Colorado Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Laws 2026
LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 55 jurisdictions across Colorado. Select a city below for current permit requirements, tax rates, and compliance details.
Colorado at a glance
- Places tracked
- 55 places: 11 active, 2 conditional, 39 restricted, 2 banned, 1 with no rules
- License or registration
- Required in 51 of 54 local places
- Tax on stays
- Applies in 53 of 54 local places
- State law
- Colorado has no statewide STR license or cap. Statewide rules ›
Colorado short-term rental questions
Are short-term rentals legal in Colorado?
In 53 of the 55 places we track in Colorado, short-term rentals are allowed, 41 of them with permit conditions or limits. They are banned in Highlands Ranch, Routt County (unincorporated).
Do I need a license for a short-term rental in Colorado?
51 of 54 local places we track in Colorado require a license, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.
Is there a statewide short-term rental law in Colorado?
Colorado has no statewide STR license or cap.
Which places in Colorado have the strictest rules?
On our records: Highlands Ranch, Routt County (unincorporated), Aspen, Denver, Breckenridge, Telluride.
Counties in Colorado
Compare every Colorado market
Status, licensing, fees, taxes, night caps and penalties for all 55 places in one table, with CSV export and full audits.
State Access →Colorado Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview
The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Colorado encompasses 55 tracked jurisdictions: 11 with active regulations, 2 where rentals are allowed with conditions, 39 with restrictions, 2 where STRs are banned. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.
52 of 55 tracked jurisdictions in Colorado require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.
Tax obligations apply in 54 of 55 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.
Notable jurisdictions where short-term rentals are currently banned or heavily restricted include Highlands Ranch, Routt County (unincorporated). Hosts should check these listings for details on specific prohibitions and any exceptions that may apply.
LawfulStay monitors Colorado STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.