State Airbnb laws2026 22 sources cited

Louisiana Short-Term Rental Laws & Hotel Tax (2026)

Source: AirROI Reviewed by , Founder @ AirROI Rules checked

From 19 official sources and 3 Airbnb help pages. Not legal advice.

The short answer

Louisiana Airbnb Laws in Brief

At a glance

Louisiana Short-Term Rental Laws at a Glance

State license required
Yes
Latest rule change
Jan 1, 2026

The laws in brief

The rules a Louisiana host meets first, each linked to the ordinance, statute or official page it comes from. Details and exceptions follow below.

Louisiana Short-Term Rental Laws at a Glance
TopicRule
PermitPermits and zoning are set locally11,15,17,18,19,20
Who can hostNew Orleans: non-commercial operator lives on site11
WhereLafayette: no rentals in RS-1 single-family zones17
GuestsNew Orleans: up to 3 bedrooms and 6 guests12
Listing displayNew Orleans: permit numbers in the listing11,12
PlatformsBooking platforms collect the state sales tax1,6
SafetyNew Orleans: fire extinguisher, smoke and CO alarms12
NeighborsLafayette: notify neighbors, name a 24/7 contact17

Your home

Can You Host an Airbnb in Louisiana? It Depends on the Home

Whether you can host in Louisiana turns on whose home it is and whether you live there.

Your own home, rented whole while you're away

Allowed with conditions

A room in your home with you present

Allowed with conditions

A second home or investment property you don't live in

Allowed with conditions

A home in a single-family neighborhood

Not allowed

A rented home (tenant hosting)

Allowed with conditions

Permit

Do You Need a License for Airbnb in Louisiana?

Yes. Louisiana hosts need the Local short-term rental permit or license from the City or parish: for example the New Orleans Short Term Rental Administration, the Baton Rouge Permits and Inspections Division, the Lafayette Community Development and Planning Department, the Shreveport-Caddo Metropolitan Planning Commission or Jefferson Parish Code Compliance. It costs $500.11,12,15,16,17,18,19,22

Who needs it
Issued by
Valid for
On listings
Platform checks

Fees

Fees
FeeAmount
New Orleans non-commercial owner permit (NSTR)Owner permit fee for a non-commercial short-term rental, in addition to the $50 application fee; the permit term runs to June 30.$500
New Orleans operator permit (single non-commercial unit)Operator permit for one non-commercial unit, plus the $50 application fee.$150
Baton Rouge non-owner-occupied permitValid unless the rental stops operating for one year; owner-occupied rentals need no permit.$100
Lafayette short-term rental licenseNew and renewal applications both cost $100; the license expires December 31 of each year.$100
Shreveport Type A permit (rooms and accessory units)Non-refundable; Type B (whole home) is $250, a Special Exception Use is $350 and renewal is $100.$150
Jefferson Parish lodging license processing feeDue with the lodging license application and again every year while the rental operates.$750

Who qualifies

  • New Orleans: the unit needs both an owner permit and an operator permit, and a non-commercial operator must live at the property during guest stays
  • Baton Rouge: owner-occupied homes with a homestead exemption need no permit; other homes need a non-owner-occupied permit
  • Lafayette: not allowed in RS-1 (single-family) residential zoning districts
  • Jefferson Parish (including Metairie): not allowed in single-use residential zoning districts, and the home must be the applicant's primary residence
  • Shreveport: Type A for rooms, Type B-1 for whole homes; Type B-2 needs a Special Exception Use approval

How to apply

  1. Check zoning and building eligibility with the city or parish planning office before applying.
  2. Apply to the local office: the New Orleans One Stop App, Baton Rouge MyGovernmentOnline, the Shreveport online portal, Lafayette Community Development and Planning, or Jefferson Parish MyGovernmentOnline.
  3. Register to remit sales, use and occupancy tax (Baton Rouge and Lafayette ask for proof with the application), or list only through a platform that remits them.
  4. Show the permit number in each listing where the city requires it (New Orleans and Shreveport do).

Permit rules

Permits and zoning are set locally
New Orleans: owner permit and operator permit
New Orleans: $500 owner permit, $150 operator permit
New Orleans: permit numbers in the listing
Baton Rouge: $100 non-owner-occupied permit
Lafayette: $100 license, renewed each year
Jefferson Parish: $750 yearly lodging license fee
Shreveport: permit before operating
Shreveport: permit number on every ad
Booking platforms collect the state sales tax
Platforms also remit hotel and motel occupancy taxes
New Orleans: platforms itemize taxes and fees

Who can host

What Louisiana Cities and Counties Can and Can't Regulate

New Orleans: non-commercial operator lives on site
New Orleans: one non-commercial permit per square, by lottery
Baton Rouge: owner-occupied rentals need no permit
Lafayette: no rentals in RS-1 single-family zones
Jefferson Parish: not allowed in single-use residential districts
Jefferson Parish: primary residence documentation
Shreveport: 500-foot spacing and ten-adult limit

Local rules

Local Rules in Louisiana's 5 Largest Airbnb Markets

A state license doesn't replace local rules. Cities and counties still set registration, occupancy, parking and safety requirements. These are Louisiana's largest markets by active Airbnb listings, with the share of each market's listings that display a registration or license number.

