Short Term Rentals

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On January 8, 2024, City Council approved regulations for short-term rentals operating in Lewisville. The effective date of the ordinance is July 8, 2024. Obtaining a permit is not required until after July 8, 2024.

What is a short-term rental?

A short-term rental (STR) is any dwelling unit or portion of a dwelling unit that is rented to guests for less than 30 consecutive days. An STR does not include a hotel, motel, inn, or bed and breakfast. To read the complete definition, please go to Lewisville City Code Sec. 4-151.

What is required to operate an STR in Lewisville?

Effective July 8, 2024, all STR's are required to obtain a Short-Term Rental Unit permit annually. The permit must be obtained prior to advertising and renting the STR. In addition to a permit, STR's must also pay the hotel occupancy tax every month. To read the complete ordinance, please visit Lewisville City Code Sec. 4-201.

Are STRs allowed in Lewisville?

On February 29, 2024, Lewisville City Council approved a one-year interim prohibition on establishing new short-term rental units. The interim prohibition does not apply to STRs that were already operating before March 4, 2024. STR owners unsure about whether they are considered a new establishment may contact Neighborhood and Inspection Services at permitting@cityoflewisville.com or 972.219.3470. To read the complete ordinance, please visit Lewisville City Code Section VII.2.1.5 of the Unified Development Code.

Questions?

Check out the FAQ below, or contact us at permitting@cityoflewisville.com or 972.219.3470.

Apply for a Short-Term Rental permit

Property owners may access the application at STR Permit Application.

Once submitted, applicants will receive a confirmation email with a PDF copy of their application attached. City staff will review the application and contact applicants in 7 to 10 business days with next steps.

Only STRs operating before the interim prohibition should apply for a short-term rental unit permit. Applicants who began operating an STR after March 4, 2024, and are not approved as a non-conforming use will be denied. The $400 application fee is non-refundable. STRs unsure if they should apply may contact us at permitting@cityoflewisville.com or 972.219.3470 for assistance.

Permits may only be issued or renewed if,

The $400 application fee is paid in full
STR owner is not delinquent on any taxes owed to the City
STR owner is not in arrears in the payment of any other financial liability to they city
STR permit application is complete, accurate, and complies with all requirements in Lewisville City Code Sec. 4-201.
STR property has passed inspection

Prepare for STR Permit Application

STR owner's can prepare for the STR permit application by reviewing the STR Permit Application Checklist. Applicants will be able to save an in-progress application to complete later. Please be prepared to provide the following information:

Driver's license or state identification number
City water account number for the STR property
STR property parcel number
Square footage for all bedrooms available for rent
Informational brochure that will be presented to tenants and posted in the STR explaining city regulations and house rules
Tax statement from the county where the STR is located showing that the property is not in arrears on property taxes as of the date of the permit application

Need help finding the parcel number for your STR? Please follow the Instructions for Parcel Number.

Need help finding the property tax statement for your STR? Please follow the Instructions for Property Tax Statement.

Please note: Providing inaccurate information may result in a denied application. Applications cannot be corrected once they are denied. A new application will be needed to obtain a permit. If you notice any errors after an application is submitted, please notify staff immediately at permitting@cityoflewisville.com or 972.219.3470. We may ask for changes to be submitted in writing.

Prepare for Inspection

Guest Notification / Informational Brochure

On the STR application, STR owners must provide a copy of the informational brochure that will be presented to guests and posted in the property explaining city regulations and house rules. The informational brochure must at least contain:

Owner's name
Property manager's name
24-hr contact telephone number
City ordinances and regulations for parking, trash collection, and noise
Police and fire department emergency and non-emergency telephone numbers

To assist STR owners, city staff have created an information brochure template for STRs to fill in. STRs are welcome to create their own document, provided it meets the requirements outlined in Lewisville City Code Sec 4-204.

Tri-fold Informational Brochure

Document-style Informational Brochure

Pay Hotel Occupancy Tax

STRs are asked to report and pay their hotel occupancy taxes with the STR HOT Form.

STRs must report and pay their hotel occupancy taxes on the 20th of each month, Lewisville City Code Sec. 14-65. STRs are asked to complete the form every month, even when there are zero stays and zero taxes to pay. Only credit card payments are accepted at this time. For questions about the hotel occupancy tax, please contact the Finance Department at 972.219.3420.

