Red River, New Mexico

Red River regulates short-term rentals under an ordinance adopted by the Town Council in February 2023 (built on a 2022 draft). Any property rented for fewer than 30 days must obtain a Short-Term Residential Rental Permit from the Town, applied for through the Planning & Zoning Department. STRs are allowed in the R1A and R3 residential zones as well as resort and commercial areas. Permits are valid one calendar year and must be renewed annually, with renewal requiring a new application plus any required Fire Department and Planning & Zoning inspections; no permit is issued unless the structure first passes a Fire Department safety inspection covering smoke and CO detectors and fire extinguishers.

Occupancy is capped at two persons over age 12 per bedroom unless a higher number is specifically authorized on the permit. Applications typically require proof of ownership, a floor plan, liability insurance, a parking plan, and emergency contacts. Operators must pay the Town’s 5% Lodgers’ Tax plus New Mexico gross receipts tax; Airbnb and VRBO collect the state-administered taxes automatically.

There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement and no stated cap on the number of permits or nights a year. Enforcement is largely complaint-driven; violations carry fines of $25 to $500 and, in theory, up to 90 days imprisonment. Separately, unincorporated Taos County adopted its own STR ordinance in 2024 for properties just outside Red River town limits, which operators should confirm applies to them if their property sits outside the incorporated town.