Rental Rules by City / Arizona / Scottsdale
Scottsdale short-term rental rules & tax calculator
📋 The Basics
- Can I rent my place short-term here?
- Yes, with a license or tax registration
- Do I need a permit?
- Yes. You need a yearly city STR license for each property ($250).
- What taxes do I pay?
- Total about 12.2%. Airbnb says it collects these for you; you still pay them on bookings outside Airbnb.
Your 3 steps to be legal
- Get an Arizona TPT (sales tax) license.
- Apply for the city STR license.
- Renew every year.
⚠️ Biggest risk: Renting without the city license.
Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.
Tax calculator
Rates used: Arizona state TPT (lodging) 5.5% + Scottsdale TPT 1.7% + Scottsdale additional transient lodging tax 5% = 12.2%. Mandatory cleaning fees are included in the taxable total. Scottsdale hotel TPT 1.70% (from July 1, 2025) + 5.00% additional hotel/motel tax (AZ DOR). County excise not included: verify.
What Airbnb collects: Airbnb collects Arizona TPT (5.5%), county excise tax and local transient taxes in Arizona.
Advanced details (laws, fees, sources)
Rules
| License | Annual City of Scottsdale STR license for each property rented under 30 days: $250 per property. First get an Arizona TPT license (region code SC). |
|---|---|
| State preemption | Arizona law limits cities from banning STRs; cities may require licensing, emergency contacts and neighbor notice. |
| Maricopa County excise tax | Verify with the city / AZ DOR: county lodging excise rate not included in the calculator. |
Items marked "Verify with the city" could not be confirmed from an official source; call the office listed before relying on them.
Sources
Free tools
Free "Is my rental legal?" checklist · Free tourist tax calculator
Rules can change
Scottsdale's rules, its tax rates and platform policies can change through a council vote, a new state law or a court ruling, often with little notice to hosts. We re-check this page monthly; subscribers get notified. Stay Compliant for $4.99/mo.
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Stay Compliant: $4.99/month
Rules, tax rates and Airbnb/Vrbo policies can change without warning, and hosts who miss a change can be fined. Get alerts when your city, county or state changes, deadline reminders, a pending-bill watch list and a monthly host brief (even in quiet months: "we checked on [date]; no changes"). Compare plans.
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Not legal or tax advice. Last verified Oct 24, 2026. Rules and rates change: confirm with the official sources linked before you rent or file.