Longmont, CO Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Longmont Municipal Code § 15.02.080.D.2.a
- Primary dwelling rule
- Rooms rentable only when owner also occupies unit
- Owner absent rule
- Whole dwelling to one group only, owner away
- Second/investment dwelling
- Room rentals need on-site owner, agent or manager
- Primary dwelling definition
- Person's usual place of return; only one allowed
- Enforcement tie-in
- Presence rules are license conditions of approval
Summary
Longmont requires the property owner to actually live in a short-term rental before individual rooms can be rented out, under Longmont Municipal Code section 15.02.080.D.2.a. Renting an entire primary dwelling while the owner is away is allowed, but only to one group at a time; renting individual rooms in a second or investment dwelling likewise requires an on-site owner, agent or property manager.
a.The property owner's primary dwelling.i.Individual rooms may be rented only when the property owner is also occupying the dwelling.ii.The entire dwelling shall only be rented to one group at a time when the property owner is not present and occupying the dwelling.b.An entire dwelling unit that constitutes a second or investment dwelling of a resident of the city.i.Rental of a second or investment dwelling unit as a short-term rental is limited to one per city resident. For purposes of this section, a city resident must be a natural person with at least 50 percent ownership in the second or investment dwelling unit used as a short-term rental.ii.The entire dwelling shall only be rented to one group at a time.iii.Individual rooms shall not be rented in a second or investment dwelling, unless the owner, an agent, or property manager resides at and is present while the rooms are rented.
Full Breakdown
2 sorts Longmont short-term rentals into two allowed categories, and the host-presence requirement differs between them. " In plain terms, room-by-room rentals require the owner home; whole-house rentals while the owner is elsewhere are allowed, capped at a single group. 1 as the person's usual place of return, and a person can have only one. c. 16 for a pattern of nuisance.
Violations & Fines
Renting individual rooms without the required on-site owner, agent or property manager violates the conditions of the short-term rental license under section 15.02.080.D.13 and is a development code violation under section 15.09.030, with each day of continued violation a separate offense under section 15.09.040. The director can withhold permits, assess administrative civil penalties under chapter 2.97, or pursue criminal prosecution under section 1.12.010's general penalty of up to $500.00 and 90 days in jail; three documented violations support license revocation under section D.16.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rent out a spare bedroom in my Longmont home while I'm away?
Does the host-presence rule apply to a second home used as a short-term rental?
What is a "primary dwelling" under Longmont's short-term rental rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Longmont
Compare Longmont to another location·View the Colorado short-term rentals overview
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Host Presence Rule in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Boulder County handle host presence rule.