Short-term rental permit rules in Las Cruces, NM — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Since January 1, 2026, every Las Cruces short-term rental must hold a $35 city business registration and register each unit with Visit Las Cruces ($50 one-time, $35 annual). Enforcement began July 1, 2026.
Las Cruces adopted its short-term rental ordinance in December 2025, effective January 1, 2026, with enforcement beginning July 1, 2026. Owners must obtain a certificate of business registration from the Community Development Department under Chapter 16, Article IV of the Municipal Code before operating, and register each unit with Visit Las Cruces. Operators already renting had 30 days from January 1, 2026 to apply. Registration requires proof of insurance, safety compliance, a local responsible contact, and neighbor notification within 500 feet. A short-term rental is any unit rented for 30 days or fewer.
Civil fines of $50-$300 for a first offense and $300-$500 for later offenses; registration is mandatorily revoked after a fifth offense within three years.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Las Cruces lets residents put up holiday decorations without a permit. Under the Land Development Code, decorations for national holidays and community festi...
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Las Cruces caps garage and yard sale signs at 3 square feet. Under Land Development Code Sec. 36-84, off-premises directional signs are allowed only during t...
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Las Cruces allows political signs up to 32 square feet each. Under Land Development Code Sec. 36-86, signs may go up no sooner than 90 days before an electio...
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Las Cruces does not register or inspect standard long-term rentals, and conventional landlords need no city rental license. Only short-term rentals must regi...
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Las Cruces has no just-cause eviction law. New Mexico's Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act governs: a landlord may end a month-to-month tenancy with 30 day...
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Las Cruces has no rent control. New Mexico's Rent Control Prohibition Act (NMSA 47-8A-1, enacted 1991) bars every city and county from capping rent on privat...
See how Las Cruces's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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