Short Term Rentals

any existing short-term rental shall have until january 1, 2023 to complete the required registration and obtain their city of seabrook short - term rental permit.


Short-term rentals (STR) are one- or two-family dwellings that are rented for overnight lodging for less than 30 days at a time. Hotels, bed and breakfasts, apartment unit rentals, or dwellings that are rented for a period longer than 30 days are not considered short-term rentals. Permits and inspections are required for all short-term rental units within Seabrook city limits. Any one- or two-family dwelling advertised as a short-term rental on home-sharing websites such as Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, etc. must be permitted before the advertisement is posted. 


City Ordinances 

Below are the current STR Regulations:

Complaints

Complaints related to the operation of a Short Term Rental, including but not limited to complaints concerning noise, garbage, parking, and disorderly conduct by Guests, shall be reported to the City Fire Marshal’s office. You may email krodgers@seabrooktx.gov.

Pay STR City Hotel Occupancy Tax

All short-term rentals are subject to pay a 7% hotel occupancy tax as required by City Ordinance. To pay this tax via credit card please use Seabrook's Easy Pay system here. For questions about hotel occupancy tax please contact Michael Gibbs by emailing MGibbs@seabrooktx.gov. 

Register an STR

All STRs within city limits must have a current and valid Short-Term Rental Permit. The following forms and documents must be provided when submitting an STR permit application. Please know that all documentation needs to be submitted with the application or it will be incomplete.

  • $300 Permit Fee

  • Complete the online STR Permit Application Form
    File uploads fields are included with the form allowing the required documents to be included, however, please have these documents ready prior to completing the form. 

  • Contact Information containing contact information for the owner(s), operator(s), and agent(s) of the STR, including names, addresses and current email addresses and telephone numbers of each contact.

  • Emergency Contact Information to include the name, address and 24-hour telephone number of a contact person who is the owner, operator or designated agent and who shall be responsible and authorized to respond to complaints concerning the Short-Term Rental.

  • Floor Plan that identifies sleeping areas, the proposed maximum number of guests, evacuation routes and the location of all fire extinguishers, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. 
    • All floors with an enclosed space of any kind must have a minimum of one (1) Class 2A:10B:C type fire extinguisher (standard 5lb. fire extinguisher) mounted so as to be conspicuous and convenient for the occupants.
    • Each Short-Term Rental shall contain working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors as required by the City adopted Building and Fire Codes. 
  • Tenant Information Card/Brochure to include (this information must be readily available to all guests): 
    • Owner, operator or designated agent's name and 24-hour contact telephone number;
    • Pertinent neighborhood information including, but is not limited to,  parking restrictions, trash collection schedules and location of required off-street  parking, other available parking and prohibition of parking on landscaped areas;
    • Noise restrictions as specified under the Code of Ordinance, Chapter 55, “Nuisances and Miscellaneous Provisions”, Article II. “Noise”;
    • Information to assist guests in the case of an emergency posing threats to personal safety or damage to property, including emergency and non-emergency  telephone numbers for police, fire and emergency medical services; and  
    • Depiction of floor plan identifying evacuation routes, including the dwelling's exits, primary evacuation routes and secondary evacuation routes near the 352 front door of the dwelling.  
  • Sworn Statement
    That the owner has met and will continue to comply with all requirements of this article, including all City Codes, requirements and regulations, specifically including the City’s current Fire Code, and obtaining annual inspections of required fire extinguishers. 

Right to Inspect Short-Term Rentals

To ensure compliance with the requirements of this Article, a Short-Term Rental shall be inspected in the following methods:

  • Initial inspection - As part of the issuance of a new Short-Term Rental Permit and any renewals thereof, the City shall conduct an inspection to verify compliance with the city ordinance.  
  • Fire extinguishers - The owner is responsible for the maintenance of the fire extinguishers in compliance with this article, along with the City's current Fire Code. 
  • Inspections upon report or suspicion of a violation. The City may perform inspections when a violation of this article or other law is reported or suspected.

Additional Permit Requirements

By completing the STR Permit Application you understand and have read the following information as outlined within City Ordinance No. 2022-07 Short-Term Rentals:

  • Applications shall be considered complete when all documentation required under this article has been submitted and all permit fees have been paid. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

  • Any existing Short-Term Rental shall have ninety (90) days from adoption of this ordinance to complete the required registration and obtain their Short-Term Rental permit. 

