Is Airbnb Legal in Scottsdale? 2026 Rules, Permits & Taxes

License required

Yes

Taxes on a stay

12.42%

Fine for hosting without a permit

Up to $3,500

Listings showing a permit number

0%

Latest rule change

Jun 23, 2026

Listing figures: AirROI, 12 months to September 2026. A number on a listing doesn't prove the permit or license is valid, and a missing one doesn't prove there is none.

The rules in brief

Who needs it

Anyone who offers a house, condo or other dwelling unit for rent for fewer than 30 days in Scottsdale. A separate license is required for each house or dwelling unit. Rentals of 30 days or longer do not need the city license.^1,3,7,8,9

Issued by

City of Scottsdale Tax and Business Licensing

Valid for

One year from the date of issue. A license is not transferable to another property or person, and an expired, suspended or revoked license cannot be used.

Processing

The city must approve or deny a complete application within seven business days (A.R.S. 9-500.39 and Ordinance 4566).

On listings

The number must appear on every listing

Platform checks

The city's ordinance sets no duties for booking platforms. The city finds unlicensed rentals itself, with listing-monitoring technology, and publishes a Short-Term Rental Resource Center where anyone can look up a property's license status, owner and management company.

Fees

Who qualifies

• A current Arizona Department of Revenue TPT license for the rental; proof of it is part of the application
• The owner's name, address, phone and email (or a statutory agent for a company), any owner's designee, and a real person as the 24-hour emergency contact
• The owner and any designee attest that they are not registered sex offenders and have no felony conviction that caused death or serious injury, or involved a deadly weapon, in the past five years
• Individual applicants show lawful presence in the United States
• No primary-residence or owner-occupancy requirement, and no limit on how many properties one owner can license; each property needs its own license
• The city can deny a license only for missing information, an unpaid fee, an existing suspension or revocation for the same rental, false information, or the disqualifying convictions above

How to apply

1. 1 Get an Arizona TPT license for the rental from the Department of Revenue at AZTaxes.gov (Scottsdale's region code is SC and Maricopa County's is MAR)
2. 2 Register an account on the city's licensing portal and apply for the short-term/vacation rental license for each property: owner details, property address, proof of the TPT license and emergency contact information, plus the $250 fee
3. 3 Within 30 days of receiving the license, notify the single-family homes next door and directly and diagonally across the street (or, in a multifamily building, every unit on your floor) with the license number, the rental's address and the emergency contact's name, address and 24-hour phone number
4. 4 Complete the neighbor-notification and liability-insurance attestation on the city's website and upload proof of $500,000 liability coverage
5. 5 Register the property with the Maricopa County Assessor before any guest stays
6. 6 Post the required notice inside the front door and the back-yard door and put the city license number in every listing

Permit rules

One city license per rental

No one may operate a short-term or vacation rental in Scottsdale without a current city license, and each house or dwelling unit needs its own. Operating with an expired, suspended or revoked license is also prohibited, and an online listing that names the property's location counts as evidence that it is operating.^1,7 In force since January 8, 2023

The city license covers rentals of fewer than 30 days

The city license applies only to rentals of less than 30 days. Owners who rent for 30 days or longer do not need a City of Scottsdale license through this process.⁷

A license lasts one year and does not transfer

A license is valid for one year from the date it is issued unless suspended or revoked, and it cannot be transferred to another location or another person, so a buyer must apply for their own.^1,7 In force since January 8, 2023

Approval or denial within seven business days

The city must issue or deny a complete application within seven business days and can deny only for missing information, an unpaid fee, an existing suspension or revocation for the same rental, false information, or a registered sex offender or disqualifying felony conviction of the owner or designee.^1,3 Applies to: applicants

An Arizona TPT license comes first

Every rental needs a current Arizona transaction privilege tax (TPT) license before it is offered, whether or not bookings go through a platform, and proof of it is required for the city license. The TPT license number must be listed on each advertisement.^7,12,14,15

Register with the Maricopa County Assessor before renting

Each property must be registered with the Maricopa County Assessor (A.R.S. 33-1902) before it is occupied. The city states that renting a property before it is registered is illegal.^7,9

License numbers go in every advertisement

Every listing or advertisement must show the City of Scottsdale license number (a fine of at least $500, reduced to $100 once fixed, applies otherwise). The state separately requires the TPT license number on each ad, and the city's owner guide says listings should also state the occupancy limit and the ban on non-residential use.^1,10,12 In force since January 8, 2023

