Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Mesa?

**Yes**, you need a Short-Term Rental license to operate legally in Mesa. You must obtain a local Mesa STR license, which costs $250 annually. In addition to the city license, you also need a State TPT license to rent your property. Failing to obtain the correct permits can lead to fines.

What is the TOT tax rate in Mesa, AZ?

**0.067%** is the current transient occupancy tax (TOT) rate for short-term rentals in Mesa. Hosts must collect this tax from guests and remit it to the appropriate state or local tax authority. Check with the Arizona Department of Revenue for guidance on collecting and remitting taxes for short-term rentals.

Are short-term rentals allowed in Mesa?

**Yes**, short-term rentals are allowed in Mesa, Arizona, but they are subject to specific regulations. You need both a state TPT license and a local short-term rental license. Hosts must maintain $500,000 in liability insurance and provide 24/7 emergency contact information to the city and neighbors.

How much does an STR permit cost in Mesa?

**$250** is the annual cost for a Short-Term Rental license in Mesa. In addition to the annual fee, applicants must provide proof of liability insurance of at least $500,000. You also need to pass a sex offender background check attestation before your license is approved by the city.

What happens if I operate an illegal STR in Mesa?

**Penalties** for operating without a required Short-Term Rental license in Mesa can vary. The city can issue fines and potentially shut down the rental property if you don't meet the requirements. Ensure you obtain both the local Mesa STR license and the State TPT license to avoid any legal issues.

Mesa

Moderate

ArizonaUpdated Feb 10, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 3

Summary

Plain-english overview

Short-term rentals are legal in the City of Mesa but require both a State TPT license and a local $250 annual STR license. Hosts must maintain $500,000 in liability insurance and provide 24/7 emergency contact information to the city and neighbors.

Restriction level

Severity 11

Classification

Moderate

Severity

Why this classification

Standard permit fee: $250
Permit required
Reporting required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

To host an Airbnb in Mesa, you need to get two main things: an Arizona TPT tax license and a City of Mesa STR license. The city license costs $250 every year and requires you to show proof of insurance and pass a sex offender background check attestation. You also have to tell your neighbors you're renting the place out and give them a 24/7 phone number in case there's an issue. Make sure your permit number is clearly visible on your Airbnb or VRBO listing to avoid fines.

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$250

Processing time14-30 days

6 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Verify you are within Mesa city limits and not in unincorporated Maricopa County, which has different rules.
2A background check attestation is required for every person involved in the management of the property.
3The City of Mesa license number MUST be displayed in the first line of your property description on all booking platforms.
4A 24/7 emergency contact must be able to respond to complaints within 60 minutes.
5The city requires you to notify neighbors adjacent to the property before beginning operations.
6Failure to obtain a license before listing can result in an immediate $500 fine.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility6 rules

Mesa: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
Mesa prohibits STRs in the following property types: Non-residential buildings, Recreational vehicles (RV), Tents.
Mesa does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.

Requirements18 rules

Mesa: HOAs have the legal right to ban STRs in Mesa, regardless of city licensing status.
Mesa STR warning: You must file TPT returns every month/quarter with the state, even if you had $0 in revenue.
Mesa requires liability insurance for STR hosts. Minimum coverage: 500,000. Must maintain coverage specifically for short-term rental use.

Application process8 rules

Mesa extended permit requirement: A valid Arizona TPT license is required prior to applying.

Fees & costs3 rules

Mesa: A separate $250 license is required for EVERY rental unit, even if on the same property.
Mesa charges a registration fee of $250 (annual).
Mesa: You must file TPT returns every month/quarter with the state, even if you had $0 in revenue.

Taxes2 rules

Arizona has a state sales tax of 7.27% that applies to STR rentals.
Mesa charges a Transient Lodging Tax & City TPT of 7%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO remit the bulk of taxes but hosts must still file $0 returns via AZDOR.

Limits & restrictions3 rules

Mesa limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
Mesa enforces quiet hours: 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM (standard city noise ordinance).
Mesa occupancy calculation: Limited by building code/occupancy limits. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.

Safety requirements1 rule

Mesa requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Standard Arizona building and fire code compliance.

Penalties2 rules

Mesa enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $500 (verified violation). Second offense: $1,000 (within 12 months). Third offense: $1,500 or 50% of monthly gross revenue. Daily fine: Fines accrue per violation. Maximum fine: Up to $3,500 per incident for egregious health/safety issues. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions2 rules

Mesa exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays.
Mesa: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Mesa

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Obtain Arizona TPT License

Register with the Arizona Department of Revenue to obtain a Transaction Privilege Tax license using the Transient Lodging class.

