Attention, Las Cruces short-term rental property owners, the city calls on you to remember your lodgers tax duties. Any revenue gained from short-term rentals, like those on platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo, is subject to a 5% lodgers tax, as reported by the City of Las Cruces. This tax went into effect at the start of 2020, so if you're not up to speed, now's the time.
Las Cruces uses the lodgers tax, for advertising and publicizing the city's appeal as a tourism and recreation destination, and for further development of facilities in that vein. Since the tax's inception, the city's approach has been to foster a registration and reporting system that's manageable for property owners, a $50 fee unlocks a reporting account at lascrucesnm-self.govplatform.com, and then it's just a matter of keeping up to date. Payment and reporting are due monthly, by the 25th for the previous month's intake, and if you've had a quiet month, make sure to report that $0 amount by the due date.
The process is straightforward, property owners are to create an online account, fill out a property questionnaire, and register with the needed fee. Payments, too, are to be made through the same portal, lascrucesnm-self.govplatform.com. Remember, this isn't just a suggestion, it's a requirement, and it serves to support city initiatives that ultimately could increase the flow of tourists and potential renters to your door.
So if you're in the business of short-term renting and haven't been keeping up, consider this your nudge to get on track. The 5% lodgers tax doesn't take a big slice of your rental revenue, but it does contribute significantly to the city's infrastructure and promotional efforts, efforts that can come full circle to benefit you.
