How to Start an Airbnb Business in Utah

Why Utah Is a Top Market for Short-Term Rentals

Utah pulled in over $12.3 billion in tourism spending in 2024, and the trajectory keeps climbing. The state welcomed roughly 38 million visitors last year — a staggering number for a population of just 3.4 million. That gap between residents and visitors is exactly what makes the short-term rental math work here.

Five national parks. Fourteen world-class ski resorts. The Sundance Film Festival. The Outdoor Retailer convention. A booming tech corridor nicknamed “Silicon Slopes.” These aren’t seasonal gimmicks — they’re demand engines that keep properties booked across multiple seasons.

I’ve watched Utah’s STR market closely, and what stands out is the diversity of demand. Park City fills up for ski season from December through March, then pivots to mountain biking and film festivals in summer. Moab runs hot from March through October with national park visitors. Salt Lake City captures year-round business travel, convention traffic, and weekend warriors heading to the canyons. St. George draws snowbirds and retirees from November through April.

That multi-season demand is the real differentiator. States with a single tourist season force hosts to earn a full year’s income in three or four months. Utah spreads that revenue across the calendar. AirDNA data from 2025 shows statewide average occupancy rates hovering around 62%, with premium markets like Park City and Moab pushing well above 70% during peak months.

The state also benefits from a landlord-friendly legal environment. Property taxes remain among the lowest in the western U.S., and there’s no statewide cap on short-term rental permits. Compare that to Colorado or California, where hosts face increasingly hostile regulation, and Utah’s appeal becomes clear.

Utah Short-Term Rental Laws and Regulations

Utah takes a relatively decentralized approach to STR regulation. The state sets a baseline, but individual cities and counties hold significant power to create their own rules. That means doing your homework on local ordinances is non-negotiable before signing any lease or closing on a property.

State-Level Requirements

At the state level, every short-term rental operator in Utah needs a business license. You’ll register through the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, which is straightforward and can be done online. The state also requires you to collect and remit a combined transient room tax and state sales tax on all bookings — more on that in the tax section below.

Utah doesn’t impose a statewide STR permit requirement, but it does require compliance with building codes, fire safety standards, and health regulations. Properties must have working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers. If you’re doing rental arbitrage, make sure your lease explicitly permits subletting for short-term use — landlords in Utah can and do evict tenants who sublet without authorization.

Key City Regulations

Park City: Park City maintains one of Utah’s more structured regulatory environments for STRs. The city requires a conditional use permit (CUP) for nightly rentals in most residential zones. There’s a cap on the total number of nightly rental permits in certain neighborhoods, so availability fluctuates. Annual business licensing is mandatory, and properties must pass a fire and safety inspection. The city actively enforces noise and parking ordinances — a complaint from a neighbor can trigger an audit. Despite the regulation, Park City remains one of the highest-grossing STR markets in the entire Mountain West, with average daily rates exceeding $350 during ski season.

Salt Lake City: SLC requires a business license for all short-term rentals. The city distinguishes between owner-occupied rentals (where the host lives on-site) and non-owner-occupied investment properties. Owner-occupied STRs face fewer restrictions. Non-owner-occupied units in residential zones require a conditional use permit and must comply with parking requirements. The city has been tightening enforcement since 2023, with dedicated staff reviewing listings against permit records.

Moab: Grand County, which governs much of the Moab area, implemented a moratorium on new overnight rental permits in residential zones in 2022, and it’s been extended multiple times. As of early 2026, new permits in residential zones remain restricted. However, commercially zoned properties and existing permitted rentals continue to operate. This supply constraint has actually benefited existing operators by keeping inventory tight while demand from Arches and Canyonlands visitors keeps growing.

St. George: Washington County and St. George have maintained a more permissive stance. A business license is required, and properties must meet basic safety standards, but there’s no permit cap or conditional use requirement for most zones. The city has seen rapid STR growth, particularly in master-planned communities near Snow Canyon State Park and along the Red Cliffs corridor. Zoning compliance is the primary regulatory concern here.

Recent Regulatory Changes (2025–2026)

Utah’s 2025 legislative session produced SB 148, which clarified municipalities’ authority to regulate STRs while prohibiting outright bans. This was a significant win for hosts — it means cities can impose reasonable rules (permits, safety inspections, tax compliance) but cannot completely eliminate short-term rentals from residential zones. The bill took effect July 1, 2025.

