Draft. This page was compiled from official sources but has not completed editorial verification. Confirm every figure with the official links below before acting.
Denver Short-Term Rental Rules: What Hosts Need to Know in 2026
Denver licenses short-term rentals only at the host’s primary residence. A second home or investment condo is not eligible for a short-term rental license; owners of those properties are directed to the city’s lodging facility license instead.
The license costs $150 in total: a $50 application fee plus a $100 annual license fee. Initial review can take up to 30 days, and specialist review up to 90 days.
A primary-residence license with a paperwork checklist
Denver treats a short-term rental as an accessory use, not a standalone lodging business. The licensee must live in the unit as their usual place of return, and the city can ask for documentation — or an inspection — when that claim is in doubt.
The compliance work is mostly documentation: a license number in every ad, a safety-device check, a guest brochure, and a named local contact. Advertising a unit without a business license number is itself unlawful.
Who can hold a Denver STR license
The license follows the person, not the property. A host can hold only one primary residence, so the same person cannot license a second home as a short-term rental.
Owners and long-term renters
Owners may apply for their primary residence. Long-term renters may also apply, but must upload written permission from the landlord with the application.
One primary residence
A person can have only one primary residence. Each unit in a duplex is a separate primary dwelling, so each resident can license their own unit — but not the unit next door.
ADUs and guest structures
An owner living in the main house may rent an ADU or a detached guest structure. An owner living in the ADU cannot rent the main house or the ADU on a short-term basis.
License fees
| Label | Fee |
|---|---|
| New license | $150 |
License conditions and operating requirements
- The short-term rental must be the host’s primary residence; owners and long-term renters may apply, and renters need written landlord permission.
- The license number must be displayed in every advertisement for the unit.
- A smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and fire extinguisher must be present during every stay.
- A brochure with the licensee’s contact information and neighborhood service information must be left in the unit.
- Only one short-term rental contract is allowed at a time; rooms must be rented together or sequentially with no overlap.
- Parties, weddings, and other commercial events are prohibited; hosts set the maximum guest count, and the use must remain accessory to the residential use.
Enforcement: advertising rules and license discipline
Denver monitors booking platforms for licensed and unlicensed listings. Advertising a short-term rental without a business license number is unlawful, and the city can deny, suspend, or revoke a license.
A license can also be revoked or sanctioned when the unit adversely affects the health, safety, or welfare of the immediate neighborhood, or when the property is not the licensee’s primary residence.
- Unlicensed advertising: unlawful and can lead to denial or revocation.
- License discipline: suspension or revocation for neighborhood harm or loss of primary-residence status.
| Item | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Unlicensed advertising | Advertising a short-term rental without a business license number is unlawful and can lead to denial or revocation. |
| License discipline | The city may suspend, revoke, or deny a license if the unit harms neighborhood health, safety, or welfare, or is not the primary residence. |
Lodger’s tax: 10.75% plus a city business tax
Combined hotel occupancy tax ~10.75%
The Denver lodger’s tax is 10.75% on stays of 29 nights or less. Colorado state sales tax and any regional taxes are separate from the city lodger’s tax.
Returns are monthly when average monthly liability exceeds $1,100; otherwise the city allows quarterly or annual filing. Returns are due on the 20th of the month after the period.
Short-term rental licensees also pay a $48 annual occupational privilege tax.
- Collection
- Platforms such as Airbnb collect and remit the Denver lodger’s tax on platform bookings; hosts remit direct bookings.
- Filing
- Monthly when average monthly liability exceeds $1,100, otherwise quarterly or annual; due the 20th of the following month.
Ranges vary — verify. A $48 annual occupational privilege tax also applies.
Operating rules quick list
- One contract
- Only one short-term rental contract at a time; rooms must be rented together or one after another with no overlap.
- Events
- Parties, weddings, and other commercial events are prohibited.
- Safety
- Smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and fire extinguisher required during each stay.
- Brochure
- An information brochure with licensee contact details and city service information must be in the unit.
- Guest capacity
- Hosts set the maximum guest count; the property must remain an accessory residential use.
Permit notes
- Local contact
- A general manager or local responsible party must be named on the application and be available to address issues when the licensee is out of town.
Compare Denver with other STR markets
Some cities license only owner-occupied homes, while others allow investor-owned rentals under caps or state preemption. Denver is in the first group: the license follows the host’s primary residence, not the property as an investment.