  • Transferability -  A Short-Term Rental Permit is not transferable to a new property owner. A new owner must apply for a Short-Term Rental Permit within sixty (60) days from the closing date of the purchase or any other conveyance of ownership. Failure of a new property owner/transferee to apply for permit within sixty (60) days from the closing date may result in the revocation or non-renewal of an existing Short-Term Rental Permit or the denial of a new Short-Term Rental registration. 

  • Any property owner delinquent and/or owing City of Seabrook fees, to include, but not limited to, hotel occupancy tax, sanitation or water service fees will be prohibited from registering a Short-Term Rental until such time as payment or acceptable resolution is approved by the City of Seabrook finance department. 

  • Unless revoked by the Director earlier pursuant to this article, the initial Short-Term Rental Permit expires twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance. Subsequent renewal of a Short-Term Rental permits will be on an annual calendar year. A permit holder shall apply for renewal prior to December 31st on a form provided by the Director or designee. The permit holder shall update the information contained in the original permit application required under this section or any subsequent renewals under this section, if any of the information has changed. The permit holder shall sign a statement affirming that there is either no change in the information contained on the original permit application and any subsequent renewal applications, or that any information that has been updated is accurate and complete. Complete applications for renewal received after the expiration of a current permit shall be treated as applications for a new permit. The amount of the non-refundable fee for renewal of a Short-Term Rental Permit is three hundred dollars ($300.00).  

  • Upon receipt of a complete application for renewal of a Short-Term Rental Permit, the Director or designee may deny the renewal of a Short-Term Rental Permit if it is determined that the permit was issued in error or on the basis of incorrect information supplied by the applicant or if: 
    • The permit holder has pleaded no contest to or been convicted of a violation of any ordinance of the City, or any state or federal law, related to operation of a Short-Term Rental on the premises or has permitted such a violation on the premises by any other person. Such violation may include, but is not limited to, parking, noise, littering, destruction of property, disorderly conduct or failure to pay hotel occupancy taxes; or 
    • There are grounds for suspension, revocation or other registration sanctions as provided for in this article. 
  • Parking shall comply with the Zoning Ordinance. No required parking shall be permitted within public right-of-way or access easements as defined by City Code or state regulations regarding parking. Yards shall not be used to provide the necessary parking. 
  • The owner shall provide timely updates to the City of any changes to the name, address and 24-hour telephone number of the contact person who is the owner, operator or designated agent responsible and authorized to respond to complaints concerning the Short-Term Rental, (“contact person”), within one hour or less. Should a law enforcement officer be required to respond to a reported Short-Term Rental violation, emergency, complaint, or related matter, and the officer determines a violation of City ordinances or other law, such contact person may be contacted by the officer or designee for such purposes. The contact person shall attempt to contact the occupants within one (1) hour of any contact from the City to address the occupants about the complaints. Should a second complaint be filed and citation issued to the occupants or guests, the owner and contact person party must take appropriate steps to assure future complaints do not occur. Failure to provide updated information to the City regarding the 24-hour contact person shall be a violation of this section. 
  • Advertising - The short-term rental permit number, maximum occupancy as permitted, and health & life-safety inspection expiration date must be listed in all advertising for the Short-Term Rental.  
  • Bathrooms - Not less than one full bathroom shall be provided for each five occupants for the Short-Term Rental. This full bathroom must meet the minimum International Residential Code standards and include a washbasin, toilet and tub or shower.  
  • Occupancy - The maximum number of occupants allowed to sleep in a Short-Term Rental is two occupants per sleeping room, plus an additional two occupants per dwelling. 
  • Permit Display - The City-issued Short-Term Rental permit shall be posted at all times in a prominent location inside the property for which it is issued. 
  • It is unlawful: 
    • To advertise on a Short-Term Rental Listing Service or offer a Short-Term Rental without first obtaining a Short-Term Rental Permit in accordance with the city ordinance.
    • To operate a Short-Term Rental in a manner that does not comply  with all applicable City and state laws and codes;  
    • To operate a Short-Term Rental without paying the required hotel  occupancy taxes; 
    • To rent to a guest who is under the age of twenty-one (21);  
    • To post or allow external signage on or off the premises of the Short-Term Rental that indicates the property is a Short-Term Rental; 
    • To fail to include the City permit number for the Short-Term Rental in all advertisements, including online, for the Short-Term Rental within the description or body for public reference; 
    • To permit the use of tents, hammocks, recreational/camper vehicles or other vehicles and outdoor areas that are not residential dwellings as Short-Term  Rentals.