Short-Term Rentals in Shreveport, LA

Shreveport maintains 152 local ordinances across all categories, and 7 of those deal specifically with short-term rentals. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Shreveport falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Noise Rules

Shreveport doesn't set a decibel limit for short-term rentals; instead it bans the events that cause noise complaints outright. Weddings, corporate functions, and other large gatherings likely to disturb the neighborhood are prohibited at both Type A and Type B properties.

Key details: Prohibited: Weddings, corporate events, large parties. Applies to: Type A and Type B rentals. Standard used: Traffic, parking, noise, neighborhood impact. ZBA review factor: Adverse effect on neighborhood character.

Hosting a prohibited special event at any short-term rental is a violation of Article 23 enforceable under Section 23.10: each day of the violation is a separate offense subject to Article 19 penalties, and the Zoning Administrator or Zoning Board of Appeals can suspend or revoke the permit after a hearing. Police may also cite the operator directly.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Shreveport actively enforces its noise rules requirements.

Taxes & Fees

Shreveport's Unified Development Code makes short-term rental fees a City Council matter and requires hosts to collect and remit City and Parish sales taxes plus any occupancy tax on every stay. Professionally managed operators may consolidate payments across multiple properties if each unit's tax is separately identified.

Key details: Governing section: UDC § 23.9. Fees set by: Shreveport City Council. Tax duty: City + Parish sales tax, occupancy tax. Renewal reporting: 3 years' property/revenue tax records. Multi-property option: One consolidated payment, itemized.

Failing to collect or remit City, Parish, or occupancy taxes on a short-term rental is a violation of Article 23 and, under § 23.10.B, subjects the operator to the general penalties of Article 19 (Enforcement). The City's Revenue Division may revoke the short-term rental permit outright if it determines the operator is violating applicable tax ordinances, statutes, or regulations of the City, Parish, or State.

Renting out a spare bedroom or a backyard garage apartment to overnight guests while still living in the home is Shreveport's Type A short-term rental, a distinct permit track from renting an entire house. Commercial meetings and events are off-limits under the same permit.

Key details: Covers: Bedrooms or accessory dwelling unit. Host must: Continue living on the property. Approval: Administrative, by Zoning Administrator. Notice required: Mailed to abutting neighbors. Distance rule: None applies to Type A.

Renting rooms or an accessory unit as an overnight stay without first obtaining the Type A permit is unlawful under Section 23.10, exposing the host to Article 19 penalties with each day of unpermitted operation a separate offense. Holding a prohibited commercial meeting or event on a Type A property is itself a permit violation that can trigger revocation after a hearing.

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

Guests at a Shreveport short-term rental cannot park on the lawn or landscaped areas. Both Type A and Type B permits carry the identical rule: parking is prohibited in any landscaped area, pushing vehicles onto the driveway, street, or an approved parking surface instead.

Key details: Rule: No parking in landscaped areas. Applies to: Type A and Type B alike. Ads must show: The short-term rental permit number. Enforcement: Zoning Administrator, per Section 23.10.

Guests parking on lawns, planting beds, or other landscaped area breaches Section 23.5.A.7 or B.6 and is enforceable under Section 23.10: each day the violation continues is a separate offense subject to Article 19 penalties, and the Zoning Administrator can suspend or revoke the short-term rental permit after a hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Host Presence Rule

Shreveport's Type A short-term rental permit is built around a resident host: on a property with an accessory dwelling unit, the resident can live in either the primary house or the accessory unit and rent out bedrooms in whichever one is not their own residence.

Key details: Resident may live in: Primary house or accessory unit. Local representative: Available 24/7. Response time: On-site within 60 minutes. Notification: Host phone number given to neighbors.

Failing to appoint or maintain a reachable local representative, or ignoring the 60-minute on-site response requirement, is a violation of Section 23.7 enforceable under Section 23.10, subjecting the operator to Article 19 penalties and possible permit revocation after a Zoning Board of Appeals hearing. Each day of noncompliance is a separate offense.

Occupancy Limits

Shreveport limits how many people can stay in a short-term rental based on permit type. A Type A rental, where the host keeps living on site, may not exceed two adults per bedroom, while a Type B whole-house rental needs special approval once it tops ten overnight adults.

Key details: Type A cap: Two adults per bedroom. Type B-1 admin threshold: Up to 10 overnight adults. Over 10 guests: Requires Type B-2 special exception. Occupancy must match: Approved permit application. Reviewing body for B-2: Zoning Board of Appeals.

Exceeding the occupancy approved on a short-term rental permit violates Article 23 under Section 23.10 and Section 23.8.F, making the operator subject to Article 19's general enforcement penalties, with each day over the limit treated as a separate offense. The Zoning Administrator can revoke the permit, and police may issue citations payable the same way as local traffic tickets.

Short-Term Rental Permits

No one may operate or advertise a short-term rental in Shreveport without a permit first. City Code requires the property owner to obtain a Type A, Type B-1, or Type B-2 short-term rental permit from the Zoning Administrator before any booking, listing, or advertisement goes live.

Key details: Permit types: Type A, Type B-1, Type B-2. Issued by: Zoning Administrator or designee. Apply: At least 30 days before operating. Permit term: Expires after two years. Transferability: Non-transferable; does not run with land.

Operating without the required permit, or violating any permit term, condition, or duration, is unlawful under Section 23.10 and subjects the operator to Article 19's general enforcement penalties, with each day of violation counted as a separate offense. The Zoning Administrator can revoke or suspend the permit after a Zoning Board of Appeals and City Council hearing, the Revenue Division can pull it for tax or ordinance violations, and police officers may issue citations payable like local traffic tickets.

The Bottom Line

Shreveport's short-term rentals rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Shreveport is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Shreveport's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.