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Rental Housing

Registration

In 2009, the College Station City Council sought to maintain neighborhood integrity by adopting a rental registration ordinance. That ordinance was amended in 2017 requiring all non-owner-occupied residential properties to be registered with the City. In other words, all single-family, duplex, tri-plex, four-plex, five-plex, or six-plex dwelling unit that is not owner occupied, whether or not rent is charged. The program’s goal is to identify rental property ownership with a local contact in case of health, safety or other code violations that might be detrimental to properties, tenants or surrounding neighborhoods. It also helps the city keep property owners informed of new ordinances, laws or issues that might affect their properties. The intent is to keep our neighborhoods safe, clean and peaceful for everyone.

As of Oct. 24, 2022, the one-time rental registration fee is $90 per building. The ordinance now includes an Administrative Penalty for failing to register within 30 days of the initial notification. If incurred, all administrative penalties must be paid before the property can be rental registered.

The following penalties may apply:
31-45 days overdue - $25 per day
46-60 days overdue - $50 per day
61-75 days overdue - $75 per day and a summons to court written
76 or more days overdue - $100 per day and another summons to court written

The rental registration program benefits you and your property. In case of an emergency, leak, fire, break-in, or too many code violations at your property, your contact information is on file so that you can be notified promptly. Only authorized personnel within the city’s Police, Fire, Community Services, and Utilities have access to the rental registration database.

To register online, users can access a secure site called eTRAKiT. Complete the rental registration license form and pay the fee of $90 per building. Hard copy forms are located at the bottom of this web page.

Rental Registration Licenses are no longer needed to renew each year. However, if you no longer own a property, or if your contact information or the local contact's information has changed, you are required to provide updated information or documentation. You can email the change to rentalregistration@cstx.gov. You cannot edit this information in eTRAKiT.

For property owners registering with the Rental Registration License Program for the FIRST TIME, please do the following:

  • Visit our eTRAKit website.

  • In the black bar at the top of the eTRAKiT screen, change the "Registered User" pull-down to "Public," then click on "Setup An Account." Please note that you need to set up a PUBLIC account, not a Registered User account. Set up your account with username and password; you will receive email confirmation. Then go to eTRAKiT and log in to your Public account.

  • On the Dashboard, go to Licenses, and Apply for New License.

  • Follow the steps and enter all required information. "Type" is Rental Registration. "Licensee Name" is YOUR name or LLC. Continue through all screens. Under "Additional Information," hover over the "?" for a definition of each item.

  • If you do not live in College Station, you are required by city ordinance to have a local contact within 30 miles of College Station City Hall (1101 Texas Ave.). If you do not provide a local contact when creating a license, we cannot approve and activate your rental license until you provide the required information.

  • The license fee is $90 per building. You may pat with Visa, MasterCard, or Discover.

 

  • DO NOT create a new license for a property if you have an existing Rental Registration License and just need to change contact information. Email RentalRegistration@cstx.gov to update contact information or to be removed due to not having the rental property anymore.

Rental Registration Licenses no longer need to be renewed every year. However, if you no longer own a property, or if your contact information or the local contact's information has changed, you are required to notify us in writing within 30 days of the change. You can email the change to RentalRegistration@cstx.gov. You cannot edit this information in eTRAKiT.

DO NOT create a new license for a property if you have an existing Rental Registration License and just need to change contact information.

If you have acquired a rental property that hasn't been registered, follow the instructions for first-time user.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rental Property means any single-family, townhome, duplex, tri-plex, four-plex, five-plex, or six-plex dwelling unit that is not owner-occupied, whether or not rent is charged. The term "rental property" includes, but is not limited to, properties rented to students, families, or any other persons; properties in which a family member of the owner resides in the home but the owner does not (regardless of whether additional persons also reside in the home); properties used as vacation rentals or game-day rentals; and properties where a property caretaker lives in the home but the owner does not.

Owner Occupied is defined as the property's owner of record that utilizes the dwelling as the owner's primary residence. If family members live on the property, but the owner does not, the property is not owner-occupied and must be registered. Duplex, three-, four-, five-, and six-plex properties where the property owner lives in one of the units must be registered.

The rental property owner is responsible for registering. Out-of-town owners must designate a local contact person responsible for the property. The local contact cannot be someone listed on the lease and must reside within 30 miles of College Station City Hall (1101 Texas Ave.). Tenants are not required to register.

If you own a home where family members live while going to school and they do not pay rent, you still have to register. Rental Registration License applies whether or not rent is paid. It applies even if you visit every weekend and keep a toothbrush there, because it is not your primary residence.

Not quite. The ordinance requires registration licenses for single-family, townhome, duplex, three-plex, four-plex, five-plex, and six-plex rental properties. Condos and multi-family properties with more than six dwelling units per building are not required to be registered. Each residential dwelling unit must provide complete, independent living facilities for one family, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, eating and sanitation.

Property owners do not need to provide change of tenant information to the city, but current tenant information should be retained by the local contact person and made available when necessary.

The database is maintained only for city use, but is considered public record if requested.

The city issues a written citation or summons request to Municipal Court for code violations. Violations include:

  • Failure to register a non-owner occupied property
  • Refusing to allow the review of required documents or information
  • Providing false information


Each day a violation continues is a separate offense. If you receive a citation or summons to Municipal Court, you must contact the Court Administrator to pay the fine or arrange for a plea and hearing within 10 days of the citation/summons.

Citation amounts if offense to paid within 10 days: 
First -  $180 
Second - $330 
Third & Subsequent - $480 

Citation amounts if offense to paid after 10 days: 
First - $200
Second - $350
Third & Subsequent - $500

Yes, you are entitled to due process, including an administrative hearing and the right to judicial appeal.

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