Park City responded by revising its CUP process, streamlining applications but increasing inspection requirements. Salt Lake City expanded its enforcement team and began cross-referencing Airbnb and Vrbo listings against permit databases. Moab’s Grand County has signaled it may lift portions of its residential moratorium by mid-2026, though details remain fluid.

The bottom line: Utah’s regulatory environment is navigable, but it demands attention to local rules. Don’t assume what works in St. George will fly in Park City.

Tax Obligations for Utah Airbnb Hosts

Utah’s tax structure for STR hosts involves three layers, and missing any of them can result in penalties that eat into your margins fast.

State Sales Tax: Utah charges a 4.85% state sales tax on all short-term rental income (stays under 30 consecutive days). This applies to the total booking amount, including cleaning fees.

Local Transient Room Tax: Counties and municipalities levy an additional transient room tax ranging from 1% to 4.25%, depending on jurisdiction. Salt Lake County charges 4.25%, while Washington County (St. George) charges 3%. Summit County (Park City) applies a 3.5% resort community tax on top of the standard local rate. These stack on the state sales tax.

Combined Effective Rates: When you add state sales, county option, and transient room taxes together, hosts in most Utah markets face a combined tax rate between 10% and 13.5% on gross rental income. Park City sits at the higher end due to its resort community surcharge.

Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit state and local taxes in Utah through voluntary collection agreements, but it’s your responsibility to verify this is happening correctly on each booking. Direct bookings require you to register with the Utah State Tax Commission and file returns yourself — quarterly for most hosts, monthly if your annual tax liability exceeds $1,000.

One deduction many Utah hosts overlook: the state allows depreciation on furnished rental properties, and you can deduct cleaning supplies, maintenance costs, platform fees, and even mileage driven to manage your property. Work with a CPA who understands Utah’s STR-specific tax landscape to maximize your write-offs.

Best Cities for Airbnb in Utah

Park City

Park City is Utah’s crown jewel for short-term rental income, and the numbers back it up. Average daily rates run between $280 and $450 depending on season, with ski-season weekends regularly exceeding $500 for well-positioned properties. Occupancy rates average 68% annually, climbing to 85%+ from December through March.

The market rewards properties within walking distance of Main Street or the ski lifts at Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley. Condos and townhomes in the $400K–$800K range dominate the STR inventory, though luxury chalets clearing $1,000/night exist at the upper end. Rental arbitrage is possible but challenging — landlords here understand STR economics and price leases accordingly.

Beyond skiing, Park City hosts the Sundance Film Festival (January), attracting 70,000+ attendees who need accommodations. Summer brings mountain biking, the Park City Arts Festival, and concert series. The shoulder seasons (April–May, October–November) are the weak spot, but savvy hosts bridge those gaps with midweek discounts and event-driven pricing.

Moab

Moab is a different animal entirely. The town sits at the doorstep of both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, plus Dead Horse Point State Park. Combined, these parks drew over 2.5 million visitors in 2024. The town itself has roughly 5,300 permanent residents, so the visitor-to-resident ratio is extreme.

Average daily rates in Moab range from $150 to $280, with occupancy averaging 64% annually. Peak season runs March through October, with the strongest months (April, May, September, October) seeing 80%+ occupancy. Winter months dip hard — January and February are tough for Moab hosts.

The permit moratorium in residential zones has kept supply constrained, which supports pricing. If you can secure a commercially zoned property or acquire one with an existing permit, you’re entering a market with built-in scarcity. Property prices are more accessible than Park City — livable homes start around $300K, though anything close to downtown commands a premium.

Salt Lake City

SLC offers something the resort towns don’t: year-round business travel. The city hosts major conventions at the Salt Palace, serves as a hub for Delta Air Lines, and draws tech workers visiting Silicon Slopes companies. Add University of Utah events, Real Salt Lake games, and proximity to six ski resorts within 45 minutes, and you’ve got diversified demand.

ADRs in Salt Lake City average $130–$200, lower than the resort markets but compensated by steadier occupancy around 65% annually. The best-performing neighborhoods for STRs include the Avenues, Sugar House, Liberty Park, and downtown near the convention center. Studio and one-bedroom apartments work well for business travelers, while larger homes near the university attract family visitors.

The arbitrage model works particularly well in SLC, especially in apartment complexes that haven’t explicitly banned subletting. Monthly rents for a downtown one-bedroom run $1,200–$1,600, and a well-managed STR can gross $2,800–$3,500/month in that same unit.

