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HomeShort-Term Rental LawsArizonaMesa

Local guide

Short-Term Rental Laws in Mesa, Arizona

Understand Mesa short-term rental laws, the $250 city license, TPT, county registration, neighbor notice, DIMES application, and 45-day renewal deadline.

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Compliance layers

Four Layers to Verify Before Your Mesa Property Goes Live.

City Jurisdiction

Confirm the address is inside Mesa city limits—not on a Maricopa County island—before paying a fee.

License + Notice

Prepare the city license, owner and emergency contacts, insurance, and neighbor-notice record.

Tax + County Records

Keep the Arizona TPT location and Maricopa County property registration aligned to the unit.

Renewal + Operations

Track the annual license, 45-day renewal deadline, and ongoing operating requirements together.

Legal Status

Short-term rentals are allowed in Mesa, but the deeded owner must obtain a City license for each qualifying rental unit before operating.

Mesa applies its license to residential stays of 29 days or fewer, including individual rooms in an owner-occupied home. Arizona law supplies the statewide framework, while Mesa City Code Chapter 5-15 supplies the local process.

First confirm the property is actually within Mesa. A USPS Mesa address can be located on a Maricopa County island and therefore fall outside the City license program.

Mesa Rules at a Glance

Legal status
Allowed with city license
Covered stays
29 days or fewer
Applicant
Deeded property owner
Initial / renewal fee
$250 per unit
License term
One year
Renewal deadline
At least 45 days before expiration
Arizona TPT license
Required for each location
Neighbor notice
Required; retain delivery proof

Confirm Eligibility & Jurisdiction

  • Check Explore Mesa

    Confirm the address is inside City limits and is not on a Maricopa County island.

    Required

  • Confirm ownership

    Only the deeded owner can receive the Mesa STR license.

    Required

  • Review HOA rules

    Check applicable CC&Rs or association rules independently of the City license.

    Required

  • A Mesa mailing address is not enough

    Use the City map before paying the fee. County-island properties are outside Mesa jurisdiction even when USPS lists Mesa as the city.

    Warning

License Process

  1. Verify the property and HOA status

    Resolve jurisdiction and private-use restrictions before preparing an application.

  2. Prepare TPT and contact records

    List every rental location on the Arizona TPT license and gather owner, statutory-agent, and emergency-contact details.

  3. Apply through DIMES

    Choose the single- or multiple-rental-unit application, enter the property details, review the acknowledgements, and pay the fee.

  4. Complete neighbor notification

    After receiving the license number, send the required notice and retain a copy and delivery proof.

Documents & Neighbor Notice

  • Valid Arizona TPT license showing each Mesa rental unit

    The current license must list every Mesa rental unit included in the city application.

    Required

  • Owner contact information

    Use the deeded owner’s current legal and contact information.

    Required

  • Statutory-agent information, when applicable

    Provide this record when the ownership structure requires a statutory agent.

  • Designated emergency-contact information

    Use a monitored 24-hour contact who can respond to complaints and emergencies.

    Required

  • Property deed or title, if the City cannot independently verify ownership

    Conditional evidence requested only when Licensing staff cannot verify ownership independently.

  • At least $500,000 in liability coverage or qualifying marketplace coverage

    Maintain the state-required coverage or qualifying online-marketplace protection.

    Required

  • Neighbor notice containing the Mesa license number, rental address, and emergency contact

    Keep the exact written notice and delivery evidence in the property record.

    Required

Taxes & County Registration

A valid Arizona TPT license is required for the Mesa license, and each Mesa rental unit must appear as a location. Short-term lodging remains taxable even though Arizona ended city TPT on residential stays of 30 days or more in 2025.

Mesa directs transient-lodging activity through ADOR using region code ME and the applicable lodging business-class codes. Residential rental registration with the Maricopa County Assessor is a separate property-record step.

  • Marketplace tax collection does not replace licensing

    An online lodging marketplace may remit TPT for marketplace bookings, but Mesa still requires the property owner to maintain the TPT and city license records.

    Warning

Renewal & Changes

Mesa sends a courtesy reminder, but the licensee remains responsible for filing on time. A missed 45-day deadline requires a new application rather than a late renewal.

  • License term

    One year from issuance

  • Renewal fee

    $250 per unit

  • Submission deadline

    At least 45 days before expiration

  • Transferability

    Not transferable to a new owner or location

Operating Compliance & Enforcement

Keep the owner and emergency-contact information current, retain the neighbor-notice record, maintain the required liability coverage, and follow generally applicable health, safety, nuisance, and property rules.

The city license is property- and owner-specific. Operating without it or continuing after a qualifying license action can lead to enforcement under Mesa City Code and Arizona law.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. A deeded owner may operate a qualifying STR after completing the Mesa license and the applicable Arizona, county, tax, notice, and operating requirements.

Mesa lists a non-refundable $250 application fee per rental unit and a $250 annual renewal fee.

No. A property on a Maricopa County island is outside Mesa jurisdiction even if the postal address says Mesa. Confirm the address in Explore Mesa.

The completed renewal and $250 fee must reach the Licensing office at least 45 days before the current license expires.