Colorado Short-Term Rental Licenses: Rules and Fees by City and County
Colorado Short-Term Rental Licenses: Rules and Fees by City and County
If you plan to rent a house, condo, basement suite or spare room for fewer than 30 days in Colorado, the first thing to understand is that the state does not issue a Colorado short term rental license. Counties and home-rule cities decide whether short-term rentals (STRs) are allowed, where they can operate, how many licenses are issued, and what each license costs. The same property can face very different rules a few miles apart. This guide explains how the system works, what the state requires before you open for business, and what the local rules and fees looked like for major Colorado jurisdictions in 2026. Fees change often, so treat every figure here as a starting point and confirm it with the issuing office.
Colorado Has No Statewide STR License
Colorado does not require a state-level short-term rental license. Instead, the state gives local governments the authority to act. Under C.R.S. 30-15-401(1)(s), a board of county commissioners may license and regulate short-term rental owners and set the fees, terms, and the manner of issuing and revoking licenses. That authority traces to HB 20-1093, and HB 23-1287 clarified it. Counties may also require booking platforms to show the county license number on listings and to remove listings for licensees whose licenses have been suspended.
Home-rule cities run their own programs. Denver has regulated short-term rentals on its own since 2016, and other home-rule cities, including Boulder and Fort Collins, have their own rules and fees. Many other cities and towns also regulate through zoning or licensing codes. Your first job is to find out which government controls the address where the rental sits.
For state purposes, a short-term rental is a lodging unit rented for less than 30 days. That 30-day line comes from the state definition, but local codes write their own definitions and conditions. Read the ordinance that applies to your property before you assume anything.
State Filings and Tax Accounts to Set Up First
Local licenses sit on top of the basic business setup. Colorado has no general state business license, so the sequence usually looks like this:
- Decide whether you need an entity. You can own a rental in your own name. Many owners form an LLC or corporation to separate the rental from personal assets, but that choice has legal and tax consequences. Ask an attorney or CPA before you decide.
- Form the entity with the Secretary of State. The filing fee for Articles of Organization for a limited liability company (LLC), or Articles of Incorporation for a profit corporation, is $50. File online through the Colorado Secretary of State online filing system.
- Plan for the annual Periodic Report. It costs $25 and is due every year in the entity's periodic report month. You can file as early as two months before that month and as late as two months after, with no penalty. A new LLC or corporation files no periodic report in its first year, and the first one is due in the second year.
- Open a Department of Revenue account if you collect or withhold tax. The Colorado state sales tax rate is 2.9% plus special district taxes. Home-rule cities collect and license their own city sales tax, so a state sales tax license does not cover a property inside one of those cities. Lodging taxes are a separate question from the STR license, so confirm which taxes apply with the Colorado Department of Revenue and your city or county.
- Register a trade name if you list under a name other than your legal name. A Statement of Trade Name is filed statewide with the Secretary of State, not with the county. It costs $20 to file online and $5 to renew. See the Secretary of State trade name FAQ.
Fees and Rules by City and County
The table below lists the figures for each jurisdiction. Where a source is dated or a fee is unclear, the table says so. Anything marked check with should be confirmed directly with the named office before you commit to a budget or a purchase.
