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🏠 Short-Term Rentals/Night Caps

Night Caps: Gilbert vs Scottsdale

How do night caps rules compare between Gilbert, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ?

Gilbert and Scottsdale have similar restriction levels.

Gilbert, AZ

Maricopa County

Few Restrictions

The Town of Gilbert imposes NO annual or per-stay night cap on short-term rentals. Arizona Revised Statutes § 9-500.39 expressly preempts cities and towns from prohibiting STRs or capping the number of nights or units used as vacation rentals. Stays under 30 consecutive days are taxable transient lodging.

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Scottsdale, AZ

Maricopa County

Few Restrictions

Scottsdale does not impose any annual night cap on short-term or vacation rentals. Arizona SB 1350 (2016) and HB 2672 (2019) preempt cities and counties from prohibiting STRs or restricting them based on classification, use, or occupancy duration, so Ordinance 4566 (SRC 18-175) regulates safety, registration, and nuisance behavior rather than capping rental nights.

View full Scottsdale rules →

Key Facts Comparison

FactGilbertScottsdale
Annual Night CapNone (state-preempted)None
State StatuteA.R.S. § 9-500.39-
STR Threshold<30 consecutive days-
Town CodeCh. 14, Art. III (no night limit)-
License RequiredYes ($100 / year)-
ContactShortTermRentals@gilbertaz.gov-
State Preemption-ARS 9-500.39 (SB 1350/HB 2672)
City Ordinance-4566 / SRC 18-175
Min Nights-No city minimum
Nuisance Rule-SRC 18-121
Code Enforcement-480-312-2546

Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.

Gilbert FAQ

Is there a maximum number of nights I can rent my Gilbert home short-term?

No. Arizona Revised Statutes § 9-500.39 preempts the Town from capping the total nights or total STR units, and Gilbert Town Code Chapter 14, Article III contains no nightly limit. You may rent year-round so long as your $100 Town license, $500,000 liability insurance, Arizona TPT license and emergency contact stay current. Confirm the current rules at ShortTermRentals@gilbertaz.gov.

What counts as a short-term rental under Gilbert and Arizona law?

Under A.R.S. § 9-500.39, a short-term or vacation rental is a residential dwelling rented for less than 30 consecutive days. Stays of 30 consecutive days or more fall outside the STR ordinance and Town licensing requirement. Rentals under 30 days are subject to Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax plus Gilbert's local lodging tax, collected via the GovOS/MuniRevs portal.

Scottsdale FAQ

Is there a limit on how many nights I can rent my Scottsdale Airbnb?

No. Scottsdale does not impose any annual night cap on licensed short-term rentals. Arizona SB 1350 (2016) and HB 2672 (2019) preempt cities from prohibiting STRs or restricting them based on classification, use, or duration, so a property licensed under Ordinance 4566 (SRC 18-175) may operate year-round. Private HOAs and master-planned community CC&Rs may impose their own restrictions, however.

Can Scottsdale change its mind and cap STR nights in the future?

Not without a change in state law. Because Arizona's STR preemption (SB 1350 and HB 2672) bars cities and counties from restricting rentals based on duration, Scottsdale cannot unilaterally adopt night caps or minimum-stay rules. The Legislature has periodically debated tighter rules; confirm any recent changes with Scottsdale Code Enforcement at 480-312-2546 or the Arizona Department of Revenue before relying on this answer.

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