Lafayette, LA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Lafayette, LA, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 73-15, Lafayette Code of Ordinances
- License holder
- Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government
- Transferability
- Non-transferable between people or addresses
- Renewal deadline
- 60 days before expiration
- Expiration
- December 31 each license year
- Discretion
- No automatic right to a license
Summary
Operating a short-term rental in Lafayette without a city license is unlawful. Sec. 73-15 requires a valid, current STR license tied to one specific operator and one specific address, and makes clear there's no automatic right to get one: the director can withhold or deny a license based on the application and the applicant's operational history.
It shall be unlawful to operate a short-term rental within the City of Lafayette without a valid and current Short-Term Rental license issued by the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government. No license issued under this chapter shall operate as a valid license for the operation of a short-term rental for any person(s)/entity(ies) other than those listed on the license and for any location other than the specific location for which it is issued. An operator/licensee is not entitled to and has no automatic right to a license. The issuance of a license may be withheld or denied in the discretion of the director, which decision may be based on the information in the application, as well as any records and/or operational history, of any nature whatsoever, available to the director.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Sec. ' The license is non-transferable in a functional sense, it 'shall not operate as a valid license for the operation of a short-term rental for any person(s)/entity(ies) other than those listed on the license and for any location other than the specific location for which it is issued,' so a new owner or a new address both require a fresh application. The section also makes clear a license is discretionary, not a matter of right: 'An operator/licensee is not entitled to and has no automatic right to a license,' and issuance 'may be withheld or denied in the discretion of the director,' who may weigh the application itself along with 'any records and/or operational history, of any nature whatsoever' available.
The license, once issued under Sec. 73-17, runs through December 31 of the issuance year and must be renewed at least 60 days before expiration; it also lapses immediately upon transfer of title to the property. Operating without a current license, or after a title transfer without a new one, exposes the operator to the enforcement track in Sec. 73-27.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the Sec. 73-15 license is itself unlawful, separate from any conduct on the property. Under Sec. 73-27, the director can fine the operator and/or condition, suspend, or revoke a license for non-compliance, following 14 days' written notice, an informal hearing, and a written decision. An aggrieved licensee has 21 calendar days to appeal to the 15th Judicial District Court, and the director's fine or license action takes effect once that decision is final.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a license mandatory to run an Airbnb in Lafayette?
Does buying a property with an existing STR license transfer the license?
Can Lafayette deny my STR license application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lafayette
How Lafayette compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Lafayette to another location·View the Louisiana short-term rentals overview
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