  1. 1. New Orleans

    Orleans Parish

  2. 2. Baton Rouge

    East Baton Rouge Parish

  3. 3. Lafayette

    Lafayette Parish

  4. 4. Shreveport

    Caddo Parish

  5. 5. Metairie

    Jefferson Parish

Taxes

Louisiana Short-Term Rental Taxes

The 5% state sales tax applies to every stay and local taxes are added on top. In New Orleans the percentage taxes Airbnb lists add up to 16.75% (5% state, 5% city sales tax, 6.75% occupancy tax), plus $12 a night in occupancy fee and $0.50 a night in privilege tax.

Louisiana Short-Term Rental Taxes
TaxRateCollected by
Louisiana state sales tax on room rentals 5% of the listing price, including the cleaning fee and guest fees5%5,6,21Airbnb
Local sales tax 3.25% to 7.92% of the listing price, set by the parish and city—21Airbnb
Parish hotel and occupancy tax 1% to 12% depending on the parish; for example East Baton Rouge 6%, Caddo 6%, Calcasieu 5% to 7%, Lafayette 4% and Ouachita 2%—21Airbnb
New Orleans short-term rental occupancy tax 6.75% of the listing price for stays of 29 nights or fewer6.75%3,10,21Airbnb
New Orleans city sales tax 5% of the listing price for stays of 59 nights or fewer5%10,21Airbnb
New Orleans short-term rental occupancy fee $12 per night rented for every short-term rental; the City Council adopted an increase to $20 per night on October 15, 2026$12 a night4,21Airbnb
New Orleans hotel occupancy privilege tax $0.50 per night for properties with 1 to 299 rooms$0.50 a night10,21Airbnb

What the host still handles

Operating rules

Operating Rules for Louisiana Short-Term Rentals

New Orleans: up to 3 bedrooms and 6 guests
New Orleans: fire extinguisher, smoke and CO alarms
Baton Rouge: two guests per bedroom plus two
Lafayette: notify neighbors, name a 24/7 contact
5% state sales tax on every stay
Stadium and exhibition hall taxes skip small rentals

Fines

How to Avoid Airbnb Fines in Louisiana

Fines in Louisiana fall on hosting without the approvals described above, or outside the rules. With them in hand and the rules followed, none of the fines below apply.

Changes

What's Changed in Louisiana's Airbnb Rules

No change was scheduled when the rules were checked on October 17, 2026; the most recent are listed first.

  1. January 1, 2026
    Platforms remit occupancy taxes; New Orleans itemized billing
  2. October 24, 2025
    Revenue Department guidance on separate reporting
  3. July 1, 2025
    Act 82 makes booking platforms marketplace facilitators
  4. May 27, 2025 Lapsed
    Senate passes a state right to sue over unlicensed rentals; House does not act
  5. April 14, 2025 Lapsed
    State bill on local short-term rental regulation stays in committee
  6. January 1, 2025
    State sales tax on room rentals rises to 5%
  7. May 22, 2024 Lapsed
    State bill to fine platforms for non-compliant listings stalls

Earnings

What Could a Short-Term Rental in Louisiana Earn?

The rules shape the numbers: a permit that costs $500 a year. For a specific address, the Airbnb income calculator estimates revenue, occupancy and nightly rate from comparable listings, so you can test the numbers before applying.

Estimate what a home could earn

FAQ

Louisiana Short-Term Rental Laws: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Airbnb legal in Louisiana?

Yes, wherever the city or parish allows it. Permits, zoning and fines are set locally: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport and Jefferson Parish each have their own system, and every stay carries the 5% state sales tax.11,15,17,18,19,20,21

Do I need a permit for Airbnb in Louisiana?

In the largest markets, yes. New Orleans requires an owner permit and an operator permit, Lafayette and Jefferson Parish require a license, Shreveport requires a permit, and Baton Rouge requires one for homes the owner does not live in.11,15,17,18,19

How much is a short-term rental license in Louisiana?

It depends on the city. New Orleans charges $500 for a non-commercial owner permit and $150 for the operator permit, Baton Rouge $100, Lafayette $100 a year, Shreveport $150 to $250 and Jefferson Parish $750 a year.12,16,17,18,19

Can I rent a home I don't live in?

Sometimes. Baton Rouge issues a $100 non-owner-occupied permit and Shreveport issues Type B permits for whole homes, but New Orleans non-commercial operators must live at the property during stays and Jefferson Parish requires primary-residence documentation.11,15,16,18,19

Can I list a single-family home in Lafayette or Metairie?

Not in single-family or single-use residential zones. Lafayette prohibits short-term rentals in RS-1 zoning districts, and Jefferson Parish, which includes Metairie, prohibits them in single-use residential zoning districts.17,19

Does Airbnb collect hotel or occupancy tax in Louisiana?