1-5 days$12

Documents needed

Business Entity Info
SSN or EIN

Official resource

Step 2

Secure STR Liability Insurance

Obtain a policy covering at least $500,000 for short-term rental operations.

1-3 daysFree

Step 3

Apply for Mesa STR License

Submit the City of Mesa Short-Term Rental License application online via the city portal.

14-21 days$250

Documents needed

TPT License Number
Evidence of Liability Insurance
Background Check Attestation

Official resource

Step 4

Neighbor Notification

Notify neighbors adjacent to and directly across from the property of the STR operation and provide emergency contact info.

1 dayFree

Documents needed

Verification of Notification

Frequently asked questions

5 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Mesa

Moderate

ArizonaUpdated Feb 10, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 3

Summary

Plain-english overview

Restriction level

Severity 11

Classification

Moderate

Severity

Why this classification

Standard permit fee: $250
Permit required
Reporting required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$250

Processing time14-30 days

6 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Verify you are within Mesa city limits and not in unincorporated Maricopa County, which has different rules.
2A background check attestation is required for every person involved in the management of the property.
3The City of Mesa license number MUST be displayed in the first line of your property description on all booking platforms.
4A 24/7 emergency contact must be able to respond to complaints within 60 minutes.
5The city requires you to notify neighbors adjacent to the property before beginning operations.
6Failure to obtain a license before listing can result in an immediate $500 fine.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility6 rules

Mesa: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
Mesa prohibits STRs in the following property types: Non-residential buildings, Recreational vehicles (RV), Tents.
Mesa does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.

Requirements18 rules

Mesa: HOAs have the legal right to ban STRs in Mesa, regardless of city licensing status.
Mesa STR warning: You must file TPT returns every month/quarter with the state, even if you had $0 in revenue.
Mesa requires liability insurance for STR hosts. Minimum coverage: 500,000. Must maintain coverage specifically for short-term rental use.

Application process8 rules

Mesa extended permit requirement: A valid Arizona TPT license is required prior to applying.

Fees & costs3 rules

Mesa: A separate $250 license is required for EVERY rental unit, even if on the same property.
Mesa charges a registration fee of $250 (annual).
Mesa: You must file TPT returns every month/quarter with the state, even if you had $0 in revenue.

Taxes2 rules

Arizona has a state sales tax of 7.27% that applies to STR rentals.
Mesa charges a Transient Lodging Tax & City TPT of 7%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO remit the bulk of taxes but hosts must still file $0 returns via AZDOR.

Limits & restrictions3 rules

Mesa limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
Mesa enforces quiet hours: 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM (standard city noise ordinance).
Mesa occupancy calculation: Limited by building code/occupancy limits. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.

Safety requirements1 rule

Mesa requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Standard Arizona building and fire code compliance.

Penalties2 rules

Mesa enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $500 (verified violation). Second offense: $1,000 (within 12 months). Third offense: $1,500 or 50% of monthly gross revenue. Daily fine: Fines accrue per violation. Maximum fine: Up to $3,500 per incident for egregious health/safety issues. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions2 rules

Mesa exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays.
Mesa: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Mesa

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Obtain Arizona TPT License

Register with the Arizona Department of Revenue to obtain a Transaction Privilege Tax license using the Transient Lodging class.

1-5 days$12

Documents needed

Business Entity Info
SSN or EIN

Official resource

Step 2

Secure STR Liability Insurance

Obtain a policy covering at least $500,000 for short-term rental operations.

1-3 daysFree

Step 3

Apply for Mesa STR License

Submit the City of Mesa Short-Term Rental License application online via the city portal.

14-21 days$250

Documents needed

TPT License Number
Evidence of Liability Insurance
Background Check Attestation

Official resource

Step 4

Neighbor Notification

Notify neighbors adjacent to and directly across from the property of the STR operation and provide emergency contact info.

1 dayFree

Documents needed

Verification of Notification

Frequently asked questions

5 answered

Disclaimer

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

6 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Obtain Arizona TPT License

Secure STR Liability Insurance

Apply for Mesa STR License

Neighbor Notification

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Mesa?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Mesa, AZ?

3Are short-term rentals allowed in Mesa?

4How much does an STR permit cost in Mesa?

5What happens if I operate an illegal STR in Mesa?

Disclaimer

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

6 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Obtain Arizona TPT License

Secure STR Liability Insurance

Apply for Mesa STR License

Neighbor Notification

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Mesa?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Mesa, AZ?

3Are short-term rentals allowed in Mesa?

4How much does an STR permit cost in Mesa?

5What happens if I operate an illegal STR in Mesa?

Disclaimer