Larimer County, CO Ordinances (2026)

A standard Larimer County short-term rental accommodates 10 or fewer guests who are part of one party. Hosted STRs run 1-10 (small) or 11-16 (large) guests, and a Bed & Breakfast Inn…

Larimer County's STR ordinance sets no fixed liability-insurance dollar minimum, but the owner must agree to hold the county harmless for any injury or damage from operating the…

After Planning Division approval and a Building Division Certificate of Occupancy, Larimer County issues a short-term rental license. The license must be renewed every other year on…

Larimer County bars anyone from staying overnight in a motor vehicle, RV, camper, travel trailer, tent or other outdoor structure on an STR property in addition to the rental itself…

A standard Larimer County STR does not require the host on-site, but a hosted STR must have a full-time resident or owner living in the principal dwelling. Every rental must name a…

Every Larimer County short-term rental is subject to the Larimer County Noise Ordinance. Environmental Health enforces it during business hours; the Sheriff's Office handles noise and…

Larimer County sets no per-night annual cap on how many nights a licensed STR may rent. Instead, it caps the total number of licenses in the Estes Valley residential zone districts at…

A Limited home occupation in unincorporated Larimer County is a use by right; a registration certificate is encouraged but not mandatory. It may use up to 50% of the dwelling, not…

A home occupation in unincorporated Larimer County may have one sign, maximum 4 square feet per face and six feet in height, under Land Use Code Article 3.4.7.B. The sign can go…

Colorado is a "fence-out" state. Under C.R.S. 35-46, a landowner must build a lawful fence to recover damages when livestock stray onto their land. Livestock owners are liable if…

In unincorporated Larimer County all dogs must be kept under restraint; it is unlawful to let a dog run at large. A leash means a tether no more than six feet long, held by a person.

Cats do not have to be licensed or leashed in unincorporated Larimer County, but every cat four months or older must be vaccinated against rabies. Cats that become a public nuisance…

Larimer County and Fort Collins have no breed-specific dog bans. Colorado state law, C.R.S. 18-9-204.5(5), lets counties and cities regulate dangerous dogs but forbids any rule that…

Larimer County addresses hoarding through its pet-quantity and care standards. Sec. 6-80 requires proper food, water, shelter, and veterinary care, and Sec. 6-81 limits animals to the…

Larimer County Code Sec. 6-83 bars keeping or feeding any wild or exotic animal that requires a state license unless you hold the proper permit from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Bears…

Feeding wild ducks and geese is prohibited in unincorporated Larimer County after a written warning. Feeding bears and other wildlife is discouraged, and the county's Wildlife…

In Fort Collins Industrial (I) zones the limit is 80 dB(A) (7 a.m.–8 p.m.) and 75 dB(A) (8 p.m.–7 a.m.), measured at the receiving line. Colorado C.R.S. § 25-12-103 and Larimer County…

Outdoor music and events fall under the same § 20-23 dB(A) limits (55 day / 50 night in residential zones). Fort Collins lets a stationary source apply for a variance under § 20-27…

Fort Collins exempts leaf blowers and other lawn/garden power tools only when used 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. and generating under 85 dB(A) at a residential property line. Outside those…

Both Fort Collins (§ 20-28) and unincorporated Larimer County cap vehicle noise identically: heavy vehicles (10,000+ lb GVWR) at 86 dB(A) where posted 35 mph or less and 90 dB(A)…

Construction tools are exempt only 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. in Fort Collins (all equipment muffled). Unincorporated Larimer County bars construction/demolition 7:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m. and caps…

Aircraft operation is exempt from Fort Collins noise limits under § 20-25(3) because it is governed by federal law. Neither the city nor Larimer County can set aircraft decibel limits…

Nighttime quiet runs 7:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m. in unincorporated Larimer County (limit drops to 50 db(A) residential) and 8:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m. in Fort Collins (50 dB(A) residential). Daytime…

Pool barrier gates in unincorporated Larimer County must open outward, be self-closing and self-latching. If the latch release is on the outside and not self-locking, it must be at…

Above-ground pools deeper than 24 inches in unincorporated Larimer County still need a barrier. Where the pool is above grade, the barrier may be installed on grade or mounted on top…

For permitted fences built without custom engineering, Larimer County sets prescriptive construction standards: 6x6 support posts at a maximum 6 feet on center and at least 3 feet…

Larimer County requires noncombustible or ignition-resistant fence materials near structures in wildfire-regulated areas: fencing within 8 feet of a Wildfire Resiliency Code structure…

A residential building permit is required for a fence that is over 7 feet high and has a solid, wind-blocking surface. You submit a permit application, a site plan, and an elevation…

