New Orleans, Louisiana Short Term Rental Regulations

City Code of Ordinances

Short-term rentals are defined in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO) as "the use and enjoyment of a Dwelling Unit or any part thereof, by guests for less than thirty consecutive days, in exchange for money, commodities, fruits, services, or other performances." This means that STR must take place in a legal Dwelling Unit and is the rental of that Unit for fewer than thirty days at a time.

Only specific types of short-term rentals are allowed in specific zoning districts. To get the most accurate information about a particular property, it is important to refer to the property by address and be familiar with its details. To review where STRs are allowed, see the Short Term Rental handbook guide on page 30 and consult the property viewer to show the applicable zoning and historic district designations for all properties in the city.

See the New Orleans Short Term Rental page for more information and view the Municipal Code of New Orleans. The STR-specific revisions to the Municipal Code of New Orleans may be found in Ordinance No. 28157 MCS.

Business License Requirements

Licenses are divided into two categories, Residential STR (RSTR) and Commercial STR (CSTR). Residential STR (RSTR):

• Residential Partial Unit (RSTR- Partial) - RSTR-Partial permits allow homeowners to accommodate up to 10 guests in a single housing unit, such as a townhouse, single-family home, apartment, or condo, by renting out up to 5 guest bedrooms and up to 2 guests per guest bedroom. The hosts must reside on the property and have a current homestead exemption in their name. This license is only available to property owners. This license is not available to renters. This kind of license costs $250. There can only be one RSTR-Partial license per host.
• Residential Small (RSTR - Small) - The RSTR-Small license allows owners to rent up to 5 guest bedrooms for up to 10 guests in a single residence with no more than four dwelling units (for example, single-family home with a separate mother-in-law unit or an apartment building with no more than four apartments). Hosts must have a valid homestead exemption in their name and reside on the property. This license is only available to property owners. This license is not available to renters. This kind of license costs $500. In the same building, a host is only permitted to have one RSTR-Small license. However, they may have one RSTR-Partial license.
• Residential Large (RSTR-Large) - In a building with more than four dwelling units, RSTR-Large permits allow property owners to rent up to 6 guest bedrooms for up to 12 guests in 3 units. For instance, if a building has more than four apartments, this license would allow a host to rent out three different units within the same building. The hosts must reside on the property and have a current homestead exemption in their name. This license is only available to property owners. This license is not available to renters. This kind of license costs $500. A host may obtain up to three RSTR-Large licenses.
• Commercial (CSTR)- In non-residential zones, property owners or tenants may apply for a CSTR license. In any building where fewer than 25% of the total dwelling units are currently licensed for STRs, hosts may rent up to 5 guest bedrooms and up to 10 guests with a CSTR license. This license category has a $1,000 price. A host is permitted an unlimited number of CSTR licenses.

Fill out the following applications if applicable:

• Residential Owner Permit (RSTR) Application Form
• Commercial Owner Permit (CSTR) Application Form
• Commercial Owner Permit (CSTR) Required Documents Form
• STR Operator (OSTR) Application Form
• STR OPERATOR (OSTR) REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS
• STR Platform Application Form

For details on the responsibilities and requirements for STR Owners and Operators, please refer to the Owner and Operator Responsibilities Guide in the STR Handbook, Appendix A-3.

Building and Housing Standards

New Orleans has rules and regulations that specify minimum building, design, maintenance standards, habitability, health, and safety requirements. Some rules and regulations that apply to residential and non-residential properties may apply to your listing. Read the Short Term Rental handbook for more information.

Tourist and Local Taxes

The Department of Finance, Bureau of Revenue, collects and manages all STR fees and taxes paid to the City. Visit the Bureau of Revenue's website for more details.

• RSTR Occupancy Fee: $5 per night rented
• CSTR Occupancy Fee: $12 per night rented
• City Sales Tax: 5%
• STR Equalization Occupancy Tax: 6.75%
• Occupancy Privilege:
• (1-299 rooms): $0.50 per night
• (300+ rooms): $1.00 per night

Short-term rentals might also be subjected to the state and county sales tax and are liable for payment as established by state and county law.

Other Rules

It is also essential to understand and abide by other contracts or rules that bind you, such as leases, condo boards, co-op rules, HOA rules, or rules established by tenant organizations. Please read your lease agreement and check with your landlord if applicable. Visit the City of New Orleans for more information.