St. George

St. George has emerged as Utah’s fastest-growing STR market by percentage, fueled by retiree migration, Zion National Park traffic, and its status as a warm-weather escape for residents of colder Utah cities. Zion drew 4.7 million visitors in 2024, and many of them base out of St. George or the nearby towns of Hurricane and Springdale.

Average daily rates sit between $140 and $230, with occupancy averaging 60% annually. The strongest season runs October through April — the inverse of Moab — when the desert climate is pleasant and snowbirds descend from Idaho, Montana, and northern Utah. Summer is brutally hot (regularly 105°F+), and occupancy drops noticeably from June through August.

Property prices remain competitive. Homes in established neighborhoods start around $350K, with newer construction in the Entrada and SunRiver communities offering turn-key vacation rental options. The permissive regulatory environment and growing infrastructure (a new regional airport terminal opened in 2024) make St. George one of the most accessible entry points for new Utah STR operators.

How Much Do Airbnbs Make in Utah?

Revenue varies dramatically by market, property type, and management quality. Here’s a breakdown of what the data shows across Utah’s top STR markets as of late 2025:

These figures represent averages. Top-performing hosts in Park City clear $120,000+ annually by combining dynamic pricing, professional photography, and strategic amenity investments (hot tubs, game rooms, ski storage). In Moab, unique properties — think renovated Airstream trailers, geodesic domes, and off-grid cabins — consistently outperform standard homes by 30–40% on ADR.

The spread between average and top-quartile operators is significant in every Utah market. That gap represents the opportunity for hosts who invest in education, systems, and market-specific strategy rather than just listing a property and hoping for the best.

How to Start Your Utah Airbnb Business

Breaking into Utah’s STR market follows a specific sequence. Skip steps and you’ll waste money; follow them in order and you compress the timeline to your first booking.

Step 1: Choose your market and model. Decide whether you’re buying property, doing rental arbitrage, or pursuing co-hosting and co-listing. Each model has different capital requirements. Arbitrage in SLC might require $5,000–$8,000 to launch (first/last month rent, furnishing, photography). Buying in Park City demands six figures minimum for a down payment. Co-hosting requires almost no capital but depends on landing property owner partnerships.

Step 2: Research local regulations. Pull up the zoning map and STR ordinances for your specific target city. Contact the local planning department directly — don’t rely solely on what you read online, because ordinances change frequently. Confirm that your intended property type and zone allow short-term rentals.

Step 3: Register your business. File for a Utah business license through the Division of Corporations. Most STR operators use an LLC for liability protection. Register with the Utah State Tax Commission for sales and transient room tax collection. Cost: roughly $70 for LLC formation, $30 for the annual renewal.

Step 4: Secure your property. If leasing for arbitrage, negotiate explicitly for STR permission in your lease. Get it in writing. If buying, run the numbers using actual AirDNA or Mashvisor data for your specific zip code — not statewide averages. Factor in mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities, cleaning, maintenance, and a 10% vacancy buffer.

Step 5: Furnish and photograph. Utah guests expect quality that matches the outdoor experience. Invest in comfortable beds, a functional kitchen, and outdoor gear storage. For ski markets, a boot dryer and ski rack are expected amenities. Professional photography is non-negotiable — listings with professional photos earn 24% more per booking on average according to Airbnb’s own data.

Step 6: Set up your listing and pricing. Write a listing description that emphasizes proximity to specific attractions. “8 minutes to Arches National Park entrance” beats “close to national parks.” Use dynamic pricing tools like PriceLabs or Wheelhouse calibrated to your specific market’s seasonal patterns.

Step 7: Automate operations. Install a smart lock (Utah winters make lockboxes unreliable when they freeze). Set up automated guest messaging. Build a cleaning team with backup cleaners for peak season. Create a digital guidebook with local restaurant recommendations, trail suggestions, and emergency contacts.

Step 8: Launch and optimize. Price aggressively for your first 5–10 bookings to build reviews. Respond to every inquiry within an hour. After your first 15–20 reviews, gradually increase pricing to market rate. Monitor your competition weekly and adjust.

Utah STR Insurance and Liability

Standard homeowners insurance won’t cover short-term rental activity in Utah. Full stop. If a guest slips on an icy walkway in Park City and your policy excludes commercial use, you’re personally liable for medical bills that can easily reach six figures.

