As the Jan. 8 deadline approaches for short-term/vacation rental properties to be licensed by the city of Scottsdale, the city is addressing a key misconception: every property offered for rent less than 30 days must apply for and receive a Scottsdale license — no properties are “grandfathered” in.

The city has notified all known short-term/vacation rental properties about the licensing requirement via direct mail, and is also working with the rental marketplaces to notify properties listed in Scottsdale., a press release stated. However, as of Dec. 27, only 838 of an estimated 5,000 properties in Scottsdale have applied for or received their Scottsdale license.

Failure to receive the city’s letter does not alleviate an owner’s responsibility to obtain a license or comply with other ordinances and legal requirements.

Beginning Jan. 9, any short-term/vacation rental property operating in Scottsdale without a license will be violating the law. The owner/operator will be subject to enforcement action by the city that includes being cited with a minimum fine of $1,000 per violation.

Download a step-by-step licensing process guide for a Scottsdale rental property license here.

A short-term/vacation rental covers rentals of less than 30 days, the release stated. Owners that rent for 30 days or longer do not need to obtain a license through this process.

Visit ScottsdaleAZ.gov and search “short-term rental” to learn about the city, county and state requirements for short-term/vacation rental properties, apply for a license, and find resources for neighborhoods.