Short-Term Rental Laws in Sun Valley, Idaho

Sun Valley restricts short-term rentals to designated zoning districts — primarily Resort, Tourist Commercial, and master-planned resort overlays (Sun Valley Village, Elkhorn, Dollar Mountain base). Most single-family residential zones permit STR only with stricter conditions including life-safety inspection, primary-residence eligibility for certain license classes, and adherence to the resort community's parking + noise + design standards. The neighboring city of Ketchum (where most "Sun Valley" listings actually sit) has its own STR framework — confirm parcel jurisdiction.

Sun Valley zoning splits between Resort (R), Tourist Commercial (TC), Residential (R-1, R-2, R-S), and Open Space. STR broadly allowed in Resort + Tourist Commercial + master-planned resort PUDs. Residential zones require an STR business license with stricter conditions. Ketchum (immediately adjacent) operates a separate STR licensing system — most public "Sun Valley" Airbnb inventory is in Ketchum city limits, not Sun Valley city limits. Blaine County administers unincorporated-area STRs. Confirm jurisdiction via Blaine County Assessor before any offer.

Operators must hold a short-term rental permit before listing. See the official permit portal.

Sun Valley Community Development + Police administer the STR program. Annual renewal. Application requires Idaho State Tax Commission registration, designated 24/7 local contact, proof of insurance ($1M liability suggested for resort properties), life-safety inspection (smoke + CO + fire extinguisher + egress + posted occupancy), parking plan compliant with resort community standards, and noise/nuisance acknowledgment. Operating without a permit: civil penalty + immediate cease-rental order.

Combined short-term lodging tax in Sun Valley is approximately 11.000% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).

Idaho State sales tax 6% + Idaho travel & convention tax 2% + Sun Valley resort city local-option tax 3% — combined ~11.0% on transient lodging

Verify the current combined rate via the Utah State Tax Commission before remitting — rates drift quarterly.