Utah STR operators need one of three insurance structures:

Commercial STR Policy: Companies like Proper Insurance, CBIZ, and Safely offer policies specifically designed for short-term rentals. These cover property damage, liability, lost income, and guest injuries. Annual premiums in Utah range from $1,500 to $4,000 depending on property value and location. Park City properties skew higher due to property values and winter activity risks.

Landlord Policy with STR Endorsement: Some traditional insurers (State Farm, Allstate, Farmers) will add a short-term rental endorsement to a standard landlord policy. This is typically cheaper ($800–$2,000/year) but may come with restrictions — like a minimum stay requirement or caps on annual rental days.

Umbrella Policy: Regardless of your primary coverage, a personal umbrella policy ($1M–$2M) provides an additional liability layer. At $200–$400/year, it’s the cheapest peace of mind available. If a guest’s child gets hurt in your hot tub — and yes, this has happened in Utah — you want that umbrella.

Airbnb’s AirCover provides some protection, but it’s not a substitute for your own policy. AirCover has documented gaps in coverage that leave hosts exposed, particularly for liability claims exceeding $1M and for certain types of property damage.

Utah-specific risks to insure against: winter weather damage (frozen pipes, ice dam roof leaks), wildfire (increasingly relevant in southern Utah), and recreational liability (guests using hot tubs, fire pits, and outdoor equipment). Make sure your policy explicitly covers these scenarios.

Why 10XBNB Gives You the Edge in Utah

Utah’s STR market rewards operators who understand local dynamics — not generic Airbnb advice recycled from blog posts about Miami or Nashville. The difference between a Park City property earning $50,000 and one earning $120,000 often comes down to pricing strategy, listing optimization, and operational systems that most self-taught hosts never develop.

10XBNB was built by hosts who’ve scaled portfolios across competitive markets like Utah’s. The training covers the exact frameworks for analyzing a market before you commit capital, negotiating arbitrage leases that protect your interests, and building systems that let you manage multiple properties without burning out.

For Utah specifically, the program addresses how to handle seasonal pricing swings (a Park City property might need 15+ pricing adjustments per month), how to navigate regulatory environments that vary city by city, and how to position properties to capture the state’s diverse demand streams — from Sundance filmgoers to Moab mountain bikers to SLC business travelers.

Students in the program have used the market analysis framework to identify underserved Utah submarkets before competition saturated them. That kind of strategic advantage is what separates hosts building real businesses from those just managing a spare room.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Utah?
Requirements vary by city. Park City requires a conditional use permit and annual business license. Salt Lake City requires a business license and may require a conditional use permit for non-owner-occupied properties. St. George requires only a business license. Moab has restricted new permits in residential zones since 2022. Always check with your local planning department before listing.

How much tax do I pay on Airbnb income in Utah?
Utah STR hosts pay state sales tax (4.85%) plus local transient room taxes (1%–4.25% depending on jurisdiction). Combined effective tax rates typically fall between 10% and 13.5% of gross rental income. Airbnb and Vrbo collect most of these taxes automatically, but you should verify with the Utah State Tax Commission and register for any taxes not covered by platform collection agreements.

Can I do rental arbitrage in Utah?
Yes, rental arbitrage is legal in Utah provided your lease permits subletting for short-term use. Salt Lake City offers the best arbitrage opportunities due to its large rental inventory and year-round demand. Always get written landlord approval and ensure the property complies with local STR regulations before listing.

What is the best season for Airbnb in Utah?
It depends on the market. Park City peaks December through March (ski season). Moab peaks March through October (national park season). St. George peaks October through April (snowbird season). Salt Lake City maintains relatively steady demand year-round. The staggered seasonality across Utah’s markets is one of the state’s biggest advantages for portfolio operators.

Is Park City still profitable for Airbnb with all the regulations?
Yes, and the regulations actually help existing operators. Permit caps limit new supply, which supports pricing power for permitted properties. Park City remains one of the highest-ADR markets in the Mountain West. The key is securing a permit and choosing a property in a zone that allows nightly rentals — not every Park City neighborhood does.

What are the biggest risks for Utah Airbnb hosts?
The top risks are regulatory changes (especially in Park City and Moab where rules evolve frequently), seasonal revenue concentration (Moab and St. George have distinct off-seasons), winter weather damage (frozen pipes are a real and expensive problem), and oversaturation in popular corridors. Proper insurance, dynamic pricing, and diversification across seasons mitigate most of these risks effectively.