Short-Term Rentals in Sandy, UT

Every city handles short-term rentals a little differently. In Sandy, Utah, there are 9 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.

Taxes & Fees

Sandy short-term rental owners must pay every tax and fee tied to the rental: the special use permit fee, the business license fee, property tax, sales tax, and the Utah transient room tax, with amounts set by City Council resolution.

Key details: Governing section: Sandy City Code § 15-11-8. License expires: July 1 annually. Required taxes: Property, sales, transient room tax. Notice before revocation: At least 10 working days. Sales tax license: Utah copy required with application.

Failure to pay any required tax or fee is grounds for the Business License Official to deny, suspend, or revoke the STRL under section 15-11-6. The City gives at least ten working days' written notice of the violation with a chance to cure, except that the notice period can be waived or shortened where public health, safety, or welfare is at risk. Renewal is refused outright if the account has accrued more than the maximum allowed violations in the preceding 12 months, and unpaid taxes or fees can also block renewal at the July 1 deadline.

Short-Term Rental Permits

Sandy prohibits leasing any dwelling for under 30 days without first obtaining both an STR special use permit and a short-term rental business license, and caps the citywide permit count while requiring owner-occupancy at least 183 days a year.

Key details: Governing sections: §§ 15-11-2, 21-11-26. Owner-occupancy minimum: 183 days/year. Max renters: 8 people. Whole-dwelling rental cap: 182 nights/year. Permit renewal date: July 1 annually.

Operating an STR without both the special use permit and STRL, or violating occupancy, parking, or safety standards, is a violation under Section 21-11-26; a third violation within 12 months automatically revokes the STRL and special use permit and bars the owner from reapplying for two years. Fines follow the fee schedule under Title 1 Chapter 4.

Compared to other cities, Sandy takes a harder line on short-term rental permits. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Occupancy Limits

Sandy caps short-term rental occupancy at eight renters and forbids renting to more than one party at a time. The rule sits inside the City's STR special use permit and license system under § 21-11-26 of the Sandy City Code.

Key details: Governing section: Sandy City Code § 21-11-26. Max renters: 8 people. Renter groups: One renter at a time, no dividing dwelling. Stay length: 1 to 29 consecutive nights. Permit required: STR special use permit + STRL.

Renting to more than eight occupants at once, hosting more than one renter group simultaneously, or splitting the dwelling to rent multiple portions concurrently violates § 21-11-26. The Community Development Director issues a notice requiring the owner to cure within 48 hours; a third violation within 12 months triggers automatic revocation of the STRL and STR special use permit and a two-year ban on reapplying, plus civil fines under Title 1, Chapter 4.

Sandy lets an owner rent out a portion of their home, rather than the whole dwelling, for all 365 nights of the year. The allowance is written into the STR occupancy rules at § 21-11-26 of the Sandy City Code.

Key details: Governing section: Sandy City Code § 21-11-26. Partial-home rental cap: 365 nights per year (no cap). Whole-home comparison: 182 nights per year cap. Designated STR area: Only one per property. Owner residency: Still requires 183 days/year on-site.

Exceeding the eight-occupant cap, renting to more than one party simultaneously, or letting a 'portion of dwelling' rental effectively expand into a second designated STR area without amending the permit violates § 21-11-26. Violations draw a 48-hour cure notice from the Community Development Director, and a third violation within 12 months automatically revokes both the STRL and STR special use permit with a two-year reapplication ban, plus fines under Title 1, Chapter 4.

The rules around extended home share in Sandy lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Noise Rules

A second noise violation at a Sandy short-term rental within any 72-hour period forces the owner to immediately evict every renter. Section 21-11-26 ties STR licensing directly to the City's Noise Control Chapter and a county noise health regulation.

Key details: Governing section: Sandy City Code § 21-11-26. Eviction trigger: 2nd noise violation within 72 hours. Referenced noise code: Chapter 13-2, Noise Control. County regulation: SL County Health Reg. No. 21. Owner response time: Within 1 hour of a legitimate complaint.

