Salt Lake City, UT Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

Salt Lake City explicitly bars use of any accessory dwelling unit as a short-term rental. The prohibition is found directly in the language of SLC Code 21A.40.200, which states that an ADU shall not be rented as a short-term rental. This aligns with Utah Code 10-9a-530, which defines internal ADUs as units offered for the purpose of long-term rental of 30 consecutive days or longer. Salt Lake City separately regulates short-term rentals (defined as stays of fewer than 30 days) under its zoning ordinance and generally limits them to specific zoning districts and operator-occupied scenarios. The combined effect is that an ADU may be used for traditional long-term tenancy (month-to-month, annual leases) but cannot be listed on platforms such as Airbnb or VRBO for nightly or weekly rentals. The owner-occupancy requirement (UCA 10-9a-530) further means the owner must reside on-site, eliminating the possibility of operating the unit as an absentee-owner vacation rental. Note: Utah preempts municipal rent control under longstanding state law, so SLC cannot cap rents charged for ADU rentals.