Las Cruces does not register or inspect standard long-term rentals, and conventional landlords need no city rental license. Only short-term rentals must register: a $35 city business registration plus a Visit Las Cruces registration, effective January 1, 2026 and enforced from July 1, 2026.
Las Cruces has no general rental-registration or inspection ordinance for ordinary long-term leases; those landlords must still meet the habitability duties owners owe under NMSA 47-8-20. The 2026 short-term rental ordinance changed this for STRs, defined by the city as property rented on a short-term basis of no longer than three continuous months. Each STR unit needs a city business registration ($35 per year) and a Visit Las Cruces registration ($50 one-time plus $35 annual renewal). STRs must keep working smoke detectors, a fire extinguisher within 10 feet of cooking areas, and marked egress; the Fire Chief may inspect on 24 hours' notice. Enforcement began July 1, 2026.
Operating an unregistered short-term rental after July 1, 2026 exposes the owner to code enforcement and loss of registration. Long-term landlords face no registration penalty but must meet habitability duties under NMSA 47-8-20.
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