How to get a short-term rental permit in Salt Lake City, UT (2026)
Salt Lake City requires Short-Term Rental Business License — the fee is $535, renewed annual. Here's how to get and keep it.
Permit at a glance
| Permit required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Permit name | Short-Term Rental Business License |
| Permit fee | $535 |
| Renewal | Annual |
Step by step
- 1
Confirm your property is eligible
Confirm the property's zoning allows short-term rentals. STRs are not allowed in any of Salt Lake City's residential zones. They are permitted only in approved districts: MU2, MU3, MU5, MU6, MU8, MU11 (mixed-use), M1 and M1-A (manufacturing), D1-D4 (downtown), GMU (gateway mixed-use), RP (research park), BP (business park), A (airport), and JRF (jordan river fairpark). For multifamily buildings, the city's official licensing page states that owners of multi-unit properties containing more than eleven (11) dwelling units may license up to 10% of the total dwelling units (example given: a 30-unit building may license up to 3 units); KSL's coverage of the ordinance described the threshold slightly differently (one license for buildings with 10 units or fewer, 10% of units above that). News coverage reports accessory dwelling units (ADUs) may not be used as STRs.
- 2
Apply for the Short-Term Rental Business License
Submit the Short-Term Rental Business License application to Salt Lake City and pay the $535 fee. Per the Consolidated Fee Schedule (amended 06/16/2026 by Ord. 2026-29): Short-Term Rental Property pays the standard business license Base Fee ($193 before Sept 2026; $198 effective Sept 2026) plus a $342 Per Unit Fee per rental unit, 'in approved zones only' (schedule cross-references Utah Code 10-8-85.4). Current single-unit total = $535 ($53,500 cents); rises to $540 effective September 2026. An annual Employee Fee ($28, rising to $29 effective Sept 2026, per employee) applies if the business has more than one employee.
- 3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for Salt Lake City. Some are collected automatically by the booking platform and some you may need to remit yourself.
- 4
Renew on schedule
The permit renews annual — set a reminder so it never lapses, since operating on an expired permit typically triggers fines.
STR rules change without warning.
Get an email the moment Salt Lake City changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.
Watch Salt Lake City for changes →Free monthly digest · same-day alerts from $5/mo · cancel anytime
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Verified July 21, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with Salt Lake City before applying.