In unincorporated Larimer County, a retaining wall over four feet high is treated as a special structural item that requires engineered detail sections as part of a building permit…

Larimer County's Wildfire Resiliency Code requires defensible space around structures, organized into ignition zones: 0-5 ft (immediate), 5-30 ft (intermediate) and 30-100 ft…

Recreational fire pits, fireplaces and chimineas using clean, dry wood or charcoal are exempt from the county open-burn permit, but only when no fire ban is active. During the county's…

You must obtain an open-burn permit from your fire protection district or the Sheriff's Office (plus an air-quality permit) before burning slash or vegetation on private land. All…

Because of its wildfire history (Cameron Peak and High Park fires), Larimer County declares ALL unincorporated land a wildland-urban interface area. New and altered structures…

Charcoal and wood grilling counts as a small cooking fire, allowed when contained and under 3 feet wide and 2 feet high, but banned during fire restrictions. Propane and gas grills…

In unincorporated Larimer County urban districts and growth management areas, single-family and duplex driveways must be paved from the road edge to the right-of-way line. Off-street…

Fort Collins bans parking oversized vehicles on public streets: anything over 6,000 pounds empty, over 20 feet long, over 8 feet wide, or any trailer, RV or semi. In unincorporated…

The Larimer County Land Use Code requires loading zones and service areas to be designed to minimize interference with roadway and parking-lot circulation, ideally on separate side or…

In Fort Collins, RVs, boats and trailers may not be parked or stored on residential streets except for loading or unloading, and only for less than 48 hours. In unincorporated Larimer…

Fort Collins has no blanket overnight ban on passenger cars, but RVs and trailers may sit in front of your own home for no more than 48 hours while loading or unloading. In…

The Larimer County Land Use Code requires new parking areas in urban districts and growth management areas with more than 30 spaces to provide at least one dedicated electric vehicle…

Ordinary cars may park on public streets, but Fort Collins prohibits parking large or oversized vehicles on any street, alley or right-of-way. Unincorporated Larimer County has no…

On your own private land in unincorporated Larimer County you may trim your trees without a county permit. In Fort Collins, a free City Forester permit is required before pruning or…

Removing a tree on your own private land in unincorporated Larimer County generally needs no county permit. In Fort Collins, removing any right-of-way or City tree, or a commercial…

Colorado law lets a single-family or small multi-family household collect rooftop rainwater in up to two rain barrels holding no more than 110 gallons combined, for outdoor use on that…

Colorado's Noxious Weed Act makes every landowner responsible for managing noxious weeds that could damage neighboring land. Larimer County's Weed District enforces this and requires…

Setbacks vary by zoning district. Rural Residential and Open districts require 25-foot front, side, and rear setbacks; agricultural and conservation districts require 25-foot fronts…

In most unincorporated Larimer County zoning districts the maximum building height is 40 feet. Agricultural structures may exceed that by up to 20 feet, and height exceptions may apply…

The county sets no rule on where you keep trash cans, but the Rubbish Ordinance prohibits accumulated trash, junk, or debris stored outdoors as a visual blight in unincorporated areas.

Larimer County does not mandate household recycling in unincorporated areas but operates a free Recycling Center at the landfill, open Monday–Saturday 8:00–4:30, accepting cardboard…

Large items like mattresses, appliances, furniture, electronics, and tires are accepted at the Larimer County Landfill for per-item fees. Mattresses and box springs cost $40 each…

Unincorporated Larimer County has no general property-maintenance code, but its Rubbish Ordinance makes it unlawful for an owner to allow an accumulation of rubbish, junk, or debris…

Larimer County has no property-maintenance code setting weed height or upkeep standards for vacant lots, but noxious weeds must be managed under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act and…

By Colorado law a tiny house is 400 sq ft or less (excluding lofts). In unincorporated Larimer County, a tiny house on a permanent foundation is a legal dwelling with a building…

In unincorporated Larimer County, a one-story storage shed under 200 sq ft with no utilities needs no building permit, but it must still meet Land Use Code setbacks, floodplain and…

Unincorporated Larimer County allows one Accessory Living Area per lot as a use by right. Since June 30, 2025 (HB24-1152) no planning review is needed before applying for the building…

Election signs need no permit in unincorporated Larimer County and may be placed for 60 days before an election. On residential property they may not exceed 6 feet high and 8 square…

Small temporary signs like garage-sale signs are generally exempt from a permit under Section 10.5 of the Larimer County Land Use Code, but it is unlawful to post any sign in a public…

Unincorporated Larimer County has no countywide dark-sky ordinance, but mountain-gateway Estes Park applies exterior-lighting standards under Section 7.9 of its Development Code…