Aurora, CO Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- ADU size cap
- 650 sq ft, one per lot
- STR condition
- Owner must occupy primary structure
- Whole-home STR cap
- 180 days per year (ADU exempt)
- Licensing
- City business + lodger's license required
- Booking-service penalty
- $1,000 per violation per day
Summary
Aurora's UDO allows a backyard accessory dwelling unit to be rented short-term only if the property owner lives in the primary house; City Code caps entire-home short-term rentals at 180 days a year but exempts owner-occupied ADUs.
Accessory dwelling units may be used as short-term rentals by a property owner who is living in the primary structure on the property.
o. Each detached accessory dwelling unit shall comply with all setbacks applicable to other accessory structures, except that the required setback for an accessory dwelling unit located on top of an existing garage shall be no less than the setback of the existing garage.
p. The accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed 24 feet in height, regardless of the height of the primary dwelling structure.
q. Windows for a second story accessory dwelling unit shall be sited to preserve the privacy of adjacent residences to the maximum extent practicable.
2. Additional Standards for MU-OA District. The following additional standards apply in the MU-OA zone district. If there is a conflict between the standards in this Subsection 2 and the standards in Subsection 1 above, the standards in this Subsection 2 shall apply.
a. In the MU-OA district, notwithstanding the designation in Table 3.2-1, any accessory dwelling unit legally created before the Effective Date shall be deemed to be a permitted use and shall not require approval of a conditional use approval.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Aurora's Unified Development Ordinance (current through Ord. 2026-03, Feb. 23, 2026) permits one detached accessory dwelling unit per single-family lot, capped at 650 square feet, and states the ADU 'may be used as short-term rentals by a property owner who is living in the primary structure on the property' (UDO § 146-3.3.6.G.1.n). City Code Article V (current through Ord. 2026-17, May 18, 2026) separately requires a business and lodger's license for any short-term rental, caps whole-dwelling short-term rentals at 180 days per year, and expressly exempts accessory dwelling units from that cap when the owner occupies the primary structure (§ 26-219(d)(1)).
Violations & Fines
Advertising or operating a short-term rental without a city business and lodger's license, exceeding the 180-day cap on a non-owner-occupied dwelling, or renting an ADU short-term while the owner lives elsewhere is unlawful; booking services face $1,000/day civil penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent my Aurora accessory dwelling unit on Airbnb?
Is there a yearly limit on short-term rentals in Aurora?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado accessory structures overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.