Orem has historically prohibited short-term rentals (transient lodging under 30 days) in residential zones under a 2002 zoning ordinance, so no occupancy formula has applied to lawful residential STRs. The Orem City Council reviewed a draft STR text amendment in 2025 (Utah PMN posting 772697) discussing tiered caps such as two guests per bedroom up to a maximum of eight, but as of the most recent verified council discussion no STR occupancy ordinance had been formally adopted.
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.
Operating a short-term rental in a residential zone violates the 2002 Chapter 22 transient-lodging prohibition. Orem enforces zoning violations through the Development Services Department and Code Enforcement; remedies under the code include cease-and-desist notices, civil penalties, and injunctive relief sought in district court. Utah Code Β§ 10-9a-803 authorizes municipalities to seek injunctions and civil fines against zoning violations, including unpermitted lodging uses.
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