Three verified violations in 12 months can suspend the license

The city must start suspension proceedings after three verified violations within 12 months (aesthetic, trash and parking violations that are not a serious safety threat do not count), or after a single verified violation involving a felony at the rental, serious injury or death from the owner's conduct, housing a sex offender, or hosting a special event that would need a permit. A final suspension lasts one year, or six months if the owner shows substantial corrective steps, and denial or revocation bars a new license for that property for a year.^1,3 In force since January 8, 2023

Arizona law bars a ban, and limits what the city can regulate

A city or town may not prohibit vacation rentals or short-term rentals and may regulate them only in the ways A.R.S. 9-500.39 lists: health and safety rules, zoning and nuisance rules applied the same way as to other homes, an emergency contact, a local license (fee capped at $250), neighbor notice, the license number in ads, and $500,000 of liability insurance.^3,5 In force since January 1, 2017

No owner-occupancy rule and no limit on the number of properties

Ordinance 4566 has no primary-residence or owner-occupancy requirement and no cap on how many rentals one owner can license, so investor-owned whole homes are eligible; each property needs its own license, insurance evidence and neighbor notice. State law lets a city require the owner to live on site only where the property has an accessory dwelling unit approved on or after September 14, 2024, and Ordinance 4566 contains no such rule.^1,3,6

No annual night cap or minimum stay

Scottsdale's Ordinance 4566 sets no annual night cap and no minimum stay, and state law leaves the city no room to add either: it may not restrict or regulate short-term rentals by classification, use or occupancy except as the statute allows.^1,3

24-hour emergency contact who can be there within an hour

Every rental needs a real person as emergency contact, reachable 24 hours a day. When police, fire or other public-safety staff respond to the rental, including for a nuisance party, the contact must respond in person within one hour if asked. The owner can be fined if the contact fails to respond, and the contact's details must be kept current with the city and neighbors.^1,3,17 In force since January 8, 2023

Notify nearby neighbors and file an attestation

Within 30 days of receiving your license, and again whenever the property's contact information changes, notify all single-family homes adjacent to and directly and diagonally across the street from the rental (in a multifamily building, every unit on the same floor). The notice states the license number, the rental's address and the emergency contact's name, address and 24-hour phone number. Then file the notification attestation online.^1,3,7 In force since January 8, 2023

$500,000 of liability insurance, or a platform that provides it

Every rental must carry liability coverage of at least $500,000, either directly or by renting only through an online lodging marketplace that provides equal or greater primary liability coverage. Evidence is due within 30 days of getting the license and on the city's request afterward; a fine of at least $500, reduced to $100 once you show coverage, applies otherwise.^1,3,7 In force since January 8, 2023

Sex-offender check on the booking guest, unless the platform does it

At least 24 hours before every stay the owner or designee must check the person booking against the U.S. Department of Justice national sex offender website and keep a printout for 12 months. The requirement is waived when the online lodging marketplace performs the check. Failing to comply carries a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000.^1,3 In force since January 8, 2023

Working smoke alarms and a posted exit map

Each rental must have working smoke alarms, maintained annually to NFPA 72, and a prominently displayed floor-plan map showing exit routes, fire detection and suppression equipment, the full address, 911 and the owner or emergency contact's details.¹ In force since January 8, 2023

Clean between stays, regular pest control and trash rules

The property must be cleaned between stays and receive pest-control treatment at least every two months. Trash may not be left in public view outside collection containers, and containers may not be put out before 6 p.m. on the day before collection.^1,17 In force since January 8, 2023

Laminated rules notice at the front and back doors

A notice in 14-point or larger bold type, laminated or similarly shielded, must be displayed inside the front door and the primary door to the backyard, or in a conspicuous spot near each. It lists the prohibited uses, the occupancy limit, the city license number and the 24-hour local contact, and must include the location of fire and life-safety equipment and the city's nuisance waste disposal rules.^1,7 In force since January 8, 2023

Pool, spa and hot tub barrier requirements

A rental with a pool, spa or hot tub needs a primary 60-inch perimeter fence that cannot be easily climbed, with self-closing, self-latching gates whose latches are at least 54 inches high and locked vehicle gates, plus a secondary barrier: either a separate 60-inch pool fence or audible alarms on every door and window that opens to the pool area. A spa outside the fence needs a lockable cover. This applies regardless of the age of the property or pool.^1,20 Applies to: rentals with a pool, spa or hot tub · In force since July 8, 2023

Occupancy described as one family of up to six adults

The notice every rental must post states that occupancy is limited to a single family of one to six adults and, if any, their related dependent children as the Scottsdale Zoning Ordinance defines a family. The ordinance sets no separate guest count for short-term rentals, and small gatherings incidental to a stay are treated as ordinary residential use.^1,10,16 In force since January 8, 2023

