Where short-term rentals are allowed in St. George

The short answer

In St. George, a home can be used as a short-term (nightly) rental only in three situations:

1. It’s in a development on the city’s approved short-term rental list (below), which mostly covers resort-overlay developments.
2. It’s a single-family home that meets the 2-acre rule.
3. It’s in a commercial zone.

Everywhere else, including the large majority of residential neighborhoods, nightly rentals aren’t allowed. Even an eligible property needs a city business license, a local property manager, and must collect transient room tax.

The city’s approved short-term rental list

Here’s every entry on the city’s Approved Short Term Rental Properties list, Green Valley, Entrada, and The Ledges are grouped the way the city groups them. The other entries appear on their own on the city’s list, and I’ve labeled them by area for easier reading. Wording like “ONLY” is the city’s own.

About the list’s date: the PDF itself shows no “last updated” date. Third-party summaries describe it as updated June 4, 2026, but I couldn’t confirm that on the document. Check the current version on the city’s Business Licensing page before relying on it. Approval can apply to specific plats or units, so a home in the same master plan isn’t automatically covered.

The 2-acre single-family rule

Under City Code §10-17A-13, a single-family home outside the approved developments may be permitted as a short-term rental only if all three of these are true:

• The lot is two acres or larger.
• The lot is contiguous to and fronts a major collector or arterial street (66-foot right-of-way or more).
• It’s at least 500 feet from another property used for short-term rental.

The property must also meet the city’s landscape maintenance requirements.

How a development gets approved (resort overlay)

Under §10-13D-1, short-term rental is an allowed use in a resort overlay zone only for a development that has:

• At least 100 dwelling units, or 50 for single-family developments under 4 units per acre.
• Written consent from 100% of the property owners in the recorded plat.
• A note on the recorded plats and CC&Rs saying short-term rentals are a permitted use.

In practice, an already-built neighborhood rarely gets added, because it would need every owner to agree.

Licensing, taxes, and operating rules

From City Code §3-2V-1 and §3-4C-1:

• Business license required: it’s unlawful to operate a short-term rental in the city without one. One license can cover several properties owned by the same person. Licenses can’t be transferred, and you must notify the city within 30 days of selling a licensed unit.
• Transient room tax: short-term rentals must collect the city’s transient room tax, which is 1% of gross revenue on stays of less than 30 consecutive days. Other state and county lodging taxes may also apply, so check with the Utah State Tax Commission.
• Local property manager, 24/7: every short-term rental must designate a local property manager who is available 24 hours a day to respond to tenant and neighbor concerns.
• Posted sign: a clearly visible sign inside the unit must list the manager’s name and phone number, the maximum occupancy, and the garbage pickup day.
• Garbage and cleaning: garbage must be removed within 24 hours after guests leave, and the unit must be cleaned at least weekly while occupied and between stays.

What “not allowed” means

If a property isn’t on the approved list, doesn’t meet the 2-acre rule, and isn’t in a commercial zone, it can’t be licensed as a short-term rental. Advertising it for nightly stays doesn’t change that, and neither does a neighbor already doing it.

Penalties: under §3-2V-1(H), the owner and property manager are jointly liable for violations, and a violation can lead to revocation of the business license. The city’s general sentencing section (§1-4-1) caps fines for ordinance violations at class B misdemeanor levels, up to $1,000 for individuals. I didn’t find a short-term-rental-specific fine schedule in St. George’s code, so I can’t say what a violation actually costs. Ask the city.

An alternative: mid-term rentals (30+ days)

The city’s transient room tax applies to stays of less than 30 consecutive days. Furnished rentals of 30 days or more, often to traveling medical staff, students, or people between homes, are a common option where nightly rentals aren’t allowed. Before you plan on it:

• Confirm with the city how a 30+ day furnished rental is treated in your zone.
• Read the HOA’s CC&Rs, since many set minimum lease terms or limit rentals.
• Follow Utah landlord-tenant law and fair housing rules when screening tenants.

Nearby cities have their own rules

St. George’s list and rules stop at the city limits.

• Washington City (including Washington Fields) keeps its own list of approved short-term rental subdivisions, such as Cottages at Stucki Farms, Paseos at Sienna Hills, and Town Center at Coral Canyon. Elsewhere it requires a conditional use permit with conditions, including a lot of 10,000+ square feet and approval from 75% of owners within 500 feet. It requires a separate business license for each unit and sets fines of at least $750 a day for an individual operating without a license. See the Washington City STR page and code §9-14-25.
• Hurricane requires a vacation rental business license and a local responsible party available 24/7. Its 2026 Ordinance 2026-14 changed license renewals and parking rules. See the Hurricane ordinances page.
• Ivins and Santa Clara (including Entrada-branded areas outside St. George): I didn’t verify their current rules, so check with each city directly.