Irving Forces All STR Hosts to Register Now or Stop Operating

If you rent a home, apartment, or even a room in Irving for less than 30 days, you are now legally required to be registered with the city — and if you are opening a new single-family listing, you need a Conditional Use Permit before you can take your first guest. Irving's updated short-term rental ordinance is now in effect, and the city has roughly 220 STRs in its sights.

What Just Changed

Irving originally adopted an STR ordinance some years ago, but the city council voted unanimously on July 30 to significantly tighten the rules. The biggest new requirement: any host opening a new short-term rental in a single-family neighborhood must now apply for a Conditional Use Permit through the city's planning department before going live. That is a full public review process, not just a form and a fee.

At the same time, the registration requirement — which previously covered only single-family homes — has been expanded to apartments. If you are renting any residential unit in Irving for less than 30 days, you are in scope.

The Date That Actually Matters

July 31 is the dividing line. Hosts who were already operating before that date can continue under a legacy status, but only if they follow existing STR rules and keep their registration current. Miss a renewal or fall out of compliance and that protection disappears. New hosts who started listing on or after July 31 must go through the full Conditional Use Permit process — no shortcuts.

The Rules Every Host Must Follow

Registration and the CUP are just the entry points. Irving's code enforcement director Shane Diller laid out the full rulebook in detail. Every operating STR must meet all of the following:

• Minimum two-night stays — no one-night bookings allowed.
• At least four on-site parking spaces, with one additional space required per bedroom beyond the base count.
• No more than 10% of a block face can be STRs. On a block of 20 homes, that means a maximum of two short-term rentals.
• No renting individual rooms when the whole home is listed. If you are renting out the entire property, it must go to a single party or group — not separate couples in separate rooms.
• No unsupervised minors on the property. An adult must be on site whenever minors are present.

Taxes on Top of Registration

Compliance does not stop at the permit. Irving hosts are subject to a combined lodging tax load that adds up fast. The state rate sits at 6%, the local rate at 7%, and the county adds another 2%, with an accommodation tax of 6% on top of that. While Airbnb collects lodging tax on behalf of hosts on its platform, Irving hosts are still required to submit taxes manually as well — so do not assume your platform handles everything. Tax filings are due on the 1st of the month. Missing that deadline while also operating without a current registration is a fast way to compound your exposure.

The city also requires hosts to carry a minimum of $1 million per occurrence in insurance coverage, maintain required signage, and have a fire extinguisher on the property.

What Hosts Should Do Right Now

If you are already operating, confirm your registration is current with Irving's code enforcement department — that is the only thing standing between you and the new CUP requirement. If you are planning to open a new listing in a single-family neighborhood, contact the planning department and start the Conditional Use Permit application before you publish your listing. The city notified affected property owners by mail under state law, so "I didn't know" is not a defense that will hold up.

Council member John Bloch, who voted for the ordinance, called it "the most significant step that we have taken as a council to protect the integrity of our neighborhoods" — a signal that enforcement is not going to be casual.

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