No weddings, corporate events or party-venue use

A rental cannot be used as an event center, banquet space, retail business or restaurant. Ordinance 4719 (2026) defines an event center as organized gatherings that involve a commercial purpose, event-type impacts or a required city permit, including weddings, corporate or promotional events and parties held for a fee or open invitation. Ordinary residential gatherings incidental to the stay, such as a guest's birthday celebration, are not covered.^2,8,16

68-decibel limit after 10 p.m.; nuisance-party ordinance always applies

After 10 p.m. noise may not exceed 68 decibels. Scottsdale's Nuisance Parties and Unlawful Gatherings ordinance (S.R.C. 18-121) applies around the clock and holds property owners accountable for repeated unruly gatherings at any private residence, rented or owner-occupied.^7,16 Applies to: operators and guests

Outdoor cameras are allowed; interior cameras are not

Outdoor security cameras and noise-monitoring devices are permitted. The city says interior cameras are not permitted, and cameras must be disclosed in the listing and kept out of sleeping areas and bathrooms.^16,17

Median nightly rate, booked nights

$275

Taxes on that night (12.42%)

$34

Guest pays, before Airbnb and cleaning fees

$309

What the host still handles

• An Arizona transaction privilege tax (TPT) license for each rental from the Department of Revenue (AZTaxes.gov), before you list; list Scottsdale (SC) and Maricopa County (MAR) as region codes and put the TPT number in every advertisement
• File TPT returns even when a platform collects the tax and even if a period had no bookings (a $0 return); the filing frequency (annual, quarterly or monthly) depends on estimated annual tax, and income the platform taxed is deducted with deduction code 775
• For bookings you take directly or through a platform that does not collect: report and pay state and county tax under business code 025 (plus city Hotel code 044 and Additional Hotel code 144 for Scottsdale)
• Get a certificate (Form 5018) from the online lodging marketplace stating it collects and remits the tax on your bookings, and keep it with your records
• Register the rental with the Maricopa County Assessor (A.R.S. 33-1902) before the first stay^{11,12,13,14,15,24}

• Verified violations at the same rental within 12 months: a civil penalty of up to $500 (or one night's advertised rent, if greater) for the first, up to $1,000 (two nights) for the second and up to $3,500 (three nights) for the third and later.^1,3
• Operating without a current license is a civil offense with a fine of at least $1,000 per violation that a court may not suspend, plus $1,000 for every 30 days you fail to apply after the city's written notice. State law also requires a rental that has not applied within 30 days of the license process opening to stop operating.^1,3
• Emergency contact who fails to respond when public-safety staff ask: a civil offense with a minimum fine of $500, or $250 for failing to arrive within an hour; an owner who knowingly or recklessly lets the contact fail faces a minimum fine of $500.¹
• No liability insurance, no license number in an ad, or no neighbor notification: a civil offense with a minimum fine of $500 each, which a court may reduce to $100 once you comply.¹
• Skipping the sex-offender check on the booking guest: a civil offense with a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 that the court may not suspend; booking a stay on behalf of a sex offender carries the same minimum.¹
• License suspension: a final suspension lasts one year (six months if the owner shows substantial corrective steps), and a court can order a rental shut for up to 12 months after a felony that causes death or serious injury; after a denial or revocation the owner cannot get a new license for that property for a year.^1,3
• Arizona TPT: $250 for a first offense and $1,000 for a subsequent offense for operating without a TPT license or leaving the TPT number out of an advertisement.^12,15

1. June 23, 2026
   Scottsdale defines an 'event center' (Ordinance 4719)

   Ordinance 4719 adds a definition of 'event center' to S.R.C. 18-2 to strengthen enforcement against rentals used for weddings, corporate events and large or advertised parties. It was before Council on June 23, 2026, and the city's rentals page now lists it.^2,8

2. March 18, 2026 Not in force
   Arizona short-term rental bills of 2026 stall (HB 2429 and others)

   HB 2429 would have let cities cap overnight occupancy at two adults per sleeping area plus two other people, deny licenses for unpaid fines and make sex-offender checks mandatory; it passed the House but was held in the Senate after its readings on March 17, 2026 and March 18, 2026. Seven other 2026 bills (HB 2430, HB 2566, HB 4002, SB 1076, SB 1084, SB 1105, SB 1261) were held in committee or Rules. None became law, so A.R.S. 9-500.39 is unchanged.¹⁹

3. July 1, 2025
   Scottsdale's privilege tax rate becomes 1.70%

   After voters approved Proposition 490 in November 2024, the city privilege (sales) tax rate is 1.70% and the use tax rate 1.50% from this date; the 5.0% transient lodging tax is unchanged.^11,13