The online form is for STRs ONLY. All other properties that report hotel motel occupancy taxes must follow instructions provided by the Finance department on the Hotel Motel Occupancy site.

Report a Short-Term Rental concern

All STR concerns, such as excessive noise, trash, parking, advertising violations, and others, can be reported to our 24/7 STR Hotline at Lewisville 24/7 STR Hotline or by phone at 972.526.5738. Please be prepared to provide the STR address.

STR property concerns may also be reported to ourLewisvilleTX by following the steps listed below. Excessive noise may also be reported to the Police Non-Emergency line at 972.219.3640.

Steps to report an STR concern on ourLewisvilleTX:

Open the ourLewisvilleTX app or navigate to the ourLewisvilleTX homepage
Click on the “Requests” icon located at the bottom center and select “Create Request”
Login with your account, create an account, or create a request anonymously
Under report type, choose “Short Term Rental Concerns"

Short-Term Rental Documents

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand/Contract Questions and Answers

I began operating a short-term rental before the City of Lewisville adopted the STR ordinances. Do I still need to obtain an STR permit?
Yes, property owners who began operating an STR before March 4, 2024 must follow all STR requirements, including obtaining an annual permit. Property owners who began operating an STR on March 4, 2024 or later are subject to the interim prohibition of establishing new STRs.
How long is the STR permit valid?
STR permits are valid for one year from the date of issuance. STR owners will need to renew their permit before it expires.
Is there a fee for a short-term rental permit?
Yes, STR owners must pay a $400 non-refundable application fee. The fee is required to submit the online application. Only credit card payments are accepted at this time.

Are STRs subject to a maximum occupancy limit?

How can I find a property's parcel number?
Parcel numbers can be found at https://maps.cityoflewisville.com/. Detailed instructions are available at Instructions for parcel number.
How can I find a current property tax statement?
Property tax statements are provided by the county the property resides in and are often accessible online. Detailed instructions are available in Instructions for property tax statement.
Can an STR permit be denied or revoked?
Yes, a STR permit application can be denied if all requirements outlined in Lewisville City Code subsection 4-201(c) are not met. Applicants will be notified of denied and the basis for denial. Applications cannot be corrected after they are denied.

The STR permit can be revoked after issuance. Grounds for revocation are outlined in Lewisville City Code subsection. 4-201(g). The director of neighborhood and inspection services may revoke an STR permit if,
- Information on the application is false or misleading
- There is any attempt to transfer an STR permit or use a transferred STR permit
- Owner receives more than two citations for violation of city Code within the permit year
- Owner fails to comply with Lewisville City Code subsection 14-66(a), which establishes the city may audit those responsible for collecting and remitting hotel occupancy tax
Do STRs have to include specific information in advertisements?
Yes, to comply with Lewisville City Code 4-205.3, STR owners must meet the following requirements in their advertisements,
- Include the STR permit number issued from the City
- Include a Statement that the STR cannot be used as a party venue and may not be used to host events for compensation
- Cannot include a maximum occupancy higher than the max occupancy set by Lewisville City Code Sec. 4-205
Can the STR permit be transferred?
No, once a permit is issued it cannot be transferred to a new owner or location. A new application must be submitted. Any attempt to transfer a permit or attempt to use a transferred permit is grounds for revocation of the STR permit.

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Bedroom square footage	Occupancy Limit
70 - 99 square feet	1 occupant
100 - 149 square feet	2 occupants
150 - 199 square feet	3 occupants
200 - 249 square feet	4 occupants

City of Lewisville, TX

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Short Term Rentals

What is a short-term rental?

What is required to operate an STR in Lewisville?

Are STRs allowed in Lewisville?

Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

I began operating a short-term rental before the City of Lewisville adopted the STR ordinances. Do I still need to obtain an STR permit?

How long is the STR permit valid?

Is there a fee for a short-term rental permit?

Are STRs subject to a maximum occupancy limit?

How can I find a property's parcel number?

How can I find a current property tax statement?

Can an STR permit be denied or revoked?

Do STRs have to include specific information in advertisements?

Can the STR permit be transferred?