Yes, for the state sales tax, local sales tax and the parish occupancy taxes in the parishes Airbnb lists. Since July 1, 2025 platforms collect the state sales tax as marketplace facilitators, and since January 1, 2026 they also remit hotel and motel occupancy taxes to the state commission.1,6,21

What is the total lodging tax on an Airbnb stay in Louisiana?

The 5% state sales tax applies to every stay, and local sales tax (3.25% to 7.92%) and parish occupancy tax (1% to 12%) are added. In New Orleans the percentage taxes total 16.75%, plus a $12 nightly fee.10,21

What is the fine for an illegal short-term rental?

In New Orleans fines are capped at $1,000 for each violation cited, and a hearing officer can also revoke permits. Baton Rouge stops a rental from operating for one year after three adjudicated violations in a calendar year.10,14,15

Do I need to show my permit number on my listing?

In New Orleans and Shreveport, yes. New Orleans listings show the owner and operator permit numbers, and Shreveport requires the permit number on all online advertisements.11,18

How many guests can stay?

The limit is local. Baton Rouge allows two people per bedroom plus two more, and a New Orleans non-commercial permit covers up to 3 bedrooms and 6 guests.12,15

Does Airbnb show taxes separately for New Orleans stays?

Yes. Since January 1, 2026 a platform booking a New Orleans short-term rental must give the guest a line-by-line itemization of all assessments, fees and taxes on its website and on the final bill.2

Do I still have to register for taxes if I host through Airbnb?

Airbnb collects the taxes it lists, but hosts remain responsible for the other tax obligations. Baton Rouge asks owners to register to remit sales, use and occupancy taxes or to use a registered online platform, and Lafayette asks for a sales tax registration certificate with the license application.15,17,21

Method

How These Rules Were Checked

Each rule on this page was checked in October 2026 against the official source cited beside it: the ordinance or statute, the permit office's own pages and the tax authority. Airbnb's help pages are cited on their own only for what Airbnb itself does, such as the taxes it collects and the permit checks it runs, and otherwise only beside an official source; news reports only for when a change was announced. Rules that could not be confirmed on an official page are left out. The Jefferson Parish page was read from an Internet Archive copy (22 March 2026) and the Shreveport-Caddo MPC page was read in a browser.

Rules change with council votes, court rulings and new state laws, so the page is rechecked every three months and whenever a scheduled change takes effect. It summarizes the rules for information and is not legal advice; the state agency and your city or county has the final word on any application.

Sources

Sources

Each rule above links to the source it comes from. Official ordinances, statutes and government pages come first, then Airbnb's own help pages.

  1. 1. R.S. 47:340.1 - Marketplace facilitators; collection and remittance of state and local sales and use tax · Louisiana State Legislature
  2. 2. Act 387 of the 2025 Regular Session (House Bill 610) · Louisiana State Legislature
  3. 3. R.S. 47:338.221 - City of New Orleans; short-term rental occupancy tax · Louisiana State Legislature
  4. 4. Code of Ordinances, Chapter 26, Article XI - Standards for Short-Term Rentals (Sec. 26-616 permit fees) · City of New Orleans (Municode Library)
  5. 5. What is the state sales tax rate for sleeping rooms, hotel rooms, motel rooms, and similar accommodations? · Louisiana Department of Revenue
  6. 6. Revenue Information Bulletin 25-026: Room Rentals Using Accommodations Intermediaries · Louisiana Department of Revenue
  7. 7. Senate Bill 225 (2025 Regular Session): cause of action for operation of short-term rentals · Louisiana State Legislature
  8. 8. House Bill 469 (2025 Regular Session): regulations for short-term rentals · Louisiana State Legislature
  9. 9. House Bill 518 (2024 Regular Session): civil penalties against platforms booking non-compliant short-term rentals · Louisiana State Legislature
  10. 10. STR Taxes, Fees, and Fine · City of New Orleans Short Term Rental Administration
  11. 11. STR Operator's Permit · City of New Orleans Short Term Rental Administration
  12. 12. Non-Commercial Short-Term Rental Renewal Application Training · City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits
  13. 13. Short Term Rental Permit Lotteries · City of New Orleans Short Term Rental Administration
  14. 14. Overview of Short Term Rentals in New Orleans · City of New Orleans Short Term Rental Administration
  15. 15. Short Term Rental Registration · City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge
  16. 16. Short-Term Rental Permits (information sheet) · City of Baton Rouge Permits and Inspections Division
  17. 17. Short-Term Rental License Application (City of Lafayette Only) · Lafayette Consolidated Government Community Development and Planning
  18. 18. Short-Term Rental: City of Shreveport · Shreveport-Caddo Parish Metropolitan Planning Commission
  19. 19. Hotel / Motel / Short Term Rental Permits and Licenses · Jefferson Parish Code Compliance and Enforcement Services
  20. 20. Responsible hosting in the United States · Airbnb Help Center
  21. 21. Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Louisiana · Airbnb Help Center
  22. 22. New Orleans, LA: hosting responsibly · Airbnb Help Center