4. January 1, 2025
   Stays longer than 29 days are no longer taxed by cities

   Arizona's residential rental tax ended after 2024 (SB 1131), so lodging stays longer than 29 consecutive days are not taxed at the state, county or city level; short stays remain taxable.^12,15

5. September 14, 2024
   Cities may require the owner to live on site where a newer ADU exists (HB 2720)

   Laws 2024, chapter 196 (HB 2720), signed May 21, 2024, lets a city require an owner to reside on the property when it has an accessory dwelling unit approved on or after September 14, 2024. Scottsdale's Ordinance 4566 contains no such rule.^3,6

6. January 8, 2023
   City license required for every short-term rental

   From this date no one may operate a short-term or vacation rental in Scottsdale without a current city license; existing rentals had to comply with neighbor notification within 30 days of getting their license.^1,7

7. October 25, 2022
   Scottsdale replaces its rental ordinance (Ordinance 4566)

   Ordinance 4566 repealed and replaced Article IX of Chapter 18 with an annual $250 license, insurance, neighbor-notification, sex-offender-check and health-and-safety rules. It was before Council on October 25, 2022 and is the ordinance the city cites today.^1,7

8. July 6, 2022
   SB 1168 lets cities license short-term rentals

   Laws 2022, chapter 343 (SB 1168), signed July 6, 2022, allows a city to require a local license (fee capped at the lesser of cost or $250), neighbor notification, $500,000 of liability insurance and license suspension for verified violations, and caps civil penalties at $500, $1,000 and $3,500.^3,4,23

9. December 2021
   Scottsdale amends its vacation rental and nuisance party ordinances

   The city amended both ordinances after a resident working group's recommendations and said it would seek changes to state law to restore local oversight.¹

10. May 12, 2016
    Arizona preempts local short-term rental rules (SB 1350)

    Laws 2016, chapter 208 (SB 1350), signed May 12, 2016, barred cities from prohibiting short-term rentals and limited what they can regulate (originally section 9-500.38, now 9-500.39), and made online lodging marketplaces responsible for collecting and remitting lodging tax; it took effect after December 31, 2016.^3,5

Estimate what a Scottsdale home could earn

1. 1. City Council Report and Ordinance No. 4566, Vacation Rental Ordinance Amendments (2022-10-25) · City of Scottsdale City Council
2. 2. City Council Report and Ordinance No. 4719, Event Center definition (2026-06-23) · City of Scottsdale City Council
3. 3. A.R.S. 9-500.39, Limits on regulation of vacation rentals and short-term rentals; state preemption · Arizona Legislature
4. 4. Laws 2022, Chapter 343 (S.B. 1168, vacation rentals; short-term rentals; enforcement) · Arizona Legislature
5. 5. Laws 2016, Chapter 208 (S.B. 1350, online lodging) · Arizona Legislature
6. 6. Laws 2024, Chapter 196 (H.B. 2720, accessory dwelling units; requirements) · Arizona Legislature
7. 7. Information for Owners and Operators (Vacation and Short-Term Rentals) · City of Scottsdale
8. 8. Vacation and Short-Term Rentals · City of Scottsdale
9. 9. Short-Term/Vacation Rental Licensing Process Guide · City of Scottsdale Tax and Business Licensing
10. 10. A Good Neighbor Guide for Owners and Managers of Short-Term/Vacation Rental Properties in Scottsdale · City of Scottsdale
11. 11. Taxes · City of Scottsdale Tax and Business Licensing
12. 12. Transient Lodging (short-term rental tax brochure) · City of Scottsdale Tax and Business Licensing
13. 13. Transaction Privilege and Other Tax Rate Tables (effective October 1, 2026) · Arizona Department of Revenue
14. 14. Short-Term Lodging · Arizona Department of Revenue
15. 15. Online Lodging Marketplace (OLM) Factsheet, FS-25-01 · Arizona Department of Revenue
16. 16. STR Update, May 2026 (quarterly newsletter) · City of Scottsdale
17. 17. STR Update, February 2026 (quarterly newsletter) · City of Scottsdale
18. 18. Licensed Short Term Rental (open data map service layer) · City of Scottsdale Open Data
19. 19. H.B. 2429 (2026), vacation rentals; short-term rentals; occupancy (bill record) · Arizona Legislature
20. 20. Short-Term Rental Pool Barrier Requirements · City of Scottsdale
21. 21. Topic no. 414, Rental income and expenses · Internal Revenue Service
22. 22. Topic no. 415, Renting residential and vacation property · Internal Revenue Service
23. 23. Fact Sheet for S.B. 1168 (2022), vacation rentals; short-term rentals; enforcement · Arizona State Senate
24. 24. Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Arizona · Airbnb Help Center
25. 25. Scottsdale, AZ (Responsible Hosting) · Airbnb Help Center