Louisiana · Short-Term Rental Compliance
New Orleans Short-Term Rental Permit Guide
New Orleans rewrote its STR ordinance in 2023 after a federal lawsuit. Residential STRs now require a natural-person operator (no LLCs), one permit per square block (lottery in oversubscribed areas), and on-site presence during rental periods. Commercial STRs (CBD, Marigny commercial frontages) are allowed without the residency requirement. Hosts must remit a combined ~16.45% in state, parish, NOLA hotel-motel, and tourism support taxes plus a $1/night Neighborhood Housing Improvement Fund fee.
⚠ This summary is preliminary — we’re verifying against the current New Orleans ordinance. Always confirm with the city before filing.
What the city requires
Requirements checklist
- 1Residential STR permit$500/yr. Available only to natural persons (LLCs/corporations ineligible for residential). One STR per applicant. One permit per square block in residential zones — lottery system if oversubscribed.
- 2On-site owner presence ruleResidential STRs require the permit holder to physically reside at the property during rental periods. Property managers and remote owners do not satisfy this.
- 3Commercial STR permit$500/yr base + escalating per-unit fee. Available in CBD, French Quarter buffer, and certain Marigny/Bywater commercial frontage zones. No residency requirement.
- 4Combined occupancy tax + fees4.45% LA state + 5% Orleans Parish + 6.75% NOLA hotel-motel + 0.25% NOTMC = 16.45% combined, plus $1/night Neighborhood Housing Improvement Fund fee. Airbnb collects most; NHIF fee usually owed direct.
- 5Zoning + French Quarter banSTRs prohibited in the Vieux Carré (French Quarter) outside specific exempt parcels. Garden District and other historic-residential zones face additional density caps.
2023 ordinance overhaul is being aggressively enforced — the city's STR Administration unit pulls Airbnb data weekly. Residential permits in oversubscribed blocks are decided by lottery; reapplication after denial requires waiting for the next cycle.
Official filing portal: https://nola.gov/short-term-rentals/
Other jurisdictions
Operating in more than one city?
- GAAtlantaShort-Term Rental License (STRL) — Type 1 (owner present) / Type 2 (whole-home with on-site owner)
- TXAustinShort-Term Rental Operating License (Type 1 / Type 2 / Type 3)
- CODenverShort-Term Rental Business License (primary residence only) + Lodger's Tax License
- NVLas VegasShort-Term Rental Business License + Conditional Use Verification
- FLMiamiCertificate of Use (Vacation Rental) + Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License
- FLMiami BeachBusiness Tax Receipt + Resort Tax Registration (STR-eligible zones only)
- TNNashvilleShort-Term Rental Property (STRP) Permit — Type 1 (owner-occupied) / Type 2 (non-owner-occupied)
- FLOrlandoHome Share Registration (city) + Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License
- AZScottsdaleVacation Rental / Short-Term Rental License