| Jurisdiction | Listed fees | Key rules |
|---|---|---|
| Denver | Lodger's tax license: $50 for two years. Lodger's tax: 10.75% plus a separate state lodging tax. | Primary residence only. License number must appear in ads. |
| Boulder (city) | $190 rental license, plus a one-time $25 business license for new applicants. Renewal: $190. Annual affidavit: $20. | Four-year license term. |
| Boulder County | STR: $350 and $250. Vacation Rental: $500 and $300. $1,000 septic change of use charge. | Vacation rentals limited to certain zones, capped at 277, and none in the Plains. Check with the county which figure applies to new versus renewal. |
| Fort Collins | $500 initial and $500 renewal. | Due date listed as June 30. Check with the city for timing. |
| Larimer County | $250 renewal every two years. | Applies starting January 1, 2026. |
| Arapahoe County | $200 application. $350 per year. | Ordinance 2026-01, approved May 12, 2026. Primary residence only. 500-foot spacing requirement. |
| Jefferson County | Primary Residence and Investment Property licenses. Check with the county for fees. | Section 46, adopted December 16, 2025. 750-foot spacing for investment properties. |
| Douglas County | $500 first-year review. $270 renewal review. $130 license. | Ordinance O-023-003. Figures are from 2023, so check with the county for current amounts. |
| Summit County | Type I: $235. Type II: $355. Resort Overlay: $290. | 2025 renewal figures. |
| Englewood | 2026: $600, $75 and $200 for new licenses. $400 renewal. | Check with the city how the new license charges combine. |
| Colorado Springs | About $119 a year. Another city page lists $124.95. | Check with the city for the current amount. |
| Glenwood Springs | $613.62 new. $409.08 renewal. | Check with the town before you apply. |
| Estes Park | $200, plus $50 per bedroom, plus a $1,500 workforce housing linkage fee (2026). | Charges are adjusted yearly. |
| Steamboat Springs | 9% short-term rental tax from January 1, 2023. | Check with the town for license fees and the full tax picture. |
| Breckenridge | Check with the town. | Cap of 2,200 licenses on nonexempt units, set in 2021. The town has since zoned short-term rentals. |
| Garfield County | Check with the county. | Short-term rentals allowed by right in standard zones since 2015. |
Patterns That Affect Your Application
Primary residence rules are spreading
Several jurisdictions now limit licenses to a primary residence. Denver allows short-term rentals only at the owner's primary residence. Arapahoe County's Ordinance 2026-01, approved May 12, 2026, follows the same approach. Jefferson County's Section 46, adopted December 16, 2025, creates separate Primary Residence and Investment Property licenses, and investment properties face a 750-foot spacing requirement. If you own a second home or an investment property, that difference can decide whether you can license it at all. Ask the local office whether the property qualifies before you buy or list it.
Caps, zones and spacing
Some places restrict where rentals can operate and how many are allowed. Boulder County limits vacation rentals to certain zones, caps them at 277, and allows none in the Plains. Breckenridge set a cap of 2,200 licenses on nonexempt units in 2021, and the town has since zoned short-term rentals, so check its current rules. Garfield County has allowed short-term rentals by right in standard zones since 2015. A property that qualifies today may still face a cap or waitlist, so confirm capacity as well as eligibility.
Advertising and platform rules
Denver requires the license number in every advertisement. Counties that use their statutory option can require booking platforms to display the license number and to remove listings for suspended licensees. Check whether your county uses that option, and review each platform's policy before you publish a listing. An outdated or missing license number can lead to a removed listing even if your license is valid.
Local taxes on top of the license
The license fee is only one cost. Denver collects a 10.75% lodger's tax plus a separate state lodging tax, and it issues a $50 lodger's tax license valid for two years. Steamboat Springs has a 9% short-term rental tax effective January 1, 2023. Add up every charge the city, county or town imposes, and do not treat the license fee as your total cost.
Jurisdictions Without a Figure Here
This guide does not list fees for Aurora, Thornton, Westminster, Arvada, Commerce City, Northglenn, Littleton, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Broomfield, Aspen, Vail, Durango, Eagle County or Mesa County. For these places, check with the city or county directly. Many of them regulate through zoning or licensing codes that change over time, so ask for the current ordinance and fee schedule in writing.
Your Next Steps
- Identify the governing jurisdiction for the exact address, including whether it is a home-rule city or unincorporated county land.
- Confirm whether the property qualifies as a primary residence, sits in an allowed zone, and meets any spacing or cap rules.
- Request the current fee schedule, renewal dates and application forms from the city or county.
- Form your entity and file a trade name if you need one, then open tax accounts with the Department of Revenue or the city where required.
- Calendar your Periodic Report and license renewal dates together so neither lapses.
If you plan renovations before you list, check permit requirements with the city or county building department. Colorado does not license general contractors, roofers, HVAC contractors, handymen or home inspectors at the state level, so those licenses come from cities and counties. Electricians and plumbers are licensed by the Division of Professions and Occupations at the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).
Disclaimer
This guide is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, ordinances and deadlines change, and the figures above reflect the sources available when they were compiled. Confirm every number with the issuing city, county or state agency. For entity choice, tax treatment, zoning disputes or a license denial, consult a qualified attorney or CPA.
Official Resources
Each city and county posts its short-term rental rules on its own website. Search the local government site for short-term rental to find the current page. The state resources below cover the entity, tax and trade name steps.