Scottsdale, AZ Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual Night Cap
- None
- 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
Summary
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.
B. A city or town may not restrict the use of or regulate vacation rentals or short-term rentals based on their classification, use or occupancy except as provided in this section. A city or town may regulate vacation rentals or short-term rentals as follows: 1. To protect the public's health and safety, including rules and regulations related to fire and building codes, health and sanitation, transportation or traffic control and solid or hazardous waste and pollution control, if the city or town demonstrates that the rule or regulation is for the primary purpose of protecting the public's health and safety. 2. To adopt and enforce use and zoning ordinances, including ordinances related to noise, protection of welfare, property maintenance
Full Breakdown
Arizona is one of the most preemptive states in the country for short-term rentals. SB 1350, signed in 2016, made it unlawful for any city, town, or county to prohibit vacation or short-term rentals or to restrict them based solely on their classification, use, or duration. HB 2672 (2019) and later amendments narrowed that preemption to allow cities to regulate fire and building codes, health and sanitation, traffic, solid waste, sign control, and to require registration and emergency contacts, but the prohibition on outright bans and night caps remained intact.
As a result, Scottsdale Ordinance 4566 (Article IX, Chapter 18, SRC 18-175) does not limit how many nights per year a licensed property may be rented, nor does it set a minimum-night-stay floor across the city. Licensed operators may rent year-round, subject to the city's $250 annual license, ADOR TPT license, Maricopa County Assessor registration under ARS 33-1902, six-adult occupancy cap, neighbor-notification rules, and prohibitions on nuisance parties under SRC 18-121. HOAs and master-planned communities may impose their own private rental restrictions independent of city law. Confirm any pending state legislation with Scottsdale Code Enforcement at 480-312-2546.
Violations & Fines
Because no night cap exists, there is no city violation tied to total nights rented. However, hosting a nuisance party that creates a substantial neighborhood disturbance violates SRC 18-121 and can lead to citations, fines, and STR-license suspension or revocation by Scottsdale Code Enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a limit on how many nights I can rent my Scottsdale Airbnb?
Can Scottsdale change its mind and cap STR nights in the future?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
Compare Scottsdale to another location·View the Arizona short-term rentals overview
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Night Caps in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle night caps.