Are Vacation Rentals Allowed in St. George Utah

The short answer: only in specific places. St. George doesn't allow nightly rentals in its single-family neighborhoods, and the nearby cities each have their own rules, caps or approved lists. Buying a home and planning to figure out the rental rules later is one of the most expensive mistakes an investor can make in Southern Utah. Here's how the rules work city by city. To see what's for sale, browse St. George homes in vacation-rental communities.

St. George

According to the City of St. George, short-term rentals of less than 28 days are not allowed in single-family zones, and the city only allows them in designated areas. Every rental needs a city business license. In practice, legal nightly rentals are concentrated in planned resort-style communities built for them, such as Las Palmas and Sports Village in the Green Valley area. City code also has a narrow exception for very large residential lots, with requirements that include written consent from nearby neighbors, so it rarely applies.

Desert Color: the large master-planned community on the south end includes areas zoned for nightly rentals, mainly near its lagoon, but many of its subdivisions are not. HOAs there can also require minimum lease terms. Confirm the specific subdivision before assuming a Desert Color home can be rented by the night.

Hurricane

Hurricane requires a city short-term rental license for every nightly rental. In single-family zones, licenses are capped at three per 1,000 residents, rentals must be at least 300 feet apart, and an owner can hold only one license; once the cap is reached, new applicants go on a waiting list. A license does not transfer in a sale: a new owner must apply within 45 days or lose it. Recreation resort zones, such as resort communities around Sand Hollow, follow different rules. See Hurricane vacation-rental homes.

Washington City

Washington City allows short-term rentals only in subdivisions it has approved for them, shown on its RRST overlay map. The approved list includes several Sienna Hills communities, Coral Ridge Townhomes, Cottages at Stucki Farms, Freedom Village, Vida Sol Vacation Townhomes, Skyline at Long Valley and communities at Coral Canyon. Each unit needs a business license and an annual fire inspection.

Santa Clara

Santa Clara allows short-term rentals only in certain zones, mainly planned development residential and historic mixed-use areas, with a conditional use permit and a rental business license. Nightly rentals are concentrated in resort-style communities such as Paradise Village, Arcadia and Ocotillo Springs. See Santa Clara vacation-rental homes.

Ivins

Ivins city code prohibits short-term rentals (under 30 days) in residential zones, except in specific short-term rental overlay areas and resort zones, and requires an annual business license. Resort properties such as those at Black Desert operate under their own zoning and HOA rules.

What Utah State Law Does and Doesn't Do

A 2017 state law bars Utah cities from using an online listing by itself as proof of an illegal rental; the city has to show the rental actually happened. It does not override local zoning, so a city can still prohibit nightly rentals in residential zones. The Legislature revisits short-term rental rules regularly, so check for changes before buying.

Costs Beyond the Mortgage

• Licensing and inspections: a city business license is required in every city above, and some add fire inspections or occupancy limits.
• Taxes: nightly rentals collect sales tax plus state and county transient room (lodging) taxes. Details are on the Utah State Tax Commission website.
• Property tax: nightly rentals don't qualify for Utah's 45% primary-residence exemption, so their property tax bills are noticeably higher than an owner-occupied home's.
• Management: many resort communities require or recommend specific management companies, and full-service management takes a meaningful share of gross revenue.
• HOA rules: even in approved communities, HOAs can set minimum stays, guest limits and other rules.

Before Making an Offer

1. Confirm zoning with the city using the parcel number. An active Airbnb listing is not proof a home is legal.
2. Read the HOA's CC&Rs for minimum stays, management requirements and rental caps.
3. Check license transfer rules, especially in Hurricane, where an existing license doesn't carry over to a buyer.
4. Ask for actual rental history (gross bookings, occupancy and expenses) rather than relying on projection tools, which are estimates.
5. Budget for taxes, management, cleaning and furnishing before deciding the numbers work.

Bottom Line

Nightly rentals are legal across Southern Utah, but only in the right places: designated resort communities and approved subdivisions, not ordinary neighborhoods. Investors who verify zoning, HOA rules and license status first avoid the costliest surprises. For more, see buying vacation rentals in St. George and the top vacation rental communities, or contact Best Utah Real Estate for help vetting a specific property.