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Rio Rancho, NM Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Monthly booking limit
6 rental periods
October exemption
no frequency limit
Citywide permit cap
1% of housing units
Spacing rule
100 ft. between permits

Summary

Rio Rancho limits each short-term rental to six separate rental periods a month (October exempt) and caps citywide permits at 1% of total housing units.

A short-term rental unit shall not be occupied for more than six separate rental periods within a calendar month. There shall be no rental frequency limitations during the month of October each year. ... The total number of short-term rental permits issued by the Department of Development Services shall not exceed 1% of the “total housing units” in Rio Rancho as listed in “Comparative Housing Characteristics” table of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey as of January 1st of each year.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Rio Rancho City Code § 123.04(B)(10) bars a short-term rental unit from being occupied for more than six separate rental periods within a calendar month, with no frequency limit during October. Separately, § 123.05(D)(1) caps the total number of short-term rental permits citywide at 1% of the total housing units listed in the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, measured each January 1, and § 123.05(D)(2) bars a new permit within 100 feet of an existing permitted unit.

Violations & Fines

Booking more than six separate rental periods in a month outside October violates § 123.04, a misdemeanor under § 123.10 with fines up to $500 per day under § 123.09; exceeding the citywide 1% cap simply blocks new permit issuance under § 123.05(D)(1).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is October exempt from the six-booking limit?
§ 123.04(B)(10) states there are no rental frequency limitations during the month of October each year, coinciding with the Balloon Fiesta.
Is there a limit on how many nights a unit can be rented per year?
No annual night limit exists; the cap is structured as no more than six separate rental periods per calendar month (except October).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Rio Rancho

Short-Term Rental PermitsSome RestrictionsHost Presence RuleSome RestrictionsShort-Term Rental Parking RulesSome RestrictionsTaxes & FeesSome RestrictionsInsurance RequirementsSome RestrictionsNoise RulesSome RestrictionsOccupancy LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Neighbor Fence RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome Restrictions

All Rio Rancho rules

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