Phoenix
Arizona
Allowed citywide with permit (state law bars city bans — host-friendly)
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Phoenix rules →Scottsdale
Arizona
Licensed; Arizona law preempts local bans and occupancy caps
Moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Scottsdale rules →Sedona
Arizona
Permit required; Arizona law sets the regulatory floor
Moderate enforcement
New license $210
Last verified
View Sedona rules →Los Angeles
California
Allowed in the host’s primary residence with registration; 120-night annual cap unless extended
High enforcement
New license $441
Last verified
View Los Angeles rules →Palm Springs
California
Allowed in single-family homes with an annual certificate; new certificates capped at 20% per organized neighborhood
High enforcement
New license — Vacation Rental $1,046
Last verified
View Palm Springs rules →San Diego
California
Licensed by tier; whole-home licenses are capped by ordinance
High enforcement
New license — Tier 1 — Part-Time $193
Last verified
View San Diego rules →San Francisco
California
Allowed only in the host’s permanent residence with registration; un-hosted stays capped at 90 nights per year
High enforcement
New license $925
Last verified
View San Francisco rules →Santa Monica
California
Home-sharing only in the host’s primary residence; un-hosted vacation rentals are unlawful
High enforcement
New license $582.25
Last verified
View Santa Monica rules →Washington
District of Columbia
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $99
Last verified
View Washington rules →Fort Lauderdale
Florida
Licensed and inspected; annual Certificate of Compliance required
High enforcement
New license — Certificate of Compliance $880
Last verified
View Fort Lauderdale rules →Miami
Florida
Licensed and enforced; city and county requirements run in parallel
High enforcement
Last verified
View Miami rules →Orlando
Florida
Owner-occupied home sharing; whole-home rentals are limited by zoning
Moderate enforcement
New license — Home Sharing Registration $275
Last verified
View Orlando rules →Tampa
Florida
State-licensed; city rental registration repealed in 2023
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $230
Last verified
View Tampa rules →Atlanta
Georgia
Licensed, primary residence plus one additional dwelling unit
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Atlanta rules →Savannah
Georgia
Certified STVR, overlay district only, per-ward cap
High enforcement
New license $400
Last verified
View Savannah rules →Chicago
Illinois
Registered shared housing unit (31 days or fewer)
High enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Chicago rules →New Orleans
Louisiana
Licensed, capped, and lottery-based
High enforcement
New license — NSTR owner permit $500
Last verified
View New Orleans rules →Boston
Massachusetts
Registered, owner-occupied primary residence only
High enforcement
New license — Limited Share $25
Last verified
View Boston rules →Las Vegas
Nevada
Licensed; owner-occupied homes only (city limits)
High enforcement
New license $500
Last verified
View Las Vegas rules →New York
New York
Legal only in a registered primary residence (hosted stays)
High enforcement
New license $145
Last verified
View New York rules →Portland
Oregon
Permitted as an accessory use (primary residence required)
Moderate enforcement
Last verified
View Portland rules →Charleston
South Carolina
Licensed, primary residence only (commercial STRs only in the overlay district)
High enforcement
New license $345
Last verified
View Charleston rules →Nashville
Tennessee
Allowed with permit; heavy zoning restrictions on investor units
High enforcement
New license $313
Last verified
View Nashville rules →Austin
Texas
Licensed & enforced
High enforcement
New license $736.60
Last verified
View Austin rules →Seattle
Washington
Licensed; up to two units per operator
High enforcement
New license $75
Last verified
View Seattle rules →Frequently asked questions
Can I get a Denver short-term rental license for a second home?
No. The unit must be the host's primary residence, meaning the place where the host usually returns. A second home or investment condo is not eligible for a short-term rental license.
How much does the Denver STR license cost?
The total is $150: a $50 application fee plus a $100 annual license fee. Licenses run one year and can be renewed up to 60 days before expiration.
What tax does a Denver host pay?
The Denver lodger's tax is 10.75% on stays of 29 nights or less, plus a $48 annual occupational privilege tax. Colorado state and regional sales taxes are separate.
Official sources and cross-checks
Sources with links
- City and County of Denver — Short-Term Rental Licensing denvergov.org
- City and County of Denver — Short-Term Rental FAQ denvergov.org
- City and County of Denver — STR Laws, Rules and Regulations denvergov.org
- City and County of Denver — Business Tax FAQ denvergov.org