Enforcement of Oro Valley’s short term rental ordinance now in effect
Published on May 08, 2023
ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (May 8, 2023) – The Town of Oro Valley would like to remind residents that as of Friday, May 5, 2023, enforcement of the Town’s ordinance for short term and vacation rentals is now in effect. The new ordinance, which establishes rules, regulations and licensing requirements for short term and vacation rentals (e.g. Airbnb, VRBO, etc.), officially went into effect on February 3; however, Town Council allowed for a 90-day implementation period where the ordinance would not be enforced to allow individuals to become familiar with the licensing process.
Now that the implementation period is over, short term or vacation rental property owners who have not yet registered their property with the Town will soon receive a letter notifying them that the Town will be accessing a $100 civil sanction (in addition to the $80 licensing fee) during registration, and that the owner will have until June 6 to register their property. If an owner fails to register by June 6, the Town of Oro Valley will issue a Notice of Violation, citing the owner to the Oro Valley Municipal Court.
How to register a short term or vacation rental
To register a short term or vacation rental property, owners will need to prepare a list of required documents, provide neighbors notification of intent to rent, evidence of insurance, evidence that the property is registered with the Pima County Assessor as a short term rental and a form of personal identification to apply. Short term rental licenses will be $80 a year—the same cost as a Town of Oro Valley business license. For full details of the required documents and to register online, click here. For help registering a short term rental property, please contact the Community and Economic Development Department at 520-229-4800.
How to report a suspected short term or vacation rental violation
Residents can report suspected violations regarding short term or vacation rental properties to the Town of Oro Valley. Possible violations include lack of licensing, not displaying the neighborhood notification form on the property or lack of a Town license number on rental promotions. Residents are encouraged to view the short term rental property map which lists all of the currently licensed rentals in Oro Valley before reporting a suspected violation. Click here to view the map. For suspected violations related to rental use or zoning code violations, please contact the Community and Economic Development Department at 520-229-4800. For criminal, noise, or similar complaints, please call the Oro Valley Police Department at 520-229-4900. For emergencies, call 911.
It is important to note that the Town will not be proactively inspecting properties for suspected violations. Rather, the Town will respond to public complaints received.
About Oro Valley’s short term rental ordinance
In accordance with state law, short term and vacation rental properties have always been permitted in the Town of Oro Valley. Thus far, short term rentals have not been problematic. In fact, they contribute to the local economy; however, due to their growing popularity, the Town of Oro Valley decided to implement a licensing system to ensure that short term rentals continue to be a successful endeavor while also providing for the safety and quality of life for surrounding neighbors.
Except in neighborhoods where Homeowner Associations restrict or regulate these types of rentals, they are allowed in all residential neighborhoods in Oro Valley if the rental is licensed with the Town. Neighborhoods may be able to regulate rentals through voluntary private agreements. These agreements, commonly known as private deed restrictions, are regulations that the Town cannot enforce or provide advice on how to implement them.
For more information about short term and vacation rental regulations, including frequently asked questions, please refer to the short term rental web page by clicking here, or visit the short term rental application web page by clicking here.