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Arizona · Yavapai County

Yavapai County

county Allowed with registration Verified · last verified 2026-07-15

Short-term / vacation rentals are ALLOWED in unincorporated Yavapai County, Arizona. State law preempts a county ban: A.R.S. § 11-269.17 ("Limits on regulation of vacation rentals and short-term rentals") provides "A county may not prohibit vacation rentals or short-term rentals." Per the Yavapai County Development Services Planning FAQ (planning-faq-2025.pdf, header "Updated 08/13/2025"), "As of January 1, 2017, Yavapai County allows the short-term rental of permitted habitable structures." Only structures permitted as habitable space for overnight occupancy qualify (single-family residences, guest houses, apartments, condominiums); travel trailers, recreational vehicles, tents, yurts, gazebos, teepees, sheds, garages, barns, caves, offices, etc. do NOT. STRs may not host events (weddings, parties, specialized retreats) or commercial activities; owner-occupied Bed & Breakfast rooms may be rented short-term. Yavapai County has NOT adopted a local STR regulatory permit/license (A.R.S. § 11-269.17 would allow one, capped at the lesser of actual cost or $250). The only county-level requirement is registration of the rental with the Yavapai County Assessor ("Must register with the Yavapai County Assessor's office for any type of rental."). Operators must also obtain a State seasonal Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license from the Arizona Department of Revenue (AZTaxes.gov) and remit TPT under the Transient Lodging classification (business code 025). The combined State + County transient-lodging TPT for unincorporated Yavapai County is 6.325% (State 5.5% + County ~0.825%), confirmed current per the ADOR Transaction Privilege and Other Tax Rate Tables (Table 1, effective January 1, 2026); online lodging marketplaces (Airbnb/Vrbo) collect and remit the tax. Incorporated cities within the county (e.g., Prescott, Sedona, Cottonwood, Prescott Valley, Camp Verde) impose their own rules and additional city taxes and are separate jurisdictions.

Not legal advice. Last verified 2026-07-15 · sources linked below.

Requirements checklist

  • county Yavapai County Assessor residential rental registration Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: One-time registration; owner must update the Assessor when ownership or rental status changes · Applies to: All residential rental property, including short-term/vacation rentals, in unincorporated Yavapai County · official page ↗
  • state Arizona seasonal Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license (ADOR) Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: License remains active until cancelled; cancel the seasonal TPT license when no longer operating the short-term rental · Applies to: Owner/operator or property manager receiving short-term (fewer than 30 days) lodging income · official page ↗
  • state TPT license number in advertising Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: All short-term rental advertisements/listings · official page ↗
  • county Local STR regulatory permit/license (authorized by state law but NOT adopted by Yavapai County) Not required
    Fee: $250 / per permit (statutory maximum) · Renewal: — · Applies to: Would apply only if Yavapai County adopts a local STR permit program; the county has not adopted one as of the Development Services Planning FAQ (Updated 08/13/2025) · official page ↗
  • county Liability insurance (only if county adopts a permit program; not currently mandated) Conditional
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Would be required only if Yavapai County adopts a local STR permit program invoking it; not currently mandated by the county · official page ↗

Taxes

TaxRateAdministered byAirbnb remitsVrbo remits
Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) - Transient Lodging, State portion 5.5% Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) — —
Transient Lodging TPT - unincorporated Yavapai County combined (State + County) 6.325% Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) — —

Lodging-tax estimator

Estimate the combined transient/lodging tax (~11.8%) on a stay in Yavapai County. Estimate only — not tax advice.

Operating rules

Primary residence
No
Min stay (nights)
—
Max nights / year
—
Max occupancy
—
Zoning-restricted
No
Cap on licenses
No

Zoning: STRs are a permitted use countywide (state preemption bars a ban). However, only structures permitted as habitable space for overnight occupancy may be used as STRs (e.g., single-family residences, guest houses, apartments, condominiums). Non-habitable/non-permitted structures — travel trailers, recreational vehicles, tents, yurts, gazebos, teepees, sheds, garages, barns, caves, offices, or any other structure not permitted for overnight occupancy — may not be used as STRs.

  • STR = a lodging rental stay of fewer than 30 days (Transient Lodging classification; ADOR business code 025).
  • No events allowed: 'Short-term rentals do NOT allow events such as weddings, parties, specialized retreats, or any commercial activities.'
  • Owner-occupied Bed & Breakfasts may rent individual rooms as short-term rentals.
  • Yavapai County has NOT adopted a local STR ordinance/permit program under A.R.S. § 11-269.17 as of the Development Services Planning FAQ (Updated 08/13/2025); the only county requirement is County Assessor rental registration.
  • No county-imposed minimum-stay, annual-night cap, occupancy cap, primary-residence requirement, or license cap was found in official county sources.
  • Incorporated cities/towns within Yavapai County (Prescott, Prescott Valley, Sedona, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Chino Valley, etc.) set their own STR rules and taxes and are separate jurisdictions from unincorporated Yavapai County.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in Yavapai County?
Short-term / vacation rentals are ALLOWED in unincorporated Yavapai County, Arizona. State law preempts a county ban: A.R.S. § 11-269.17 ("Limits on regulation of vacation rentals and short-term rentals") provides "A county may not prohibit vacation rentals or short-term rentals." Per the Yavapai County Development Services Planning FAQ (planning-faq-2025.pdf, header "Updated 08/13/2025"), "As of January 1, 2017, Yavapai County allows the short-term rental of permitted habitable structures." Only structures permitted as habitable space for overnight occupancy qualify (single-family residences, guest houses, apartments, condominiums); travel trailers, recreational vehicles, tents, yurts, gazebos, teepees, sheds, garages, barns, caves, offices, etc. do NOT. STRs may not host events (weddings, parties, specialized retreats) or commercial activities; owner-occupied Bed & Breakfast rooms may be rented short-term. Yavapai County has NOT adopted a local STR regulatory permit/license (A.R.S. § 11-269.17 would allow one, capped at the lesser of actual cost or $250). The only county-level requirement is registration of the rental with the Yavapai County Assessor ("Must register with the Yavapai County Assessor's office for any type of rental."). Operators must also obtain a State seasonal Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license from the Arizona Department of Revenue (AZTaxes.gov) and remit TPT under the Transient Lodging classification (business code 025). The combined State + County transient-lodging TPT for unincorporated Yavapai County is 6.325% (State 5.5% + County ~0.825%), confirmed current per the ADOR Transaction Privilege and Other Tax Rate Tables (Table 1, effective January 1, 2026); online lodging marketplaces (Airbnb/Vrbo) collect and remit the tax. Incorporated cities within the county (e.g., Prescott, Sedona, Cottonwood, Prescott Valley, Camp Verde) impose their own rules and additional city taxes and are separate jurisdictions.
Do I need a license or registration for a short-term rental in Yavapai County?
Yes — Yavapai County requires: Yavapai County Assessor residential rental registration; Arizona seasonal Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license (ADOR); TPT license number in advertising. See the requirements checklist for fees, renewal, and official links.
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Yavapai County?
Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) - Transient Lodging, State portion (5.5%), Transient Lodging TPT - unincorporated Yavapai County combined (State + County) (6.325%) — roughly 11.8% combined. Use the lodging-tax estimator on this page for a specific stay.

Official sources

Related coverage

In Arizona

Cities in this county Prescott · Sedona

Informational summary of publicly available sources; not legal advice. Verify against the linked official sources.