Running a short-term rental in Sedona means splitting the work three ways. You handle the permit, the tax license and the paperwork. A local person handles physical visits, cleaning and repairs. BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and Vrbo 24/7.
“Each short-term rental unit requires its own city-issued short-term rental permit. No person shall advertise or operate a short-term rental in the city without a valid annual short-term rental permit issued by the city.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: Each unit needs its own yearly city permit. You must have it before you advertise or host guests.
What BnBGenius Does for a Host in Sedona
Answers guest messages on Airbnb and Vrbo 24/7
Requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder, shared this:
“We went from reviewing 40% of stays to 100% overnight. The AI even thanked guests for things we fixed mid-stay. Our review-to-review rate jumped immediately.”
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder, on bnbgenius.ai/reviews
Creates cleaning and repair tasks after checkout
Kent Morgan again:
“We used to find out about issues in post-stay reviews. Now BnBGenius flags them mid-stay, creates the task, and our cleaners respond in under 15 minutes.”
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder, on bnbgenius.ai/tasks
Answers guest calls with a voice AI agent (Voice Concierge, an add-on)
Kent Morgan:
“The concierge answered 84% of our after-hours calls last month without waking anyone up. Guests thought it was our in-house team the whole time.”
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder, on bnbgenius.ai/voice
Sells gap nights, early check-in and late checkout
Kent Morgan:
“BnBGenius filled nine gap nights in the first month. $2.3k we would have lost. Guests got a friendly Airbnb message and we didn’t lift a finger.”
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder, on bnbgenius.ai/upsells
Is run from Telegram
Your Local Person
“When requested by a police officer, emergency point of contact must affirmatively respond to complaints in person, by telephone, or by email within 60 minutes of the initiation of contact and assist to resolve the complaint. Failure of the emergency point of contact to respond in a timely manner is a violation of this chapter and the owner shall be deemed responsible for such violation.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: A police officer must request the response. Then your contact has 60 minutes. Person, phone or email all count. They must also help resolve the complaint.
“The emergency point of contact shall respond to all other complaints relating to the short-term rental in person, by telephone, by email within 24 hours of the initiation of contact and assist to resolve the complaint. Failure of the emergency point of contact to respond in a timely manner is a violation of this chapter and the owner shall be deemed responsible for such violation.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: Other rental complaints get 24 hours. Person, phone or email all work. Your contact must also help resolve them.
“Your local emergency point of contact person’s name is _ and can be reached by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at _. City of Sedona Short-Term Rental Permit # ____.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: The notice shows your contact’s name. It lists a phone reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It also shows your city permit number.
For turnover work, see our guide on managing a cleaning team without text chains.
What the City Requires
State tax license.
“A short-term rental lacking a valid transaction privilege tax license issued by the state of Arizona shall not be rented or offered for rent.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: Get the state tax license first. You cannot rent or offer the unit without it.
Permit fee.
“Every application, including any renewal application, for a short-term rental permit under this chapter shall be accompanied by payment of a nonrefundable fee prescribed in the city’s then-current consolidated fee schedule.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: Check the current fee schedule. The application and renewal fee is not refunded.
Permit term.
“All permits issued under this chapter shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of their issuance unless suspended or revoked. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a short-term rental after the expiration date recorded upon the face of the permit. Renewed permits shall be valid one year from the expiration date of the previous permit.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: Your permit runs one year from issuance. Suspension or revocation can limit that validity. You cannot operate after it expires. A renewal runs one year from the prior expiration date.
Permit number in ads.
“To protect the peace, health, safety, and general welfare of the city’s residents and visitors, the owner or owner’s designee shall be responsible for displaying the permit number issued by the city on each advertisement for such short-term rental.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: Put your city permit number on every Airbnb and Vrbo ad.
Posted notice.
“The following notice or other form provided by the short-term rental specialist must be completed in 14-point or larger bold font, on a laminated or otherwise similarly shielded paper, and prominently displayed on conspicuous location within 10 feet of the primary entrance. The notice shall include information regarding the location of any fire or life safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, and the city of Sedona noise and waste disposal regulations.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: Use the city’s notice or the specialist’s form. Check the font size, shielding, and spot near the entrance. The notice must cover safety equipment and city noise and waste rules.