Failing to evict renters after a second Noise Control Chapter violation within 72 hours is itself a violation of § 21-11-26, separate from the underlying noise citation issued under Chapter 13-2. The Community Development Director can require a cure within 48 hours; a third overall STR violation within 12 months automatically revokes the STRL and special use permit for two years, with civil fines assessed under Title 1, Chapter 4.

Compared to other cities, Sandy takes a harder line on noise rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Sandy only permits short-term rentals inside a home the owner actually lives in. The owner must reside there at least 183 days a year and prove it with tax returns, government ID and a notarized affidavit under § 21-11-26.

Key details: Governing section: Sandy City Code § 21-11-26. Residency minimum: 183 days per calendar year. Proof required: Tax returns, gov't ID, notarized affidavit. Eligible owners: Individual or family trust, 50%+ ownership. On sale/STRL expiry: Permit automatically expires, non-transferable.

Operating an STR where the owner does not actually maintain the home as a primary residence for at least 183 days per year, or falsifying the occupancy affidavit, is grounds for permit denial or revocation under § 21-11-26. A confirmed violation triggers a City-issued cure notice with a 48-hour deadline; a third violation within 12 months automatically revokes the STRL and special use permit and bars reapplication for two years, in addition to civil fines under Title 1, Chapter 4.

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

Night Caps

Sandy limits whole-dwelling short-term rentals to 182 nights per year. The annual cap is written directly into the STR occupancy rules of § 21-11-26 of the Sandy City Code, alongside stays capped at 29 consecutive nights.

Key details: Governing section: Sandy City Code § 21-11-26. Whole-home cap: 182 nights per year. Portion-of-home rentals: 365 nights per year allowed. Per-stay limit: 1 to 29 consecutive nights. Tracking: City uses STR tracking software.

Exceeding 182 nights of whole-dwelling rental in a calendar year violates § 21-11-26. The Community Development Director issues a cure notice with a 48-hour compliance window upon discovering a violation; a written citation follows for confirmed violations, and a third violation in any 12-month period automatically revokes the STRL and special use permit with a two-year ineligibility period for a new permit, plus civil fines under Title 1, Chapter 4.

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

Sandy requires every short-term rental to have a written off-street parking plan limited to the existing garage, driveway and dedicated parking spots. On-street parking cannot count toward an STR's required capacity under § 21-11-26.

Key details: Governing section: Sandy City Code § 21-11-26. Allowed parking: Garage, driveway, dedicated spots only. On-street parking: Expressly excluded from the plan. Plan required at: Time of STR special use permit application. Owner duty: Ensure renters comply with the plan.

Allowing STR guests to park on the street, or operating without sufficient on-site capacity matching the approved parking plan, violates § 21-11-26. A confirmed violation triggers a 48-hour cure notice from the Community Development Director; repeated violations count toward the three-strikes rule that automatically revokes the STRL and STR special use permit and bars a new permit for two years, in addition to civil fines under Title 1, Chapter 4.

Repeat Violator Strikes

A Sandy short-term rental owner who racks up a third violation notice in any 12-month period loses the STR license and special use permit automatically and is banned from applying again for two years, on top of a civil fine.

Key details: Governing section: Sandy City Code § 21-11-26. Third-strike penalty: Automatic STRL and permit revocation. Reapplication ban: 2 years from third notice. Cure period: 48 hours to fix a cited violation. Enforcing office: Community Development Director or designee.

First and second violations in a 12-month period draw a civil fine under Title 1, Chapter 4's fee schedule. A third violation in that window adds automatic revocation of the STRL and STR special use permit, plus a two-year ban on reapplying for either. Owners get 48 hours to cure a cited violation before further action.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Sandy actively enforces its repeat violator strikes requirements.

The Bottom Line

Sandy is tougher than many cities when it comes to short-term rentals. Out of the 9 rules covered here, 4 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Sandy, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Sandy can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.