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Short-Term Rentals

How Lakewood Handles Short-Term Rentals: A Practical Guide

By CityRuleLookup Editorial Team

Lakewood maintains 48 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with short-term rentals. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Lakewood falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Occupancy Limits

Lakewood limits short-term rental occupancy to two persons per bedroom plus two additional persons, and allows no more than one STR listing per parcel.

Key details: Code Section: LCO 783(e)(1). Max Occupancy: 2 per bedroom + 2. Listings Per Parcel: 1. Complaint Response: Within 1 hour.

Exceeding the occupancy cap or operating more than one listing per parcel is a permit-condition violation that may result in fines, permit revocation, or both (LCO 783(f)).

Short-Term Rental Permits

Lakewood's short-term rental ordinance requires a Short Term Rental Permit from the Building Department before any unit may be rented for 30 days or less, and in residential districts an STR is only allowed as a conditional use on an owner's primary residence.

Key details: Code Section: LCO 783(b)-(d). Permit Term: 1 year. Issuing Office: Lakewood Building Department. Zoning Status: Conditional use (LCO 1161.03(cc)).

Operating without a valid permit, or violating permit conditions, may result in fines, permit revocation, or both, under the City's enforcement procedures (LCO 783(d) and (f)).

This is one of the stricter rules in Lakewood's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Lakewood's short-term rentals rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Lakewood is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Lakewood's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.