What qualifies as a short-term rental?

Short-term rentals are a type of lodging, sometimes called vacation rentals. A house, condo, or apartment (or a part of one) that is rented for a fee for fewer than 30 consecutive nights is a short-term rental. Examples of short-term rentals are those rented through platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO. All Village short-term rentals are required to obtain a CRS Business Registration Number, a Short-Term Rental Permit, and comply with all the provisions, as adopted by Village Council in Ordinance 2023-12 in September 2023. To begin the application process, be prepared to provide the following:

  1. Proof that your Short Term Rental uses a Village-issued Address (a photo of your house with the street number visible)

  2. A letter from the State of NM showing your CRS Business Registration Number.

  3. To apply for a Short Term Rental Permit or to pay Lodger’s Tax, go to the MuniRevs registration site.

What isn’t a short-term rental?

This section does not cover:

  • Rooms or apartments rented out for more than a month at a time

  • Traditional bed and breakfasts

  • Hotels and motels

  • Rules about business licensing, taxes, limits on the number of units, and other provisions for short-term rentals that are currently in effect.

Rules to Follow

Short-term rentals ARE allowed in:

  • Most structures established as dwelling units

Short-term rentals are NOT allowed in:

  • RVs, tents, garages, boats, and other spaces that are not considered dwelling units.

  • Dwellings in commercial or industrial buildings.

  • Live-work units.

Requirements for all short-term rentals:

  • Ruidoso is a fire-wise community - it is your responsibility as a property owner that your renters are aware of the current fire restrictions.

  • In order to receive your Short-Term Rental Permit, you must be in compliance with all other Village of Ruidoso Code of Ordinances including Forestry Department ordinances.

  • The Village of Ruidoso recommends that as a property owner you consider purchasing short-term rental insurance.

  • You must meet the parking, noise, housing, and building maintenance, and other code requirements that apply to your property,

  • You must register the short-term rental as follows:

    • Registration Steps

      1. Go to: MuniRevs           

      2. Click on the Green “Go” button on the left-hand side for New Users Registration

      3. Enter your email address

      4. Follow the instructions in the email you will receive which will prompt you to click on a link to bring you to a secure User Profile screen

      5. Create your User Profile and Click “Continue to Business Profile” (orange button)

      6. Link to your Property Record by entering the below information:

      Digit Registration Number: XXXXXX (unique to every account)

      MUNIRevs Activation Code: XXXXXX (unique to every account)

      7. Complete the registration process in the open tasks section of the business center page.

  • If you serve food to your guests, you must meet all applicable state and county health regulations.

  • All short-term rentals rented for 29 days or less are required to collect Lodger’s Tax and Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) on the gross charge to the guest.

Licensing and tax requirements:

  • You must have a permit to operate a short-term rental in the Village of Ruidoso.

  • The State Department of Health may also require you to get a transient accommodation license.

  • The State Department of Taxation and Revenue requires you to pay certain types of taxes for your short-term rental.

Read the Code

Fines

If you receive notice of a Short-Term Rental hosting violation and don’t fix the problem in a timely manner, we may fine you. We will also charge you for inspections.

Short-term rental COMPLAINTS

If you would like to file a complaint against a Ruidoso Short-Term Rental, please click here.

WILDLIFE SAFETY

Please share the following information with each renter.

Wildlife Rack Card PDF

The safety and health of wildlife depend on the thoughtful actions of human visitors. Know the risks of getting too close to wild animals and how to avoid them. Even when you’re farther away, leaving wildlife alone can help your viewing experience—plus, it’s the law. It’s illegal to feed, touch, tease, frighten, or intentionally disturb wildlife. [Sec. 14-21 Ordinance 2019-12] Interacting with wildlife also can cause harm to both people and wildlife, including injury and disease.

Keep children close and stay on trails to help keep a human presence in predictable areas.

Do not use bird calls or wildlife calls and attractants.