Fort Worth City Council Passes New Regulations for AirBNBs

Fort Worth city council members have unanimously passed a new ordinance aimed at short-term rental properties. The new rules are designed to make it easier for the city to cite short-term rentals operating illegally in residential areas, to give legal short-term rentals a path to registration, and to increase hotel occupancy tax revenue for the city.

The registration deadline for all short-term rental properties is June 1, 2023, however the new standards and requirements go into effect immediately. Property owners operating illegal short-term rentals will have 30 to 45 days to comply with the law. The city also plans to contact short-term rental property owners about the next steps they need to take for registration.

The full list of changes includes:

• Short-term rentals where allowed by zoning to register.
• An annual registration and fee: $150 for the initial year and $100 per year for renewals.
• Registrations would be nontransferable.
• Collection of hotel occupancy tax for the property.
• Minimum stay is one night.
• A local responsible party must be available 24/7 to respond to concerns at the property. The local responsible party may be the property owner or an operator working on behalf of the owner.
• No more than one group would be allowed to inhabit the property at a time.
• Rentals would be limited to two persons per bedroom, plus two additional persons, with a maximum of 12 people staying in the property at one time.
• Only on-premise parking would be allowed.
• No events or parties would be allowed.
• The host would be required to provide instructions to comply with noise, trash, parking and curfew ordinances.
• Advertising and operation of short-term rentals without registration would be prohibited.
• Registration may be revoked based on violations.

In Fort Worth, short-term rentals are only allowed in specific areas zoned for them (commercial or industrial areas as well as mixed-use areas that include both commercial properties and residential properties.) Short-term rentals aren’t allowed in areas zoned solely for residential use.

While it was putting together these standards and requirements, the city found just 68 short-term rentals are legally operating where they’re supposed to in Cowtown and 565 short-term rentals are currently NOT operating where they’re supposed to.

The new rules and regulations are for short-term rentals operating legally. Those not in the correct zoning areas will face different consequences for zoning violations.

Mayor Mattie Parker acknowledged the city’s position on short-term rentals could change depending on state law. She signaled that the conversation is not over, despite the newly passed ordinance.