Sedona, AZ Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger date
- Certificate of occupancy on/after Sept 14, 2024
- Condition
- Owner must live in primary house on lot
- Older ADUs
- Not covered by this restriction
- Separate requirement
- STR permit still needed under SCC 5.25
Summary
An accessory dwelling unit that gets its certificate of occupancy on or after September 14, 2024 cannot be rented out as a vacation or short-term rental in Sedona, unless the property owner actually lives in the primary house on that same lot.
An ADU that is issued a certificate of occupancy on or after September 14, 2024, shall not be used as a vacation rental or short-term rental unless the property owner’s primary residence is the primary structure on the same property as the ADU.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Initiative Ordinance 2026-01, approved by voters at the July 21, 2026 election).
Full Breakdown
Sedona added a use restriction to its accessory dwelling unit standards that targets short-term rental conversions. D(3)(f), any ADU issued a certificate of occupancy on or after September 14, 2024 cannot be used as a vacation rental or short-term rental unless the property owner's primary residence is the primary structure on that same property. In practice, that means an ADU built or finaled after that date can only go on the short-term rental market if the owner is living in the house next to it, not renting out the house separately while also renting the ADU to different transient guests.
D(3)(d). S. 39, leaves cities: state law bars Sedona from banning or capping short-term rentals by classification, but it does not stop the City from tying a specific unit's use, here a post-2024 ADU, to an owner-occupancy condition once construction happens. 25, which requires a permit, an emergency contact and neighbor notification before guests can be booked.
Violations & Fines
Using a post-September 14, 2024 ADU as a short-term or vacation rental while the owner lives off-site violates SLDC Section 3.4.D(3)(f), enforceable under Section 1.7 as a Class 1 misdemeanor or civil citation. Advertising or operating such a rental can also trigger enforcement and penalties under the City's short-term rental licensing chapter, SCC 5.25, since the unit would not qualify for a valid rental permit under either code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent my new ADU on Airbnb if I don't live on the property?
Does this rule apply to an ADU built years before 2024?
Do I still need a permit to short-term rent a qualifying ADU?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedona
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