Short-term rental permit rules in Jefferson County, KY — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) requires annual STR registration under LMCO § 115.516. The 2023 STR Ordinance (effective Sept. 28, 2023) tightened rules: owner must have lived on the property 6+ months before applying; non-owner-occupied STRs require a Conditional Use Permit; annual fee is $250. Several suburban municipalities in Jefferson County do not permit STRs.
Since the 2003 merger into Louisville Metro Government, Jefferson County unincorporated areas follow the Louisville Metro STR ordinance. Under LMCO § 115.516, no person may operate a short-term rental (stays under 30 days) without annual registration with the Office of Planning. Owner-occupied primary residences in residential or office-residential zones may receive administrative approval; non-owner-occupied STRs require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) through a 4–6 month public hearing process. Non-owner-occupied STRs must be at least 600 feet from other CUP-required STRs. Owners must reside on the property for 6+ months before applying. Maximum 12 adult occupants. Note: Several suburban cities within Jefferson County (Anchorage, Douglass Hills, Graymoor-Devondale, Hurstbourne, Indian Hills, Jeffersontown, Prospect, Shively, St. Regis Park) have not adopted STR regulations and do not permit STRs. Lyndon, Middletown, and St. Matthews have adopted different STR regulations.
First offense: $125. Second: $250. Third: $500. Additional: $1,000 each. Advertising without registration: $125/day. No new registration for properties with violations in past 12 months.
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