North Richland Hills City Council Monday approved a new ordinance to restrict short-term rentals in the city.

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas — The North Richland Hills City Council passed a new ordinance Monday, making it the latest North Texas city to restrict short-term rentals. 

The city will restrict short-term rentals to areas zoned for multi-family and commercial development, according to the newly passed ordinance. Short-term rentals in a multi-family setting are restricted to no more than 5% of the total units in the complex. 

A short-term rental is a dwelling that is rented for a fee for less than 30 days, under the city’s newly approved definitions. Short-term rentals are commonly listed on websites like Airbnb and VRBO. 

Owners of short-term rentals will now have to apply for an annual permit and pay a fee to the city, plus a yearly hotel occupancy fee. Short-term rentals will also be subject to an inspection when the application is submitted and quarterly after the permit is approved. The home must be rented for at least two nights. 

A short-term rental operator may have their permit revoked if they commit three violations within 12 months or five violations within 24 months. 

If someone is found to be operating a short-term rental without a permit, they could be fined up to $500. If they violate any other rule related to short-term rentals, the fine could reach $2,000. 

Several other North Texas cities, including Fort Worth and Arlington, have passed similar restrictions on short-term rentals. 

Existing short-term rentals in North Richland Hills have until the end of January to register with the city.