Local rules and regulations for Larimer County, Colorado. Population: 359,066.
Verified from official government sources
Select a topic to see Larimer County's rules on that subject.
In unincorporated Larimer County you cannot rent, or even advertise, a home for stays of 30 days or less without a short-term rental approval from the Planning Division under the Land Use Code. A pre-application meeting is mandatory before applying.
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 is limited to 20 or fewer guests. The approved occupant count must be advertised.
STR operators must hold sales-tax licenses and collect Colorado state sales tax (2.9%) plus county and any city taxes on stays under 30 days. Larimer County charges a $250 STR license renewal fee every two years, plus a $500 fee if you apply after a Cease and Desist letter.
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. Guest parking must be handled on-site, not by adding vehicle lodging.
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 the anniversary date, and the license number must appear in every advertisement.
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 property manager reachable 24/7 who responds to complaints within one hour.
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 disorderly conduct after hours. A property manager must respond to complaints within one hour.
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 208 registrations, which currently means a waitlist for new operators there.
Unincorporated Larimer County does not require a short-term rental to be the owner's primary residence — a standard (unhosted) STR is allowed. Fort Collins, however, distinguishes primary (owner lives there 9+ months) from non-primary STRs, allowing non-primary only in lodging…
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 rental. Carrying commercial or platform host liability coverage is strongly advisable.
Only non-aerial, non-explosive "permissible" fireworks (fountains, sparklers, ground spinners) are legal in Colorado; anything that leaves the ground or explodes is illegal. Larimer County routinely bans ALL fireworks, even permissible ones, during its frequent summer fire…
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 (expanded). The immediate zone must be cleared of shrubs, slash and combustible debris.
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 frequent fire restrictions, wood and charcoal fire pits are prohibited.
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 burning is banned during fire restrictions and Red Flag Warnings.
Small recreational fires in approved containers are allowed in the unincorporated county when no fire ban is active, using only clean, dry wood or charcoal. During the county's routine summer fire restrictions, all open recreational fires are prohibited.
Larimer County has no separate smoke-detector ordinance; smoke alarms are required through the building codes the county adopts (the International Residential and Building Codes), which mandate alarms in bedrooms, outside sleeping areas and on every level of a home.
Larimer County sets no unique propane-storage ordinance; residential LP-gas tanks are governed by the adopted International Fire Code and NFPA 58, which set tank size, placement and distance-to-structure and property-line rules enforced by the building division and fire…
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 countywide must meet wildfire structure-hardening and defensible-space requirements.
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.
In Fort Collins, up to eight chickens and/or ducks may be kept on lots under half an acre (12 up to one acre); roosters are banned and a Humane Society permit is required. Rural unincorporated land follows the county Land Use Code.
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 are subject to the animal code.
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 targets a specific breed.
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 animals graze at large in town or on roads behind an adequate fence.
Fort Collins allows backyard beekeeping under City Code Ch. 4, Article III: colonies must be kept in hives with movable combs in sound condition, with colony numbers scaled to lot size. Rural county land is governed by agricultural zoning.
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, non-domestic cats, venomous reptiles, and primates are listed.
Larimer County sets no fixed number of pets. Sec. 6-81 limits pet animals to the number you can properly maintain in healthy condition without creating a health or safety hazard or a nuisance to neighbors.
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 number that can be kept healthy. Severe cases are prosecuted under Colorado cruelty law C.R.S…
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 Protection Ordinance requires bear-resistant trash storage in designated areas.
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, but capped so noise over 8 hours never exceeds 90 dB.
Neither the Larimer County noise ordinance nor Fort Collins § 20-23 sets a dog-specific decibel figure. Persistent barking is handled as a noise disturbance/unreasonable noise and through animal-control complaints to Larimer Humane Society.
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 limits they must meet the general noise caps.
Amplified music from stereos, speakers or instruments is judged against the same dB(A) table: 55 dB(A) daytime and 50 dB(A) after 8 p.m. in Fort Collins residential zones (50 db(A) after 7 p.m. in the county). Pure tones drop the cap 5 dB(A).
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) above; lighter vehicles and motorcycles at 80 and 84 dB(A).
