13 verified short-term rentals rules for Louisville, Kentucky, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Louisville Metro requires annual STR registration with the Office of Planning. Owner-occupied primary residences need only registration approval; non-owner-occupied STRs require a Conditional Use Permit (4–6 months). The 2023 ordinance (effective Sept. 28, 2023) tightened rules, requiring owners to have lived on the property 6+ months and raised the fee to $250/year.
Short-term rentals in Louisville Metro must comply with the same noise standards as all other properties — APCD Regulation 5.11 decibel limits and LMCO Chapter 99 nuisance rules — and STR hosts face additional accountability because noise complaints can jeopardize the property's STR registration under the Louisville Metro STR ordinance.
Louisville Metro imposes an 8.5% Transient Room Tax on all STR stays under 30 days. Hosts must register with the Revenue Commission, obtain a Tax Reporting Number, and file monthly returns. As of July 1, 2023, all filings must be submitted electronically via EMINTS. Annual registration fee: $250.
Louisville Metro's short-term rental ordinance (LMCO Chapter 115) requires hosts to provide adequate off-street parking consistent with underlying residential parking standards, and guests must comply with on-street parking restrictions in neighborhoods like Old Louisville, NuLu, the Highlands, and areas near Churchill Downs where permit parking and event restrictions apply.
Louisville Metro's short-term rental ordinance (LMCO Chapter 115) sets occupancy based on bedroom count — typically two adults per bedroom plus a small additional allowance — and caps overall guest counts to prevent party-house use. Occupancy limits are a registration condition and repeat violations can lead to revocation.
Louisville Metro's short-term rental ordinance (LMCO Chapter 115) requires hosts to carry liability insurance covering short-term rental use — typically at least $1,000,000 per occurrence — and proof of coverage is required at registration. Platform-provided host protection (Airbnb AirCover, Vrbo Liability) may satisfy the requirement if limits meet the ordinance minimum.
Louisville Metro's short-term rental ordinance caps non-owner-occupied STRs in residential zones at a limited number of rental nights per year and restricts density (how close two STRs can be) in certain neighborhoods. Owner-occupied hosted STRs face fewer restrictions than whole-home rentals in single-family zones.
Louisville Metro requires every short-term rental to register under LMCO Chapter 115 before being listed or advertised. Registration includes proof of insurance, a local contact, zoning verification, occupancy tax setup, and a registration fee paid to Louisville Metro Codes and Regulations.
Louisville Metro Land Development Code Chapter 156 distinguishes hosted short-term rentals, where the operator lives onsite during guest stays, from unhosted whole-home rentals, applying different zoning permissions and standards to each category.
Certain Louisville form districts restrict short-term rentals to a host's primary residence, blocking investor-owned whole-home STRs in protected neighborhoods while still permitting them in commercial and downtown form districts under LDC Chapter 156.
Louisville Metro Codes & Regulations applies escalating enforcement to short-term rental operators who accumulate verified violations, with three substantiated complaints within a twelve-month period triggering permit revocation hearings under Chapter 156.
Louisville Metro requires short-term rental hosts to display a valid registration number in every online listing, and platforms cooperating with Metro Codes share data to verify compliance and remove unregistered listings under Chapter 156 enforcement procedures.
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Louisville city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Jefferson County →