San Diego vs Scottsdale: Short-Term Rental Rules Compared (2026)
San Diego is currently "allowed with permit" while Scottsdale is "allowed with permit". On cost, Scottsdale is the cheaper market to license ($250 vs $1,170). Full verified details for both markets below — always confirm current requirements with each jurisdiction.
Side by side
| Rule | San Diego, CA | Scottsdale, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Allowed with permit | Allowed with permit |
| Permit required | Yes | Yes |
| Permit name | Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) License (Tiers 1-4) | Vacation Rental License (Short-Term/Vacation Rental License) |
| Permit fee | $1,170 | $250 |
| Renewal | Biennial | Annual |
| Primary residence only | No | No |
| Owner occupancy required | No | No |
| Night cap / year | None found | None found |
| Minimum stay | 2 night(s) | None found |
| Total occupancy taxes | ~13.75% | ~13.97% |
| Last verified | July 10, 2026 | July 10, 2026 |
Compare guest tax loads
Switch between the two markets to see itemized occupancy taxes on the same stay.
| Gross rent | $450.00 |
| San Diego Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) (11.75%)· collection varies | $52.88 |
| Tourism Marketing District (TMD) assessment (2%)· host remits | $9.00 |
| Total tax (13.75%) | $61.88 |
| Guest pays | $511.88 |
Estimate only. Platform collection varies by listing site and agreement; verify rates with the taxing authorities.
San Diego, CA
Short-term rentals (under one month) are legal in San Diego but every host needs a Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) license, issued in four tiers; a whole-home Tier 3 license costs $1,170 total ($41 application + $1,129 license, valid two years), while part-time and home-share tiers cost $226-$317. The biggest restriction is that each host may hold only one license and operate only one dwelling unit citywide, and whole-home licenses are capped (1% of the city's housing stock for Tier 3; Mission Beach Tier 4 is fully allocated with a frozen waitlist). Guests also pay 11.75%-13.75% transient occupancy tax depending on zone. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
Full San Diegorules, playbook & sources →Scottsdale, AZ
Short-term rentals are legal throughout Scottsdale (Arizona state law bars cities from prohibiting them), but every property rented for less than 30 days must hold an annual City of Scottsdale vacation rental license ($250 per property per year), plus a state TPT license and Maricopa County rental registration. There are no owner-occupancy, night-cap, or per-owner limits; the biggest restrictions are strict operational rules — $500,000 liability insurance, neighbor notification, sex-offender checks on booking guests, and a ban on commercial/event-center use that was significantly strengthened by Ordinance 4719 effective July 23, 2026. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
Full Scottsdalerules, playbook & sources →Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules change frequently in both markets; verify current requirements with each jurisdiction before operating.