Boulder, CO Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Occupancy standard
- Same limit as the Property Maintenance Code sets
- No STR-specific bump
- No higher headcount allowed for short-term stays
- ADU exception
- Uses Subsection 9-8-5(b) occupancy standard instead
- License tied to residency
- Unit must be licensee's principal residence
- Enforcement
- Civil penalty schedule plus possible revocation
Summary
Boulder ties short-term rental occupancy to the same limit that governs any other rental unit. Section 10-3-19(i) caps overnight guests in a short-term rental at whatever occupancy the Property Maintenance Code allows for that dwelling, with no separate, higher short-term rental figure.
The occupancy of a dwelling unit rented as a short-term rental shall not exceed the occupancy permitted pursuant to Chapter 10-2, "Property Maintenance Code," B.R.C. 1981.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 167 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Boulder does not set a separate headcount for short-term rentals. C. '" That means a host cannot advertise or host more overnight guests in a short-term rental than the Property Maintenance Code's standard occupancy formula allows for that same unit if it were rented long-term; short-term status carries no exception that lets a host pack in additional guests. The rule sits inside the broader short-term rental license framework: a short-term rental is only lawful once the city manager issues a license under Section 10-3-19(a), the licensed unit must be the licensee's own principal residence under Section 10-3-19(j), and the application must certify the unit has operational smoke and carbon monoxide detectors under Section 10-3-19(c)(4). C. 1981.
Violations & Fines
Hosting more overnight guests than the Property Maintenance Code's occupancy formula allows breaches Section 10-3-19(i) and can support a civil penalty under the escalating $150/$300/$1,000 schedule in Section 10-3-16(a)(1), plus license revocation. Because a short-term rental must also be the licensee's principal residence under Section 10-3-19(j), overcrowding complaints are investigated alongside residency compliance, and a $250 fee applies for each investigative inspection the city manager conducts under Section 10-3-16(f).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Boulder short-term rental host more guests than a regular rental?
Does the occupancy rule differ for an accessory dwelling unit rented short-term?
What happens if a host exceeds the occupancy limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boulder
Compare Boulder to another location·View the Colorado short-term rentals overview
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Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Boulder County handle occupancy limits.