Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Rules in New Orleans, LA (2026)

New Orleans, LA allows short-term rentals — commonly listed on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO — subject to local regulations that have evolved significantly since 2015. Hosts must register with the city (Short-Term Rental Permit) before listing their property. New Orleans regulates STRs to balance tourism revenue with neighborhood quality of life. Key rules cover primary residence requirements, nightly limits, occupancy caps, and tax collection obligations. Hosts who operate without required registration or in violation of city rules face substantial fines. Below are the current registration requirements, rules, platform-specific notes, and penalties for New Orleans.

Registration Requirements

Registration Required: Short-Term Rental Permit. Registration fee: $150. Annual renewal: $150 annually. Register through the New Orleans Office of Safety and Permits or New Orleans City Planning Commission. Your registration number must be displayed on all platform listings. Failure to register before hosting is a violation subject to fines.

Operational Rules

Short-Term Rental Rules in New Orleans: 1. IMPORTANT: New Orleans STR regulations are subject to ongoing legal challenges and City Council amendments — verify current rules before listing 2. Residential STR permits require the property to be the operator's primary residence (owner-occupied requirement applies to most residential zones) 3. Commercial STR permits available only in designated commercial and mixed-use zones 4. Maximum of 1 STR permit per property 5. Residential STRs may rent the entire unit or a portion, subject to primary residence requirement 6. STR operators must display permit number in all listings and on the property 7. Must comply with New Orleans noise ordinance — quiet hours 10pm-7am weekdays, 11pm-9am weekends 8. Occupancy limit: 2 guests per bedroom, maximum of 8 guests total 9. Must provide 24-hour contact number for neighbor complaints 10. Annual safety inspection required for renewal 11. New Orleans collects Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) — platforms collect on qualified rentals

• •IMPORTANT: New Orleans STR regulations are subject to ongoing legal challenges and City Council amendments — verify current rules before listing
• •Residential STR permits require the property to be the operator's primary residence (owner-occupied requirement applies to most residential zones)
• •Commercial STR permits available only in designated commercial and mixed-use zones
• •Maximum of 1 STR permit per property
• •Residential STRs may rent the entire unit or a portion, subject to primary residence requirement
• •STR operators must display permit number in all listings and on the property
• •Must comply with New Orleans noise ordinance — quiet hours 10pm-7am weekdays, 11pm-9am weekends
• •Occupancy limit: 2 guests per bedroom, maximum of 8 guests total
• •Must provide 24-hour contact number for neighbor complaints
• •Annual safety inspection required for renewal
• •New Orleans collects Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) — platforms collect on qualified rentals

Platform-Specific Rules

Platform-Specific Rules in New Orleans: Airbnb: Airbnb collects New Orleans Hotel Occupancy Tax on qualifying STR rentals VRBO: VRBO collects HOT on qualifying rentals. STR permit number must be listed on all booking platforms. Always verify current platform tax collection and remittance policies directly with your platform — these can change without advance notice to hosts.

Penalties for Violations

Penalties for STR Violations in New Orleans: $500 per day for operating without a permit; $500–$2,000 per violation for compliance failures; Permit revocation for repeat violations; 2-year ban from reapplying after permit revocation. New Orleans has enforcement mechanisms to identify unlicensed short-term rental listings on platforms. Hosts should ensure all registrations are current and listings display valid registration numbers.

• ⚠$500 per day for operating without a permit
• ⚠$500–$2,000 per violation for compliance failures
• ⚠Permit revocation for repeat violations
• ⚠2-year ban from reapplying after permit revocation

Frequently Asked Questions