Galveston's Three-Strike Rule Puts STR Licenses on the Line

Galveston just made it a lot easier to lose your short-term rental license. The city has adopted a three-strike rule that allows it to revoke a rental registration after three documented violations within 12 months, and it has taken direct control of the complaint hotline that feeds those violations into the system. With 264 violations already filed in Municipal Court and cumulative fines and court costs reaching $25,384, this is not a warning shot. Enforcement is already underway.

What Just Changed

Until recently, Galveston's short-term rental complaint hotline was handled by a third-party vendor, Deckard Technologies, which managed calls through the number 409-247-8160. That arrangement is over. The city has brought the hotline in-house, and residents with noise, trash, or other complaints can now call 409-797-3990 directly. City staff will contact the rental's local representative first. If the issue goes unresolved, the complaint moves to the City Marshal's Office.

The city also took over the registration process itself, a function that previously sat with the Park Board. That transition happened in October 2025, and the violation count has been climbing ever since.

The Numbers That Should Get Your Attention

Since the city assumed oversight in October 2025, Municipal Court records show 264 short-term rental violations have been filed. Of those, 74 cases are awaiting arraignment, 52 have ended in convictions, 66 have been dismissed, and 43 have resulted in warrants being issued. Another 25 remain in other court proceedings. The city has collected nearly $25,400 in fines and court costs from those cases.

On top of enforcement exposure, hosts need to account for the full cost of operating legally. A Short-Term Rental Registration carries a $250 license fee. The combined tax burden on rental revenue runs to 13 percent, split between a 6 percent state tax rate and a 7 percent local tax rate. Even if a platform like Airbnb collects lodging tax on your behalf, Galveston requires manual tax submission on a monthly basis, with filings due on the 1st of each month. Missing that deadline is its own compliance risk, separate from the hotline entirely.

A Dedicated Deputy and a Bigger Enforcement Footprint Coming

The city hired a full-time deputy in May dedicated exclusively to short-term rental enforcement, working Thursday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., with a focus on unregistered properties. That is already a significant shift. But the city has signaled it is not stopping there.

Public Information Officer Marissa Barnett said in a statement that the city's second year of regulatory authority will focus on "hiring an additional deputy to allow for a 7 day-a-week night-shift response to complaints, as well as improving response time, identifying property owners that are not responsive in resolving complaints, and identifying properties with repeated violations." Seven nights a week, all night. That is the direction this is heading.

City officials estimated in October 2025 that roughly 690 short-term rental properties were operating without registration across the island. Those properties are the primary target, but registered hosts with repeat complaints are clearly next in line under the three-strike framework.

What Hosts Should Do Right Now

The path forward is straightforward, but it requires action on several fronts at once.

• Verify your registration. If you are among the estimated 690 unregistered properties, you are already the city's top enforcement priority. Get registered before a deputy finds you first.
• Confirm your local contact is reachable. Galveston requires a local contact, and the new hotline routes complaints directly to that person. An unreachable contact means an unresolved complaint, which means a violation on your record.
• Check your tax filings. Monthly submissions are required even if your platform collects lodging tax. The deadline is the 1st of each month.
• Take complaints seriously the first time. Under the three-strike rule, three violations in 12 months ends your license. There is no buffer for a bad weekend.

For the complete Galveston compliance guide including tax calculator, checklist, and daily monitoring, see Galveston, TX STR Regulations.