Orem, UT Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Orem's existing land-use framework is set out in Chapter 22 of the Orem City Code (Zoning). Under the 2002 amendment, 'All Transient Lodging and Hotels, Tourist Courts & Motels' were listed as prohibited uses in Orem's residential districts, which has been the city's longstanding basis for treating dwelling rentals of fewer than 30 days as not allowed in residential zones. Because the use itself was prohibited in residential districts, the code did not establish an STR-specific occupancy formula like '2 per bedroom + N additional guests' that some other Utah cities use. In 2025 the City Council and Planning Commission reviewed a Short-Term Rental Ordinance Proposed Text Amendment (Utah Public Meeting Notice posting 772697) that contemplated a tiered occupancy cap. During the April 8, 2025 council discussion, members debated whether eight overnight guests was an appropriate ceiling for larger homes; the proposal under discussion drew on the 'two adults per bedroom up to a set maximum' formula echoed in draft state legislation (HB 180). Until the city formally codifies a new STR ordinance with its own occupancy section, the controlling rule remains the 2002 prohibition in residential zones, supplemented by general Utah State Construction Code occupancy classifications (R-3 dwellings vs. R-1 transient lodging at higher occupant loads) that the Building Department applies citywide. Operators planning STR activity should verify the property's underlying zoning (commercial vs. residential), confirm whether an updated Chapter 22 ordinance has been adopted, and contact the Orem Development Services Department at (801) 229-7058 before relying on any occupancy figure circulated in third-party guides.