If you have an Airbnb or VRBO in Austin, the clock is ticking.

Starting July 1, 2026, the City of Austin can officially request that booking platforms — Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and others — remove any unlicensed short-term rental listing within 10 days. No grace period. No warning. Just delisted.

Here’s what you need to know and what to do right now.

What Changes on July 1, 2026?

Austin has regulated short-term rentals for years, but enforcement has largely fallen on property owners. That changes this summer.

Under new platform regulations taking effect July 1:

  • Platforms must display your license number on your listing
  • Platforms must remove unlicensed listings within 10 days of a city request
  • Platforms may not collect booking fees on unlicensed properties

This is a fundamental shift. Previously, you could technically operate without a license and hope code enforcement didn’t catch you. After July 1, your listing itself becomes the enforcement mechanism — Airbnb and VRBO will be required to take it down.

How to Know if You’re Licensed

Check Austin Build + Connect’s public search tool at abc.austintexas.gov to look up your property’s operating license status. If you don’t see an active STR license tied to your address, you need to apply now.

Austin STR License Types: Which One Do You Need?

Type 1 — Owner-occupied or associated with your primary residence. This is the simplest path for homeowners renting out a room or their home while they’re away.

Type 2 — Non-owner-occupied, whole-home rentals. Investment properties and non-primary residences fall here. Note: Type 2 is restricted to commercial and mixed-use areas in many parts of Austin.

Type 3 — Multifamily buildings. Operators can rent the greater of one unit or 10% of units in a qualifying building.

Not sure which type applies to you? Use the Austin Jurisdiction Map to confirm your property is within the full-purpose jurisdiction and check your zoning.

What Does a License Cost?

New License Renewal
Type 1 $836.30 $385.30
Type 2 $836.30 $385.30
Type 3 $836.30 $385.30

The new license fee includes a $47.30 neighbor notification fee. Licenses issued after October 2025 are now valid for two years — an upgrade from the previous one-year term.

How Long Does It Take? (And Why You’re Already Behind)

This is the part most Austin hosts miss.

Processing times at Austin Development Services are:

  • Type 1 licenses: 6–8 weeks
  • Type 2 licenses: 6–8 weeks
  • Type 3 licenses: 8–10 weeks

Today is June 11. July 1 is 20 days away. If you don’t have a license and you apply today, you will not have it by July 1.

That doesn’t mean you should skip applying — it means you need to apply immediately:

  1. Submit your application today through Austin Finance Online
  2. Email your driver’s license to STRdocs@austintexas.gov
  3. Once submitted and fees paid, you are in the queue — a pending application in good standing provides some protection while processing

If you’re an existing licensee with a renewal coming up, start 60 days before expiration. Renewals process faster (4–6 weeks) and cost less ($385.30).

Step-by-Step: How to Apply Online

  1. Create an Austin Finance Online (AFO) account at financeonline.austintexas.gov
  2. Gather your documents: driver’s license or government-issued ID, proof of tenancy if applicable, notarized Agent Authorization Form if someone else is applying on your behalf
  3. Complete the application in AFO for your license type and pay the fee ($836.30 new / $385.30 renewal) by credit card or e-check
  4. Email your driver’s license to STRdocs@austintexas.gov with your property address
  5. Wait for processing — 6–8 weeks for Types 1 and 2

Questions? Call Austin DSD at 512-974-9144, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., or email STRlicensing@austintexas.gov.

What Else Changed in 2025–2026?

The July 1 platform enforcement is the headline, but Austin also made several host-friendly changes in late 2025:

  • Licenses now last two years instead of one, cutting your renewal burden in half
  • Tenants can operate STRs with written landlord permission
  • No Certificate of Occupancy or proof of insurance required for new applications or renewals
  • Single-family hosts can operate up to two STRs on a site, at least 1,000 feet apart
  • Local contact must be in the Austin metro area (Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, or Caldwell County)

Don’t Want to Deal With This Yourself?

Managing STR licensing, compliance, and platform requirements on top of running a profitable Airbnb is a lot. That’s exactly what HostStarter handles for Austin hosts — listing management, dynamic pricing, guest coordination, and compliance — at a flat 12.5% fee with no hidden charges or long-term contracts.

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The Short Version

If you have an Austin Airbnb or VRBO:

  1. Check your license status at abc.austintexas.gov
  2. Apply immediately if unlicensed — processing takes 6–8 weeks and July 1 is 20 days away
  3. Add your license number to your Airbnb/VRBO listing — platforms will require it after July 1
  4. Don’t ignore renewal notices — expired licenses require a full reapplication

The city has been clear: unlicensed properties will be removed from platforms. Don’t let your listing be one of them.