Rental Rules by City / Arizona / Scottsdale

    Scottsdale short-term rental rules & tax calculator

    Maricopa County, Arizona · Verified against official sources Oct 24, 2026

    📋 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

    1. Get an Arizona TPT (sales tax) license.
    2. Apply for the city STR license.
    3. 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.

    This is the general rule for Scottsdale. Does your address qualify?

    The free info covers the city as a whole. Your property can still be different: zoning can change from one street to the next, and an HOA or condo ban can stop rentals even where the city allows them.

    Your $49 Compliance Check looks at your exact property:

    🔎 How we check: official city, county and state sources, a last-verified date on every page, and nothing guessed. Learn more

    Check my address: $49

    🔔 Stay notified: $4.99/month

    Rules don't change every week, but they do change, and nobody emails you when they do. We'll alert you when city rules, tourist taxes, HOA-related laws, or Airbnb/Vrbo policies change in Scottsdale. Cancel anytime.

    Stay notified

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    Why use this instead of a web search?

    Instead of scattered, sometimes outdated pages, you get the city, county and state rules on one page, with official sources linked, a last-checked date, and unconfirmed items marked "verify" instead of guessed. How we verify →

    Advanced details (laws, fees, sources)

    Rules

    LicenseAnnual 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 preemptionArizona law limits cities from banning STRs; cities may require licensing, emergency contacts and neighbor notice.
    Maricopa County excise taxVerify 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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    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.