ADU conditions.
“An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that is issued a certificate of occupancy on or after September 14, 2024, shall not be used as a short-term rental unless the property owner’s primary residence is the primary structure on the same property as the ADU. Guest quarters issued a certificate of occupancy prior to September 14, 2024, in compliance with all applicable requirements and that have not been modified without a required permit constitute a legal, nonconforming use, and may be used as a short-term rental regardless of whether the property owner uses the property as the owner’s primary residence . Guest quarters that have converted the kitchenette to a kitchen , or have been modified without a required permit, are an ADU and shall not be used as a short-term rental unless the property owner’s primary residence is the primary structure on the same property as the ADU.”
Source: Sedona City Code
What this means for you: The quote sets different cases. Compare your unit with each one. First check the occupancy certificate date. For older guest quarters, check compliance and any unpermitted changes. Check whether a kitchenette became a kitchen. Then check whether the primary-home rule applies.
Taxes
“Five and one-half percent of the tax base as computed for the business of every person engaging or continuing in this state in: (a) The transient lodging classification described in section 42-5070.”
Source: Arizona A.R.S. 42-5010
What this means for you: This is the state rate for that classification. It is not a combined total.
| Sedona city hotel categories | Rate |
|---|---|
| Hotels and Hotel/Motel (Additional Tax) | “Hotels 044 3.50% Hotel/Motel (Additional Tax) 144 3.50%” (Source: Arizona Department of Revenue Sedona profile) |
What this means for you: The source lists 2 city categories, each at 3.50%. Check your property’s rate with the state.
| Platform | What its help page lists | Owner’s remaining check |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | “Guests who book Airbnb listings that are located in the State of Arizona will pay the following taxes as part of their reservation: Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax: 5.5% of the listing price including any cleaning fee for reservations 29 nights and shorter.” (Source: Airbnb Help) “County Excise Tax: The county excise tax rate varies by county. It is typically 0.28%-6.5% of the listing price including any cleaning fee for reservations 29 nights and shorter. For detailed information, visit the Arizona Department of Revenue Transaction Privilege Tax website.” (Source: Airbnb Help) “Local Transient Occupancy Taxes: One or more of the following local transient occupancy taxes may apply: Transaction Privilege Tax, Transient Lodging Tax, Bed Tax, or Hotel-Motel Tax. The local transient occupancy tax rate varies by city. It is typically 1.5%-10% of the listing price including any cleaning fee for reservations 29 nights and shorter. Transaction Privilege Tax typically applies to all reservations, regardless of length of stay. For detailed information, visit the Arizona Department of Revenue Transaction Privilege Tax website.” (Source: Airbnb Help) | “Hosts may need to manually collect and remit other applicable taxes on their stay or experience price.” (Source: Airbnb Help) |
| Vrbo | “Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax, County Excise Tax, and Local Transient Occupancy Taxes (may be termed Transaction Privilege Tax, Transient Lodging Tax, Bed Tax, or Hotel-Motel Tax, depending on the locality) The state of Arizona under 30 nights” (Source: Vrbo Help) | “You’re also responsible for collecting and remitting lodging taxes when we’re not liable to do so.” (Source: Vrbo Help) |
What this means for you: The pages differ in detail and stay-length scope. Both leave some taxes to you. Verify what applies to your property. BnBGenius is not an accounting tool, so keep tax records separately.
Airbnb and Vrbo
| Guest work | Airbnb | Vrbo |
|---|---|---|
| Review window | “On the day of checkout, both the guest and their host will be prompted to leave a review . Both parties will have 14 days after checkout to submit their review.” (Source: Airbnb Help) | “You and your guests have 180 days to provide your review. Once one party submits their review, the other party has 14 days to complete their review.” (Source: Vrbo Help) |
What this means for you: On Airbnb, both sides get 14 days after checkout. On Vrbo, both get 180 days. After one party submits, the other gets 14 days. For more detail, read our Airbnb reviews explained and Vrbo reviews guide.
How to Start
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Rules and rates last checked on 3 October 2026.
