Surfside Beach Vacation Rental Registration: What Owners Must Know

The short answer

Every short-term rental in the Village of Surfside Beach must be registered before it can legally operate, and that registration renews every December 31. On top of registration, you owe an 11% hotel occupancy tax on each stay: 5% to the Village and 6% to the State of Texas. Booking platforms typically remit only the state portion, leaving the Village tax in your hands. Miss a filing, and penalties follow. Here is exactly what you need to do.

Why Surfside Beach has its own rules

Surfside Beach is a small Gulf village in Brazoria County, tucked near San Luis Pass and the jetties. It draws fishing enthusiasts, families, and anyone looking for a quieter alternative to Galveston. The Village’s growing popularity led it to create its own registration and tax program. That program is separate from anything the state or a booking platform manages for you.

The rules are not complicated, but they require action from you every year. Letting a deadline slip is not a recoverable situation without paying fines.

Registration: what it is and when it renews

You must register your short-term rental with the Village of Surfside Beach before you list or accept any bookings. Registration renews annually on December 31. That means if you are reading this in late 2026, your renewal is weeks away.

Registration is tied to the property, not to the platform. Running a listing on Airbnb, Vrbo, or a direct-booking site does not substitute for Village registration. Confirm current registration requirements and any associated fees directly with the Village, as these details can change between publication and your renewal date. The official source for hotel tax rules is the Village of Surfside Beach hotel tax page.

Hotel tax: the 11% breakdown

Every taxable short-term rental night in Surfside Beach is subject to an 11% hotel occupancy tax, split as follows:

• 5% Village of Surfside Beach hotel tax
• 6% State of Texas hotel occupancy tax

The combined 11% applies to the price paid for the right to use the room or property. Cleaning fees and security deposits are generally not included in the taxable amount, but confirm with the Village or a tax professional.

What Airbnb and Vrbo actually remit

This is the piece most owners get wrong. Airbnb and Vrbo have agreements with Texas to collect and remit the 6% state hotel tax on your behalf. They do not have a similar agreement with the Village of Surfside Beach. That means the 5% Village tax is your responsibility to collect from guests and file with the Village every quarter.

If you assume the platform is handling everything, you will fall behind on Village filings without realizing it.

Quarterly filing calendar

Village hotel tax filings are due four times a year. The due dates are:

• April 20
• July 20
• October 20
• January 20

You must file on each of these dates even if you had zero rental income in that quarter. A zero-activity filing is still required. Missing it can result in penalties, so put these dates in your calendar now.

What happens if you skip registration or filings

Operating without a valid registration puts your listing at risk and can expose you to fines. Late or missing tax filings carry their own penalties. The Village has the authority to pursue back taxes, interest, and fees. Rebuilding compliance after a lapse costs far more time and money than staying current.

Non-compliance can also affect your ability to list on platforms. Some platforms ask for registration numbers as part of the listing setup, and a lapsed registration may trigger a takedown.

What you need to provide before listing

Before your property goes live, gather these items:

• Your Village of Surfside Beach registration certificate (or proof of application)
• A system to collect the 5% Village hotel tax from guests on non-platform bookings
• A quarterly reminder system for filing dates
• Your Texas hotel tax account number with the Texas Comptroller

If you work with a property manager, confirm in writing which of these tasks they handle and which remain yours.

Questions to ask any property manager, and what Hooray Stays handles

Not every management company handles tax compliance the same way. Use this table when comparing options.

Question to ask any manager	Hooray Stays answer
Do you handle Village of Surfside Beach registration renewals?	Yes. We manage the renewal process as part of our Surfside Beach service.
Do you file the Village’s 5% hotel tax quarterly?	Yes. We track and file the Village portion, not just the state portion the platform remits.
What percentage is your management fee calculated on?	Management commission starts at 20% of net nightly revenue: the nightly rate after the booking platform’s host fee, with cleaning fees and taxes excluded. Some agreements add a monthly technology fee. Exact terms depend on the property and agreement.
What does your fee cover?	Listing on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and our direct-booking site; daily human review of pricing; guest consumables at no markup; a damage waiver covering up to $1,500; signed rental agreement and government photo ID from every guest; smart lock with unique guest codes; exterior camera; quarterly in-person walkthroughs; and owner payouts by the 5th of each month with a line-item statement.
How do I reach someone if there’s an issue?	Owners deal directly with Matt and Carissa Codd. No intermediaries. Matt’s number is (832) 224-6713.
Is there a long-term contract?	30-day notice to cancel. Setup fee is waived on select longer-term agreements. There is also a current promotion: first 30 days commission-free.
Do guests pay platform service fees when booking direct?	Guests who book through our direct site at rent.hooray-stays.com avoid platform service fees, so the same dates often cost less. Compare the total yourself.

For the full picture of what we include, see what’s included in Hooray Stays property management.

How management fees are calculated (and why it matters here)

Fee structures vary across the industry. Industry guides commonly cite full-service management fees of roughly 20-35% of revenue, and many managers calculate their percentage on the gross booking total. See Fairly’s guide to average Airbnb management fees for context. Always ask any manager what the percentage is calculated on, because gross versus net can mean a significant difference in what you keep.

At Hooray Stays, the commission starts at 20% of net nightly revenue: the nightly rate after the booking platform’s host fee, with cleaning fees and taxes excluded.

Ready to get your Surfside Beach rental into compliance?

December 31 is not far away. If you are still sorting out registration, tax filing, or whether to bring in a manager, now is the time to get answers. Our team knows the Village requirements and handles the quarterly filings so you are not carrying that calendar alone.

Reach out to Matt directly at (832) 224-6713, or explore our Surfside Beach vacation rental management services to see how we operate in this market. We’ll give you a free analysis of your specific property, with no obligation.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Surfside Beach vacation rental registration renew?

Village of Surfside Beach registration renews annually on December 31. You must renew each year to legally operate your short-term rental. Confirm current requirements and fees directly with the Village at surfsidetx.org.

What is the total hotel tax rate in Surfside Beach?

The total hotel occupancy tax is 11%: 5% to the Village of Surfside Beach and 6% to the State of Texas. Both apply to the nightly rate charged to guests.

Do Airbnb and Vrbo remit the full hotel tax in Surfside Beach?

No. Airbnb and Vrbo typically remit only the 6% state hotel tax. The 5% Village tax is the owner’s responsibility to collect and file quarterly with the Village.

When are Surfside Beach hotel tax filings due?

Quarterly filings are due April 20, July 20, October 20, and January 20. You must file even if you had no rental income in that quarter.

What does Hooray Stays handle for Surfside Beach owners?

Hooray Stays manages Village registration renewals, quarterly Village tax filings, listing across Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and a direct-booking site, daily pricing review, guest vetting, and more. See the full list at hooray-stays.com/property-management/.

Keep reading

• Crystal Beach Vacation Rentals for Labor Day Weekend 2026: Book Direct & Skip the Ferry Line Crowds
• Best Airbnb Management Companies in Galveston, TX (2026)

Written by Matt Codd, who owns and runs Hooray Stays with Carissa Codd and operates his own Texas short-term rentals. Last updated October 26, 2026. Questions? Call (832) 224-6713.