Fort Collins § 20-23 sets day/night dB(A) caps by zone: 55/50 residential, 60/55 commercial, 70/65 employment, 80/75 industrial. Unincorporated Larimer County and Colorado's statute (C.R.S. § 25-12-103) use the same residential-to-industrial tiers.
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 daytime construction noise at 80 db(A).
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; complaints go to the FAA or the airport operator.
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 residential ceilings are 55 db(A).
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 use the same 80/75 industrial and 70/65 light-industrial tiers.
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 with a shut-off valve are usually still permitted even during bans.
Larimer County has no smoker-specific ordinance. A charcoal or wood smoker is treated as a small cooking fire, allowed when contained and under the 3-foot by 2-foot size limit, but prohibited during the county's fire restrictions, when only gas or propane appliances are…
Common fence materials — wood, masonry, vinyl, and chain link — are all allowed in unincorporated Larimer County. Solid, wind-blocking materials over 7 feet trigger a permit, and prescriptive wood fences use preservative-treated or decay-resistant lumber.
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, or up to the property line if it is closer than 8 feet, must be noncombustible or…
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 view; the county inspects footings and the finished fence.
Larimer County's Land Use Code sets no requirement that you get a neighbor's consent to build a boundary fence, and it does not mandate shared-cost agreements. Fence location, cost-sharing, and boundary disputes are civil matters between property owners under Colorado law.
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 deep, 2x6 horizontal rails at a maximum 24 inches on center, and a maximum 9-foot height.
In unincorporated Larimer County you can build a residential fence up to 7 feet high without a building permit. A permit is required once a fence is over 7 feet AND has a solid, wind-blocking surface; prescriptive fences top out at 9 feet.
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 submittal. Walls in a floodplain or right-of-way get added Engineering review.
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 parking must not require backing into the road, and vehicles should not block sidewalks or the…
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 Larimer County, oversized vehicles belong on the private lot, not the road right-of-way.
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 rear routes. In Fort Collins, commercial loading on the street is allowed only while actively…
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 County, store RVs on your own lot, not in the right-of-way.
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 unincorporated Larimer County, a vehicle left over 48 hours in the right-of-way can be deemed abandoned.
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 space for every 30 spaces, EV-capable and signed for exclusive EV use.
Fort Collins prohibits parking commercial and oversized vehicles on public streets, alleys and rights-of-way, except while they are actively being loaded, unloaded, or used for utility or street work. Unincorporated county rules govern commercial parking through zoning and…
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 metered on-street program; rural road rights-of-way are not for storage.
Colorado law treats a vehicle left unattended on public property outside city limits for 48 hours or more as abandoned, allowing law enforcement to tag and tow it. In Fort Collins, the city applies its own abandoned vehicle definition and impound process.
Neither Larimer County nor Fort Collins lets residents paint the curb to reserve or restrict parking. Curb markings are official traffic-control devices installed only by the government; unauthorized curb painting is not recognized and can be treated as defacing public property.
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 trimming any tree in the public right-of-way or on City property.
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 tree 15 inches or larger in diameter, requires a free City Forester permit first.
Colorado has no statewide homeowner watering ban. Larimer County watering rules come from your water provider. Fort Collins Utilities recommends watering turf no more than two to three days per week, and can impose mandatory schedules during declared droughts.
Larimer County does not require native plants, and Colorado law protects your right to xeriscape. Under C.R.S. § 38-33.3-106.5, HOAs cannot ban xeriscape, drought-tolerant, or nonvegetative turf landscaping, though design guidelines may still apply.
Larimer County sets no ordinance banning backyard composting, and it is encouraged for waste reduction. It must not become a nuisance. Fort Collins allows home compost bins provided they do not create odor or attract rodents.
Larimer County's Land Use Code sets no county-wide lawn-height number for private yards, but incorporated cities do. In Fort Collins, weeds and grass on developed lots may not exceed six inches; twelve inches applies on undeveloped or field lots.
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 property. Larimer County adds no extra permit.
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 eradication of List A weeds and containment of designated List B species.
Larimer County sets no specific ban on artificial turf, and Colorado law now protects nonvegetative turf grass from HOA prohibition. Check your city's landscape and stormwater standards, which may limit placement or drainage in front yards.
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 with 15-foot sides and rears. Small detached accessory buildings may sit 5 feet from lot lines.
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 for certain features.
