Is Airbnb legal in Scottsdale, AZ?

Allowed

Airbnb is allowed in Scottsdale, AZ

Arizona preempts bans, so Scottsdale licenses rather than prohibits STRs. Operators must carry liability insurance and run a sex-offender check on bookers, and cannot use the property as a commercial event venue.

Scottsdale Revised Code Ch. 18, Art. IXView the ordinance

Verified July 2026. Not legal advice. Rules change and may be enforced differently than written. Confirm with the city before you list.

Key rules at a glance

Permit or registration

Required

Primary residence only

No

Annual night cap

Not confirmed

Registration fee

$250

How short-term rentals work in Scottsdale

The first step in Scottsdale is the city's permit or registration process, with a fee of about $250. The status card above has the full detail on the current rules.

Scottsdale broadly permits short-term rentals. Expect to register and collect lodging tax, but there is real room for an investor STR strategy.

At the state level, Arizona limits how far cities can go in banning short-term rentals.

What it means for investors

Scottsdale is relatively open to short-term rentals, so an STR strategy is on the table. Run the numbers on a specific property, and compare it to a straight long-term rental to see which pencils better.

Analyze a rental hereCheck long-term rent

Short-term rental rules elsewhere in Arizona

Last reviewed July 2026. Informational and educational only, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Rules change and may be enforced differently than written. Verify the current ordinance with your local jurisdiction or counsel before acting.

Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in Scottsdale?

Arizona preempts bans, so Scottsdale licenses rather than prohibits STRs. Operators must carry liability insurance and run a sex-offender check on bookers, and cannot use the property as a commercial event venue. This reflects the rules as of July 2026; confirm the current ordinance with the city before you list.

Do I need a permit to run a short-term rental in Scottsdale?

Yes. Scottsdale requires a permit or registration to operate a short-term rental, and platforms increasingly require the permit number on the listing.

Can I run a non-owner-occupied Airbnb in Scottsdale?

Yes, Scottsdale does not require you to live in the property, though other limits such as caps, zoning, or licensing may still apply.

Is there a limit on how many nights I can rent in Scottsdale?

No specific annual night cap was confirmed for Scottsdale, though minimum-stay rules or license caps may effectively limit operations. Check the ordinance.

What taxes apply to a short-term rental in Scottsdale?

Short-term rentals in Scottsdale are generally subject to state and local lodging or occupancy taxes on top of income tax. Airbnb and VRBO collect some of these automatically, but not always all of them, so confirm the current rate and who remits it with Arizona and the city.