Sedona, AZ Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SCC 5.25.050(E)
- Standard applied
- Minimum habitable-structure standards, city code
- Inspection trigger
- City reason for concern of noncompliance
- Suspension for violations
- Up to 12 months, SCC 5.25.110
- Hearing window
- 15 days from notice
Summary
Sedona's city code requires short-term rentals to meet the minimum standards for habitable structures set forth in the city code, and lets the city inspect a property when it has reason to believe the unit does not comply.
E. Health, Safety, and Sanitation. To protect the health, safety, and general welfare of all short-term rental occupants, short-term rentals must meet the minimum standards for habitable structures set forth in the city code. The city may require inspection if it has a reason for concern that the short-term rental may not be compliant with the city code.
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
050(E) sets the habitability baseline for those units. ' Rather than restating a separate rental housing code, it incorporates by reference 'the minimum standards for habitable structures set forth in the city code,' meaning a short-term rental must satisfy the same structural, sanitation, and safety baseline that governs habitable buildings generally under Sedona's adopted building code (SCC Title 15). 050(E) even without a separate rental-inspection ordinance. ' That is a triggered, reason-based inspection power, not a routine annual inspection program. 110(A), following written notice and a right to request a hearing within 15 days.
Violations & Fines
A habitability failure is enforced as a violation of SCC Chapter 5.25 rather than a standalone housing-code citation. The short-term rental specialist can order an inspection under 5.25.050(E) when there is reason for concern, and a confirmed violation counts toward the three-strikes suspension trigger in 5.25.110(A)(1); a violation that is also a serious threat to public health and safety can support immediate suspension after a single incident. Suspensions run up to 12 months and follow written notice with a 15-day window to request a hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Sedona inspect a short-term rental for habitability?
What happens if a short-term rental fails habitability standards?
Does the habitability rule cover long-term rentals too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedona
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