Doña Ana County, NM Short-Term Rentals: Repeat Violator Strikes (2026)

Chapter 280 of the Code of Doña Ana County applies only to short-term rentals operating in the unincorporated county; Las Cruces, Sunland Park, Mesilla and Hatch enforce their own rental rules. Every operator must first obtain a $50 business registration certificate and permit from the Community Development Department (CDD) under § 280-5, post it in a window facing the street, and carry adequate liability insurance. Under § 280-7, the penalty structure escalates with each conviction. A first conviction is punishable by a fine of $50 to $300, and that sentence may be suspended, deferred or taken under advisement, giving a first-time operator room to correct the violation.

A second or any subsequent conviction carries a flat $300 fine that a judge cannot suspend, defer or take under advisement, removing judicial leniency once a pattern is established. On a third conviction, CDD must revoke the short-term rental permit tied to the property, and all rental operation must cease within seven days, regardless of any additional fine imposed. Each day an owner operates without the required registration, or otherwise violates the chapter, counts as a separate offense under § 1-20 of the general penalty article, so unresolved violations compound quickly.

CDD, County Codes Enforcement Officers and the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Department all have authority to document, cite and prosecute violations in any court of competent jurisdiction. A felony conviction tied to illegal activity at the rental is separate grounds for permanent closure and disqualifies the owner from managing any other short-term rental in the county under § 280-4(K).