Short-Term Rental Regulations · Scottsdale, AZ
Is Scottsdale short-term-rental friendly?
Scottsdale allows short-term rentals by right in every residential district, and Arizona law bars the city from banning them, so owners face no night cap or primary-residence test. The tradeoff is a compliance stack: an annual $250 city license per property, a state TPT license with the Scottsdale region code, Maricopa County rental registration, neighbor notification, and $500,000 liability insurance. Combined lodging taxes total 12.20%, occupancy is capped at 6 adults, and event-center use and nuisance parties are the main enforcement targets.
Last updated: . Every fact links to its official source.
Town-by-town rules
| Town | Permit required? | Annual cost | Primary-residence / night-cap limits | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottsdale | A City of Scottsdale license is required for each property rented for less than 30 days (Ordinance 4566, Scottsdale City Code Article IX); owners renting 30 days or longer do not need it. Before applying, obtain a state Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license from the Arizona Department of Revenue for the property, listing Scottsdale region code SC. The license application requires owner or agent name, address, phone and email, the property address, proof of the TPT license, and 24-hour emergency contact information. After licensing, owners must notify neighboring properties, complete a neighbor notification and liability insurance attestation, register the rental with the Maricopa County Assessor before it is occupied, and display the required short-term rental notice inside the home. (City of Scottsdale, Information for Owners and Operators (opens in a new tab), City of Scottsdale, Vacation and Short-Term Rentals (opens in a new tab), Arizona Revised Statutes 9-500.39, Arizona Legislature (opens in a new tab)) | The City of Scottsdale short-term rental license costs $250 per property per year, and the license must be maintained annually, so the same amount applies at initial application and each renewal. The Arizona TPT license from the Department of Revenue costs $12 per location and must be renewed annually by January 1. Maricopa County Assessor residential rental registration under A.R.S. 33-1902 is required before occupancy; no registration fee amount is stated in the assessor rental registration materials reviewed. (City of Scottsdale, Information for Owners and Operators (opens in a new tab), Arizona Department of Revenue, TPT License (opens in a new tab), Maricopa County Assessor, Rental Registration FAQ (opens in a new tab)) | No primary-residence requirement and no annual night cap were found in the cited official materials. A.R.S. 9-500.39 bars cities from prohibiting short-term rentals or regulating them based on classification, use or occupancy, and Scottsdale allows them by right in all residential districts, subject to a maximum family size of 6 adults plus their dependent children. State law permits an owner-residency rule only for properties containing an accessory dwelling unit permitted on or after September 14, 2024; no such Scottsdale rule appears in the pages reviewed. HOAs may still impose their own private restrictions, and out-of-state owners must designate an Arizona statutory agent for county rental registration. (City of Scottsdale, Information about Vacation & Short-Term Rentals (opens in a new tab), Arizona Revised Statutes 9-500.39, Arizona Legislature (opens in a new tab), Maricopa County Assessor, Rental Registration FAQ (opens in a new tab)) | Short-term rentals pay Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax on transient lodging totaling 12.20% for a Scottsdale property: 5.5% state transient lodging TPT (business code 025) plus Scottsdale city rates of 1.70% (Hotels, code 044) and 5.00% (Hotel/Motel additional tax, code 144, the city bed tax adopted in its 5% form effective July 1, 2010). The combined state and Maricopa County rate of 7.27% in ADOR Table 1 covers lodging in unincorporated county areas; properties inside Scottsdale report the state rate plus the city rates above. File TPT returns with ADOR through AZTaxes.gov even for periods with no rentals, keep the TPT license number in every advertisement, and note that online lodging marketplaces collect and remit TPT on marketplace bookings while direct bookings remain the owner's responsibility. (Arizona Department of Revenue, Scottsdale Transaction Privilege Tax & Use Tax Rates (opens in a new tab), Arizona Department of Revenue, TPT and Other Tax Rate Tables effective September 1, 2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab), Arizona Department of Revenue, Short-Term Lodging (opens in a new tab), City of Scottsdale, Information about Vacation & Short-Term Rentals (opens in a new tab)) |
"Not found" means the restriction was not located in the linked official materials reviewed as of the update date. It does not prove that no later, uncodified, parcel-specific, or special-district rule applies.
Good to know
- Scottsdale: Short-term rentals are allowed by right in all residential districts, but Scottsdale pairs that with strict owner obligations: liability insurance of at least $500,000 (directly or through an online marketplace), neighbor notification with a 24-hour emergency contact, pool barrier requirements for homes with a pool, hot tub or spa, a maximum of 6 adults per unit, a ban on event center or commercial gathering use (Ordinance 4719), and owner accountability for nuisance parties under SRC 18-121. State law allows civil penalties (up to $500 or one night's rent for a verified violation) and suspension of the city license for up to 12 months after three verified violations in 12 months or one serious violation, so respond to complaints and keep emergency contact information current. (City of Scottsdale, Information for Owners and Operators (opens in a new tab), City of Scottsdale, Vacation and Short-Term Rentals (opens in a new tab), Arizona Revised Statutes 9-500.39, Arizona Legislature (opens in a new tab))
FAQ
Do I need a license to operate a short-term rental in Scottsdale?
Yes. Every property offered for rent for less than 30 days needs an annual City of Scottsdale license, which costs $250 per property. You first need an Arizona TPT license from the Department of Revenue with Scottsdale (SC) as the region code, and the property must also be registered with the Maricopa County Assessor before it is occupied. Rentals of 30 days or longer do not need the city's short-term rental license.
What taxes will I pay on my Scottsdale short-term rental?
Combined transient lodging TPT totals 12.20%: 5.5% state, 1.70% Scottsdale Hotels rate, and 5.00% Scottsdale Hotel/Motel additional tax. File TPT returns with ADOR through AZTaxes.gov even in months with no bookings, put your TPT license number in every advertisement, and note that online marketplaces typically collect and remit the tax on marketplace bookings while direct bookings are your responsibility.
Does Scottsdale limit how often I can rent my home?
No night cap or primary-residence requirement was found in the official city materials. State law (A.R.S. 9-500.39) bars cities from prohibiting short-term rentals, and Scottsdale allows them by right in all residential districts. Occupancy is limited to 6 adults plus their dependent children, and HOAs can impose their own private restrictions.
What rules get Scottsdale hosts fined?
The biggest risks are operating without the city license, missing the $500,000 liability insurance or neighbor notification attestation, unresponsive emergency contacts, pool barriers that do not meet city requirements, and allowing parties, large gatherings or event-center use. State law allows civil penalties of up to $500 or one night's rent per verified violation and suspension of the city license for up to 12 months, and owners are accountable for nuisance gatherings under SRC 18-121.
General information, not legal advice. Short-term rental rules change, so verify current requirements with the jurisdiction before listing.