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Doña Ana County adopts 5% lodgers tax; half of proceeds must promote tourism per state statute
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners approved a 5% lodgers tax on non-primary-residence lodging in Doña Ana County, effective July 8, 2025; the recap noted that state statute requires 50% of collected funds be used to promote tourism.
The Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners approved an ordinance to add a 5% lodgers tax on hotels, motels and other premises used for lodging that are not a household's primary residence, the county's public information officer said in an April 8 recap.
The ordinance is scheduled to take effect July 8, 2025, to allow time for affected vendors to be notified, the recap said. The summary also stated that state statute requires 50% of money collected from the lodgers tax to be used to promote tourism. The recap did not provide the ordinance number, a full text of the ordinance, nor a recorded vote tally.
The recap gave examples of taxable lodging as short-term rentals such as Airbnb and RV parks when the premises are rented and not the renter's primary residence. The transcript did not specify exemptions beyond the “primary residence” language nor did it identify an implementing department or collection mechanism.
Why it matters: a new lodging tax will affect businesses that rent to visitors and will create a revenue stream that state statute partially earmarks for tourism promotion.
What remains unclear: the recap did not identify the office or vendor registration process that will collect the tax, the ordinance number, or how the remaining 50% of revenue (not required for tourism promotion) will be allocated.
