Louisville, KY Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Under LMCO Chapter 115, STR operators must declare the maximum overnight occupancy at registration, and the figure is tied to bedroom count using a standard of roughly two adults per bedroom. Some registrations also specify a total daytime guest cap (often around double the overnight number) to prevent the property from being rented for large gatherings, weddings, or parties. Bedrooms used for occupancy calculation must meet International Residential Code standards (window egress, minimum size, closet) — sofa beds in living rooms and converted garages typically do not count. Occupancy limits interact with the Louisville Fire Code and building code: STRs with four or more bedrooms may trigger additional fire safety requirements such as hardwired interconnected smoke detectors. Hosts should post the occupancy limit inside the unit and include it in booking rules; violations are commonly proven through neighbor photos, parking counts, or utility spikes. Occupancy misrepresentation is one of the fastest routes to registration revocation.