Overview: STR Status in Clarendon, TX

Short-term rentals ARE ALLOWED in Clarendon, TX. The City of Clarendon explicitly recognizes and permits short-term rental operations within city limits. All hotels/motels/short-term rentals (STR) must be registered with the City, and STR hosts are subject to both state and local hotel occupancy tax collection and remittance requirements.

Starting a Short-Term Rental Business in Clarendon

Step 1: Initial Registration

• Register your STR with the City of Clarendon before beginning operations
• Contact City Hall at (806) 874-3438 for assistance with registration
• All Hotels/Motels/Short Term Rentals must be registered with the City

Step 2: Tax Registration and Setup

• Obtain necessary tax registration numbers for state and local hotel occupancy tax collection
• Set up systems to collect both state (6%) and local (7%) hotel occupancy taxes from guests
• Note: Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit taxes to the State of Texas and some municipalities, but do not submit taxes to the City of Clarendon, so local hosts must handle local tax collection themselves

Step 3: Ongoing Compliance

• File monthly tax reports by the 15th business day of the month following collection
• Maintain detailed records of all transactions, exemptions, and reimbursements
• Allow city officials access to books and records during regular business hours for verification

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

Required Forms and Documents:

1. Hotel & STR Registration Form - Complete registration with city
2. HOT Tax Reporting Form - Monthly/quarterly tax remittance
3. Full compliance with the Hotel & STR Ordinance (document link provided)

Key Registration Requirements:

• Must register before operating
• Applies to all "hotels" including: hotels, motels, tourist homes, tourist courts, lodging houses, inns, short term rentals, bed and breakfasts, rooming houses, or other buildings where members of the public obtain sleeping accommodations for consideration where cost of occupancy is $2 per day or more

Record Keeping Requirements:

• Complete and detailed records must be kept of all reported amounts
• Documentation of all exemptions or reimbursements claimed
• Records must be maintained for verification purposes

Specific Regulations for Clarendon, TX

Tax Requirements

State Hotel Occupancy Tax:

• Rate: 6% of the cost of the room
• Applicability: Applies when renting rooms costing $15 or more per day
• Applies to: Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, condominiums, apartments, and houses

Local Hotel Occupancy Tax (Clarendon):

• Rate: 7% of the total amount paid by the occupant
• Exclusions: Excludes any other taxes levied by different government entities
• Applicability: Applies to all "hotels" within City of Clarendon when cost of occupancy is $2 per day or more

Filing and Payment Deadlines

Monthly Filers:

• Due Date: 15th business day of the month following the month of collection

Quarterly Filers:

• Due Date: 15th business day of the month following the end of the quarter (April, July, October, January)

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Tax Collection and Reporting Violations:

• Classification: Misdemeanors upon conviction
• Monthly Penalty: 5% per month or any part of a month on any tax delinquency
• Reporting Penalty: 5% per month for unfiled reports beyond due date
• Additional Consequences:
  • City secretary authorized to assess tax for such period
  • Tax assessed together with penalties becomes prior and superior lien on all motel property

Enforcement Authority:

• City secretary permitted access to books and records during regular business hours
• Access necessary to determine correctness of amounts due
• Access to determine whether reports should have been filed and amount of taxes due

Revenue Distribution:

Hotel Occupancy Tax funds are allocated as follows:

• 25% to the Chamber of Commerce
• 75% to the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation
• Funds used for advertising Clarendon with billboards, biannual Welcome Guide, and promotion of events that bring visitors for overnight stays

Contact Information for Local Authority

Primary Contact:

Machiel Covey
City Secretary
Phone: 806-874-3438
Email: m.covey@cityofclarendontx.com

City Hall:

Address: 313 S. Sully Street, Clarendon, TX 79226
Phone: (806) 874-3438
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8am to 5pm

Online Resources:

• Hotel Tax Payment Portal: www.go2gov.net/go/clarendontxhot
• City Website: cityofclarendontx.com

Source Pages

1. Hotel Occupancy and Short Term Rental Tax Information - Primary source for all Clarendon-specific STR requirements, tax rates, forms, and contact information

2. Code of Ordinances - Link to current Code of Ordinances, though specific STR ordinance details are primarily found on the HOT/STR tax information page

Important Note: While other documents were provided in your request, the only content specifically relevant to Clarendon, TX STR regulations comes from the city's official website. The additional documents reference other Texas cities and general STR policy discussions but do not provide Clarendon-specific regulatory information.