Scottsdale, AZ Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Scottsdale Code § 18-175(h) requires every vacation rental and short-term rental to display a laminated, 14-point-or-larger bold notice on the inside of the front door and the primary door to the backyard (or a conspicuous spot near each). Item 9 of that mandatory notice states the occupancy rule word for word: a single family of one to six adults, plus any related dependent children as defined in Appendix B, Sec. 100 of the Scottsdale Zoning Ordinance. The same notice must list the fire/life-safety equipment locations and the city's nuisance waste disposal rules, and must show the property's Vacation Rental License number and a 24-hour local contact.

Section 18-175 sits inside Division 2 of the vacation rental article, which also bars using the property as a retail business, event center, or for housing sex offenders, and prohibits nuisance parties or unruly gatherings that disturb neighbors. Because the occupancy line is part of a legally required posting, an owner who fails to post it, or who knowingly allows a booking to exceed the six-adult cap, is exposed under the same enforcement structure that covers the rest of Section 18-175. The city manager or designee, a Scottsdale police officer, or the city attorney may issue civil complaints under Sec. 18-128, and appeals from any penalty follow the chapter 16, article I review procedure referenced in Sec. 18-161.