City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Tucson, AZ
How Tucson regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here are subject to registration, a lodging tax, or a small number of operating rules.
- General business license + 9% transient-rental occupational tax registration; no STR-specific regulatory permit
Based on: Tucson Code Ch. 19 (Transient rental occupational tax, e.g. §§ 19-66/19-67) + Ch. 19 business license; no STR-specific
Summary of the rule
Tucson City Code has no STR-specific registration or license. Ch. 7 (Businesses Regulated) Article XI is 'Reserved' (no STR business-license article); Ch. 19 §§19-66/19-67 is a transient-rental occupational tax (9%) with a tax registration only, not an STR regulatory permit; the code has no 'vacation rental' provision and no STR-specific 'short-term rental' regulatory provision. Only a general business license and the transient-rental tax registration touch STRs; whole-home/absentee STR is permitted (A.R.S. §9-500.39 bars any local prohibition). Tier = Light-touch (thin, non-STR-specific layer).
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Tucson · system last checked Oct 24, 2026
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City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.