Short-term rental permit rules in Jefferson County, KY β also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration β list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Jefferson County (Louisville Metro) requires annual STR registration under LMCO Β§ 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 Β§ 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 4β6 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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