Salt Lake City's Short-Term Rentals: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles short-term rentals a little differently. In Salt Lake City, Utah, there are 7 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Occupancy Limits

Salt Lake City ties short-term rental occupancy caps to fire and building code limits rather than a flat headcount, enforced under the citywide STR license.

Key details: Occupancy standard: Set by fire/building code. Governing section: SLC Code § 5.13.090.A. Minimum stay: 2 consecutive nights. Annual night cap: 200 nights per license period.

First notice of violation is a written warning; a second costs $250, a third $500, per City Code § 5.88.040. Three verified nuisance violations in 12 months can trigger STR license suspension.

Noise Rules

Salt Lake City STR licensees must control noise and nuisance, and three verified violations in 12 months can get the license suspended.

Key details: Governing chapter: SLC Code Ch. 5.13. Strike threshold: 3 verified violations / 12 months. Consequence: License suspension, remainder of period. Repeat suspension: 3 periods = revocation + 3-yr ban. Local contact response: Must respond within 2 hours.

Three verified noise/nuisance/parking violations in 12 months = license suspension for the remainder of the period; three suspended periods = revocation and a 3-year relicensing ban for that dwelling and licensee.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Salt Lake City actively enforces its noise rules requirements.

Repeat Violator Strikes

Salt Lake City suspends a short-term rental license after three verified nuisance, noise, or parking violations in twelve months, and revokes it after three suspensions.

Key details: Strike threshold: 3 verified violations in 12 months. Consequence: License suspended for rest of period. Revocation trigger: 3 consecutive suspensions. Post-revocation ban: 3 years, dwelling and licensee. Violation types counted: Noise, nuisance, parking, operational standards.

Operating during suspension or revocation is a separate violation for each day of noncompliance; unresolved license violations trigger civil penalties of $1,000 every seven days under Chapter 5.88.

This is one of the stricter rules in Salt Lake City's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Night Caps

Salt Lake City limits licensed short-term rentals to 200 nights of occupancy per year under the annual license period.

Key details: Annual cap: 200 nights per license period. Minimum stay: 2 consecutive nights. Recordkeeping: Track nights occupied, provide on request. Enacted: Ord. 38-26 (2026).

Exceeding 200 rented nights in a license period is a licensing violation; the city can suspend or revoke the short-term rental business license and bar a new license at that address for a set period.

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

Salt Lake City requires every licensed short-term rental to provide at least one off-street parking stall reserved for guests, sited per zoning rules.

Key details: Minimum stalls required: 1 off-street stall. Use restriction: Exclusive use of STR occupants. Design standard cross-reference: Ch. 21A.44. Enacted by: Ord. 38-26 (2026).

Failing to provide the required off-street parking stall, or siting it outside the zoning-compliant location under Ch. 21A.44, is grounds for license denial, non-renewal, or suspension under the STR licensing chapter.

Short-Term Rental Permits

Salt Lake City requires a short-term rental business license before any dwelling can be advertised or rented for stays under 30 days.

Key details: License required: Yes, before any STR use. Stay length triggering rule: Under 30 days. Licenses per unit: One per dwelling unit. Transferable: No. Unlicensed operation penalty: $1,000 per 7 days.

Operating without a license draws civil penalties of $1,000 accruing every 7 days under chapter 5.88; three verified nuisance violations in 12 months can trigger suspension, and repeated suspensions can lead to license revocation with a 3-year ban on reapplying.

This is one of the stricter rules in Salt Lake City's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Taxes & Fees

Salt Lake City levies a 1% transient room tax on short-term rental stays under 30 days, collected by the state tax commission; short-term rental license holders must also collect and remit the tax as a license condition.

Key details: Tax rate: 1% transient room tax. Applies to: stays under 30 consecutive days. Collected by: Utah State Tax Commission. STR license fee: set by consolidated fee schedule. Renewal: annual license renewal required.

Operating a short-term rental without a business license, or without collecting and remitting transient room tax, violates §§ 5.13.020 and 5.13.030(K): grounds for license suspension, revocation, or other enforcement action.

The Bottom Line

Salt Lake City is tougher than many cities when it comes to short-term rentals. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Salt Lake City, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Salt Lake City's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.