Tucson cannot restrict short-term rentals to primary residences. Investors may operate multiple non-owner-occupied vacation rentals because Arizona Revised Statutes 9-500.39 preempts any local rule limiting STRs to a host's primary home.
Cities in many states cap STRs to a host's primary residence to curb investor conversion of housing stock. Arizona explicitly forbids that. ARS 9-500.39 lets municipalities regulate health, safety, parking, and noise but bars them from banning non-owner-occupied STRs or capping the number per operator. Tucson therefore registers each unit individually under Chapter 7, Article X-A without proof of primary occupancy. Council members have repeatedly asked the legislature for authority to impose a primary-residence rule, particularly in neighborhoods near the University of Arizona, but as of 2026 no such authority exists.
Misrepresenting a unit as a primary residence to gain a lower TPT rate is tax fraud subject to ADOR penalties; the STR permit itself does not depend on residency status.
Tucson, AZ
Tucson requires a City Business License ($95 initial, $70 annual renewal) for all STR operators. State preemption (ARS §9-500.39) bars bans on STRs. TPT lice...
Tucson, AZ
Tucson requires rental property owners to register with the City of Tucson and maintain current contact information for the property owner or designated agen...
See how Tucson's primary-residence-only rule rules stack up against other locations.
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