special‑use permits for STRs (e.g., council approved five permits on Jan 9, 2024, and 14 permits on Dec 12, 2023).
• State‑level requirements (e.g., Texas state HOT at 6%) also apply; investors must satisfy both city and state rules.

How to start a short‑term rental business in this market

Follow these steps in order:

1. Secure property control and confirm zoning
   • Identify a compliant parcel. STRs require a Special Use Permit (SUP).
   • Engage the Planning & Development Department early to discuss eligibility and SUP timing.
2. Obtain the Special Use Permit
   • Apply through the City of Uvalde Planning & Development Department.
   • This is a prerequisite for legal STR operations in Uvalde (as stated by the Finance Department’s hotel tax guidance).
3. Register for Hotel Occupancy Tax
   • Register online via the city’s contracted HOT portal: www.hoteltaxonline.com
   • Set up your account and obtain any required filing credentials before hosting.
4. Implement tax collection and compliance workflow
   • Collect the City of Uvalde HOT at 7% on all taxable stays.
   • File monthly HOT returns and remit payments online by the 20th of the month following collection.
   • A report must be filed even if no tax is due for the reporting period.
5. Build operations to meet local expectations
   • Expect conditions in your SUP (e.g., neighborhood compatibility; operators have publicly emphasized they do not allow “party houses”).
   • Maintain guest screening, clear house rules, and response protocols to reduce nuisance issues.
6. Maintain ongoing compliance
   • Renew SUP per city timelines (city details not in provided sources).
   • Remit taxes on time to avoid penalties ($50 late fee plus 5% interest).

Local news coverage of SUP approvals indicates the city is processing and granting STR applications at a steady pace.

Required documents, permits, licenses, and guidelines

• Special Use Permit (SUP)
  • Issued by the City of Uvalde Planning & Development Department; required to operate an STR.
  • Note: Exact application form, fee, and inspection requirements were not included in the provided sources; confirm directly with the Planning & Development Department.
• Hotel Occupancy Tax registration and monthly reporting
  • Registration via: www.hoteltaxonline.com
  • Monthly filings and payments via the same portal.
• State-level Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax
  • State HOT rate is 6%. Local city and/or county HOTs apply on top of state HOT as allowed by law. In Uvalde, the city HOT is 7% per the Finance Department (see “Taxes” below).
• Reporting requirement detail
  • “A report must be filed even if no tax is due for the reporting period.”

Optional but recommended for professional operations:

• Host agreement/listing terms (e.g., quiet hours, occupancy limits, event restrictions).
• Safety and maintenance standards consistent with local expectations and general Texas consumer protection rules.

Specific regulations and tax obligations: City of Uvalde, Uvalde County, and Texas

City of Uvalde (key points sourced from Finance Department page)

• Special Use Permit required before operating an STR.
• Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) rate: 7% (applies to hotel/STR occupancy where the cost is $2+ per day; Texas statutory definition).
• Registration and payments: via www.hoteltaxonline.com
• Reporting due date: on or before the 20th day of each month following the month in which the tax is collected.
• Late penalties: $50 plus 5% interest on late payments.
• Zero‑tax filing requirement: file even when no tax is due for the month.
• Tax collection scope: applies within the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction for properties operated as “hotel” or “bed and breakfast (Short Term Rental).”
• Contract administration: The City has contracted HOT collection to Avenu Insights.

Uvalde County

• County‑specific STR regulations were not provided in the sources. If your property lies outside the city limits but within Uvalde County, confirm county requirements directly with county officials. If county rules are silent, state‑level obligations and the city HOT typically do not apply extraterritorially, so you should confirm whether county or state taxes or registrations are required.

Texas (state‑level requirements)

• State Hotel Occupancy Tax: 6% on the cost of occupancy for stays of 29 nights or fewer (industry standard aligns with Texas Comptroller guidance).
• State definitions: “hotel” includes motels, tourist homes, lodging houses, boarding houses, inns, rooming houses, or other buildings where rooms are provided for consideration of $2 or more per day. The Finance Department’s guidance references the same statutory definitions that govern state HOT.
• Local HOT stacking: Texas allows municipalities and counties to impose additional HOT rates on top of the state rate. Uvalde’s local rate is 7% per city Finance Department guidance.
• Note: The specific state registration portal was not included in the provided sources; operators should verify whether separate state HOT registration is required in addition to city registration.
• Other obligations may exist at the state level (e.g., consumer privacy for certain automated decision tools), but none are documented in the provided sources.

Enforcement context (from local reporting)

• Uvalde City Council is approving STR special‑use permits; local operators and the city have publicly indicated the absence of acute public safety or nuisance concerns tied to the permits cited.

Local authority contacts

• City of Uvalde – Finance Department (Hotel Occupancy Tax)

  • Phone: (830) 278‑3315
  • Email: cityhall@uvaldetx.gov
  • HOT registration and payments: www.hoteltaxonline.com
  • City FINANCE page: www.uvaldetx.gov/government/city_departments/finance_department.php

• City of Uvalde – Planning & Development Department (Special Use Permits)

  • Direct contact information was not provided in the sources. Engage through the city’s main website and department directory for current phone/email.
  • Department landing page: www.uvaldetx.gov/government/city_departments/planning___development_department/index.php

• Avenu Insights (city’s HOT collection contractor)

  • Phone: (866) 240‑3665
  • Email: supportmuni@avenuinsights.com
  • (Use for HOT registration, filing, payment support issues.)

Links to source pages

• City of Uvalde Finance Department (Hotel Occupancy Tax guidance)
  • www.uvaldetx.gov/government/city_departments/finance_department.php
• City of Uvalde Planning & Development Department (Special Use Permits)
  • www.uvaldetx.gov/government/city_departments/planning___development_department/index.php
• City of Uvalde Code of Ordinances (Municode)
  • library.municode.com/tx/uvalde/codes/code_of_ordinances
• Hotel Occupancy Tax online registration and filing portal (contracted by the City)
  • www.hoteltaxonline.com
• Uvalde Leader‑News: City seeing application uptick for special use permits (local reporting on approvals and council process)
  • www.uvaldeleadernews.com/articles/city-seeing-application-uptick-for-special-use-permits/
• Texas STR general context (not Uvalde‑specific) to illustrate the statewide regulatory trend
  • txprobatelawyer.net/short-term-rentals-in-texas-what-cities-are-cracking-down-and-why/
• STR market overview for Uvalde (management company article)
  • www.checkmaterentals.com/airbnb-management/uvalde-texas

Action checklist

• Verify zoning and secure the Special Use Permit through Planning & Development.
• Register for and begin collecting Uvalde HOT at 7%; file monthly by the 20th.
• Confirm whether county or state‑level registration applies to your specific property location.
• Maintain compliance records, file on time, and monitor SUP conditions.
• Build an operations playbook to align with community expectations (no party houses, quiet hours, guest screening).