Unincorporated Larimer County does not set a fixed lot-coverage percentage. Instead it controls how much you can build through minimum lot area, setbacks, and the 40-foot height cap, which together define the buildable envelope on your parcel.
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 anywhere on the lot except in a road right-of-way (not on a mailbox in the right-of-way).
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 exceeding 800 square feet, employ one non-resident worker, and generate up to 10 vehicle trips per…
Colorado's Cottage Foods Act (C.R.S. 25-4-1614) lets home cooks in Larimer County sell certain non-hazardous foods (baked goods, jams, honey, teas, dehydrated produce) directly to consumers without a license or kitchen inspection, if they take an approved food safety course and…
Unincorporated Larimer County allows a home occupation as an accessory use in a dwelling under Land Use Code Article 3.4.7.B. It must not change the residential character of the lot or dwelling. Limited home occupations are a use by right; larger ones need Administrative Special…
Home child care in Colorado is licensed by the state Department of Early Childhood, not Larimer County. A license is required to regularly care for more than four unrelated children. A regular family child care home license covers up to six children; a large-home license covers…
Unincorporated Larimer County sets no maximum grass or weed height and does not require lawns to be mowed. Only Colorado-listed noxious weeds must be controlled by the property owner.
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.
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 that becomes a visual blight.
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 dumped rubbish is prohibited.
Unincorporated Larimer County requires no permit or license to hold a garage or yard sale. The county sets no rule here, and Fort Collins likewise requires no sales-tax license for occasional household sales.
In unincorporated Larimer County, a spa or hot tub may satisfy the barrier requirement with a lockable safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 instead of a fence. Portable and permanent spas need a permit with manufacturer specifications and listing labels.
Unincorporated Larimer County requires a building permit to construct an in-ground pool or permanent spa. Prefabricated pools under 24 inches deep are exempt. Submit three copies of a site plan showing pool location, deck, equipment, and nearby windows and doors.
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 least 54 inches high. Doors from the house to the pool need a listed water-hazard alarm.
Outdoor pools and spas in unincorporated Larimer County must be surrounded by a barrier at least 48 inches high measured on the outside. Openings may not pass a 4-inch sphere. Barriers follow the adopted 2021 ISPSC Section 305 (or an ASTM F1346 safety cover).
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 of the pool structure. Mesh fences may not be installed on top of on-ground pools.
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, glass, paper, mixed containers, and more.
Unincorporated Larimer County sets no ordinance on trash-cart setout or placement times. Your private hauler dictates where and when to place containers; city residents follow municipal cart rules.
Larimer County does not run curbside trash collection in unincorporated areas. Residents subscribe privately with a licensed hauler or self-haul to the Larimer County Landfill on South Taft Hill Road.
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; appliances with Freon cost $36 each.
Dumping trash, debris, or waste on public or private land is illegal in Larimer County. State law (C.R.S. 18-4-511) makes littering a class 2 petty offense, and the county Department of Health & Environment investigates illegal dump sites.
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 permit; a tiny house on wheels is treated as an RV and cannot be a year-round home.
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 lot-coverage rules. Bigger sheds or any with utilities need a permit.
A carport is a detached or attached accessory structure. In unincorporated Larimer County a permit is required once it exceeds 200 sq ft, is attached, or adds utilities. All carports must meet Land Use Code setbacks and lot-coverage limits.
Converting a garage into habitable or separate living space in unincorporated Larimer County requires a building permit and must meet building-code habitability standards. If it becomes a separate unit it is treated as an Accessory Living Area under Land Use Code §3.4.5.
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 permit. Size is capped by lot size under Table 3-15.
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 feet, and signs are prohibited in public rights-of-way and on utility poles.
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 street or road right-of-way or on utility poles.
Unincorporated Larimer County has no numeric light-trespass ordinance for existing single-family homes; disputes are handled as nuisances. Fort Collins regulates exterior site lighting and off-site spill under Land Use Code §3.2.4, and Estes Park under Development Code §7.9.
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, including for new development and vacation rentals, to protect the night sky near Rocky Mountain…
These cities are located within Larimer County and may have their own ordinances.
These communities are in unincorporated Larimer County. County ordinances apply directly to these areas.
Ordinance data for Larimer County is sourced from the following official government references. Click any topic above for detailed citations.