Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Washington County, UT Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Code § 10-13-23.E.4
Availability
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round
Guest/emergency response
Physically present within two hours
County phone contact
Must respond within one hour
County email contact
Must respond within 48 hours
Posting requirement
Contact info on exterior weatherproof plaque

Summary

Washington County requires every short-term rental to have an owner, owner-occupant, or designated local property manager available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, who can be physically present at the dwelling within two hours of a guest, county, or emergency services call, under section 10-13-23.E.4.

City-specific rules exist: St. George has its own host presence rule rules that differ from Washington County's county-level regulations. If you live in St. George, check the city-specific page instead.

In addition to an owner or owner-occupant, a STR may have a local property manager who is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. If there is a local property manager they must be able to be physically present at the STR to respond to emergencies and complaints within two hours of being contacted. The owner, owner-occupant, or local property manager also shall respond to county within one hour of being contacted by phone, and within 48 hours if contacted by email.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 2026-1329-O, passed 8-18-2026).

Full Breakdown

4 requires that, in addition to an owner or owner-occupant, a Short Term Rental may have a local property manager who is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year, and if a property manager is used, that person must be able to be physically present at the STR to respond to emergencies and complaints within two hours of being contacted. The same subsection requires the owner, owner-occupant, or property manager to answer the county's own contact within one hour by phone or within 48 hours by email, and their current contact information must be permanently displayed in large, bold print on the exterior of the dwelling unit next to the front door on a visible weatherproof plaque.

g requires the applicant, if using a local property manager, to submit contact information showing availability 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year, and confirming the ability to reach the license address within two hours of a guest, county, or emergency services call. d each make it a violation of this section if the owner, owner-occupant, or local property manager fails to respond to a renter, guest, or county complaint, or fails to be physically present within two hours, whichever contact channel is used.

Violations & Fines

Failing to be reachable 24/7, or failing to have the owner, owner-occupant, or local property manager physically present at the STR within two hours of a guest, county, or emergency contact, is itself a violation of this section under section 10-13-23.R.1.c and R.1.d, feeding into the three-strikes revocation scheme in R.3-R.4 and the escalating civil penalties in R.7.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Washington County short-term rental need an on-call host or manager?
Yes. Section 10-13-23.E.4 requires an owner, owner-occupant, or local property manager who is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and, if a property manager is used, who can be physically present at the STR within two hours of being contacted.
How fast must the host respond to a guest complaint in Washington County?
Within two hours for physical presence at the property. Section 10-13-23.R.1.c requires the owner, owner-occupant, or local property manager to respond to a renter or guest complaint and attempt to resolve it within two hours, or the delay itself is a violation of the section.
How fast must the host respond if the county contacts them?
Within one hour if contacted by phone, or within 48 hours if contacted by email, per section 10-13-23.E.4 and R.1.d. Failing either response window is a violation of section 10-13-23.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Washington County

All Washington County rules

Compare Washington County to another location·View the Utah short-term rentals overview

Get notified when Host Presence Rule in Washington County, UT changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.

Host Presence Rule in Cities Across Washington County