New Orleans Short-Term Rental Rules and Permits in 2026
A New Orleans short-term rental needs a city license for any stay under 30 nights. Most residential hosts must also be present during guest stays. The city issues two main license types. Residential homes use the NSTR license, and commercial buildings use the CSTR license.
This guide explains who can get each license and how the lottery by square works. It lists the taxes and the checks the city makes before approval. It also covers where software fits once a property is licensed. Rules change often, so confirm the details with the city's Short-Term Rental Administration before you apply.
Key Takeaways
New Orleans requires a short-term rental license for stays under 30 nights, with the NSTR license for homes and the CSTR license for commercial buildings.
The city limits NSTR licenses to one per square, and a square that already holds an NSTR license is not eligible for the NSTR lottery.
NSTR applicants must name an operator who lives at the property during every guest stay, with no more than 3 guest bedrooms.
Airbnb remits New Orleans taxes on its bookings, including a $12 nightly STR occupancy fee and a 6.75% equalization tax on qualifying short stays.
Licensed hosts can use ChargeAutomation for guest ID verification, signed house rules and itemized receipts, while the license itself stays with the city.
What Are the New Orleans Short-Term Rental Permit Types?
New Orleans uses two license types for stays under 30 nights: the Non-Commercial Short-Term Rental (NSTR) and the Commercial Short-Term Rental (CSTR). Stays of more than 30 consecutive days count as long-term rentals and need no STR permit. The rental must also be a legal dwelling unit with cooking and eating facilities for guests.
The NSTR license covers homes in a set list of zoning districts, mostly residential and mixed-use. The city allows one NSTR or bed and breakfast per square, which is the city block. When more than one host applies for the same square, a lottery decides who gets the license. The city discontinued the special exception route for extra NSTRs on a square as of September 19, 2024.
The CSTR license covers commercial properties and starts with a permit request in the One Stop App. Zoning staff review it and refer it to the City Planning Commission. The conditional use must be approved before the rest of the application moves forward. Since July 1, 2023, every CSTR has needed a noise monitoring device.
The lottery runs on a set calendar. For the third quarter of 2026, applications ran from September 16 to September 22, and the lottery was held on October 6, 2026. All issued NSTR licenses expired on June 30, 2026, with a renewal deadline of June 18. Holders who missed renewal must reapply in a future lottery if their square is available.
The city's own NSTR review checklist confirms several eligibility rules hosts should check first:
Property owned by a natural person, trust or LLC in good standing
All owners at least 18 years old
No owner holding another STR-permitted property
No existing NSTR or bed and breakfast on the square
Operator present at the property during guest stays
No more than 3 guest bedrooms and at least 1 owner or operator bedroom
No unpaid city fines, fees or taxes
New Orleans STR Permit Conditions, Taxes and Safety Rules
A New Orleans STR permit comes with ongoing duties, not just a one-time application. Owners attest that the unit has working smoke detectors inside and outside every bedroom and carbon monoxide alarms outside every bedroom. They also need a charged fire extinguisher on every habitable floor and insurance that meets City Code Section 26-618.
The operator role carries most of the daily work. The operator completes a daily visual inspection and keeps a nuisance prevention plan and a complaint response plan. Applicants also submit a floor plan, an evacuation plan, a site plan showing parking, a noise abatement plan and a sanitation plan. The city also asks for a list of the booking platforms used, with their web addresses.
Taxes depend on where the booking comes from. Airbnb has collected and remitted taxes to the City of New Orleans for its hosts since January 1, 2017. For direct bookings and other channels, the host must collect and report the taxes. Some Louisiana hotel occupancy tax items, such as the Stadium and Exposition District tax, apply only to qualifying listings.
Airbnb's Louisiana tax page lists the main New Orleans charges it collects on Airbnb stays, which hosts should mirror on direct bookings where they apply:
New Orleans sales tax of 5% for stays of 59 nights or fewer
Hotel Occupancy Privilege Tax of $0.50 per night
STR occupancy fee of $12 per night for stays of 29 nights or fewer
STR equalization occupancy tax of 6.75% for stays of 29 nights or fewer
Louisiana sales and use tax of 5%
Local sales and occupancy taxes that vary by listing
How ChargeAutomation Supports New Orleans Short-Term Rental Hosts
Getting an NSTR or CSTR license is handled directly through the City of New Orleans, and ChargeAutomation is not part of that process. Once a property is licensed and taking bookings, hosts face a different set of risks around guest identity, house rules, payments and chargebacks. The license does not cover those risks.
ChargeAutomation collects guest details and ID documents at online check-in, before the guest arrives. Its biometric check compares a live selfie with the ID through Stripe Identity. This gives an on-site operator a clear record of who is arriving. On Airbnb bookings, extra ID checks are allowed only for legal or compliance reasons stated in the listing before booking.
ChargeAutomation also sends a digital rental agreement for e-signature, so guests accept the noise rules and occupancy limits before arrival. On direct bookings, hosts can add the city tax as a separate line item and send itemized receipts automatically. 3D Secure, identity audit trails and a zero-chargeback guarantee help protect payments. Start for free at chargeautomation.com and turn on guest ID verification.
ChargeAutomation gives licensed New Orleans hosts these tools once bookings start:
Online check-in with ID and passport upload
Selfie biometric verification through Stripe Identity
Digital rental agreements with e-signature
Custom pre-arrival questions such as arrival time and guest count
City tax as an itemized line item on direct bookings
Automatic invoices and receipts
Chargeback protection with 3D Secure
50+ PMS integrations including Guesty, Hostaway and OwnerRez
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in New Orleans?
Yes. Any rental of a dwelling unit for less than 30 consecutive days needs a city license. Homes use the NSTR license, and commercial buildings use the CSTR license. Rentals longer than 30 days count as long-term rentals and need no STR permit.
How many NSTR licenses are allowed per square in New Orleans?
One NSTR or bed and breakfast is allowed per square, and a lottery decides between competing applications. A square that already has an NSTR license is not eligible for the lottery. The special exception route for extra NSTRs was discontinued as of September 19, 2024.
Does the operator have to live at a New Orleans NSTR property?
Yes. The city's NSTR attestation says the designated operator must reside at the property during all guest stays. The operator also completes a daily visual inspection of the unit and the guests.
Does Airbnb collect New Orleans short-term rental taxes?
Yes. Airbnb has collected and remitted taxes to the City of New Orleans since January 1, 2017, including the $12 nightly STR occupancy fee. Hosts who take direct bookings or use other platforms must collect and report those taxes themselves.
Can an LLC hold a short-term rental license in New Orleans?
Yes. The city's 2026 NSTR review checklist accepts a property owned by a natural person, a trust or an LLC with proof of good standing. Each owner must still be at least 18 and cannot own another STR-permitted property.
