Galveston is Houston's beach, a cruise port and a historic island town all at once. Beach houses on the West End, cottages in the East End and condos along the Seawall each create different cleaning needs, and the city has tightened its short-term rental rules recently, so plan around both.
As of 2026, every short-term rental in the City of Galveston needs a Galveston Vacation Rental registration number, administered by the Galveston Park Board. Each rentable unit needs its own number, and the annual fee is $250. You will need the property address, bedroom count, sleeping capacity and a 24 hour local contact. In November 2025, City Council approved a tougher ordinance that includes a three strike system, where three violations in 12 months can lead to license revocation. A proposed parking plan requirement was dropped. Check the city and Park Board for current details.
Taxes include the city's 9% hotel occupancy tax plus the 6% Texas state hotel tax. The Park Board says a 2021 city ordinance requires Airbnb and Vrbo to collect and pay the hotel tax on their bookings, but Vrbo does not do so for integrated property managers. Airbnb's own help page still describes hosts remitting to the Park Board, so check your payout records and confirm with the Park Board which bookings you must report. Tax reports are due by the 20th of the month after the period. Unincorporated areas such as Crystal Beach on the Bolivar Peninsula are outside city rules.
No Galveston-specific price survey is published that we could verify, so collect quotes. Local factors raise effort: sand tracked from the beach, salt air that dulls windows and fixtures, outdoor showers and decks on raised homes with lots of stairs, and humidity that makes mildew checks routine. Many beach houses are rented to large groups, which means more linens and trash.
Summer is peak, with spring break, Mardi Gras in February and holiday weekends adding spikes. Cruise passengers create steady pre- and post-cruise stays year round. Hurricane season runs June through November and storms can shut down the island. Secure a cleaner and a backup before spring break.
Yes. As of 2026, each short-term rental unit in the city needs a registration number from the Galveston Park Board, with a $250 annual fee.
The city's hotel occupancy tax is 9%, plus the 6% state tax.
Yes. Under the 2025 ordinance, three violations in 12 months can lead to revocation.
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