Lodging Establishments

Did You Know?
  • A person may not operate a lodging establishment without a permit issued by the regulatory authority. Permits are not transferable from one person to another or from one location to another location.
  • Lodging establishment means any building, group of buildings, structure, facility, place, or places of business where seven or more guest rooms are provided, which is owned, maintained, or operated by any person and which is kept, used, maintained, advertised or held out to the public for hire:
    • The term "lodging establishment" can be construed to be a hotel, motel, motor hotel, apartment hotel, tourist court, resort, cabins, tourist home, bunkhouse, bed and breakfast, non-hosted hotel, or other similar place by whatever name called, and includes all such accommodations operated for hire as lodging establishments for either transient guests, permanent guests, or for both transient and permanent guests.
    • The term "lodging establishment" does not include duplexes, quadriplexes, dormitories, short-term residential rentals, and apartment complexes.
hotel room photo

In 2006, the City of Wichita Falls approved a local ordinance to establish minimum health standards for the construction, operation, and maintenance of a lodging establishment within the corporate limits of the City of Wichita Falls. Since then, the other cities in Wichita County have adopted these regulations. Health Inspectors routinely monitor Lodging Establishments in Wichita County to assure they adhere to these regulations:

Local Ordinance