Short-term Rental Registration and Renewals

Register or Renew Your Short-Term Rental License

All short-term rental owners are required to register their properties. The registration process is easy and can be done online or in person.

Registration must be renewed annually by December 31. The fee for registration to register your property is $250 for both new registrations and renewals. If you are paying using ACH or credit/debit, there will be an additional convenience fee charged.

For new registrations, the property will be assigned a Galveston Vacation Rental (GVR) number once the fee is paid. For registration renewals, you will keep the GVR number associated with your renewal. The GVR number must be displayed in all property listings. Failure to renew or register by the deadline will result in the removal of your listing and fines.

If the property is no longer being rented: Please inform the city by emailing str@galvestontx.gov so the property will be removed from the database. This will help prevent any confusion about whether your rental is operating without a valid registration.

Registration FAQ

When is registration renewal? Registration renewals for the calendar year will begin on December 1st and are due by December 31st.   

What happens if I do not renew my registration by December 31st? The invalid GVR number and property address will be sent to the listing platforms, and your rental listing will be removed. If this occurs, you will be responsible for contacting the platforms and having your property reinstated. 

I am a new short-term rental owner. How do I register? You can register your property on the City of Galveston website at www.galvestontx.gov/rentals 

What is a GVR #? GVR stands for Galveston Vacation Rental number. All properties being used as a short-term rental in the City of Galveston must have one. A GVR # is required for all listings. 

How do I get a GVR #? When you register your short-term rental property, you are assigned a GVR number.  

Do I have to have a registration number for each unit, or can I just register them all under one number? You must have a unique registration number for each rentable unit. 

What information do I need to have on hand when I go online to register my property? You will need your property address or GCAD number (found at www.galvestoncad.org), number of bedrooms, sleeping capacity, the name and telephone number of a 24-hour contact for the property who lives within one hour of the rental property, and a bank account (ACH) or credit card for the registration fee. A small convenience fee will be added to all online payments.