Fort Collins, CO Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code Sec. 15-647(d)
- Standard applied
- R-1 Occupancy Building, International Building Code
- No numeric guest cap
- Ordinance sets building class, not headcount
- Legacy alternate standard
- Pre-Sept. 13, 2019 licenses, Sec. 15-648(4)
- Grandfather ends
- At sale or ownership transfer, Sec. 15-647(e)
Summary
Fort Collins does not cap the number of guests an STR can host by ordinance; instead it regulates building occupancy classification. A short term rental inside a multi-unit building may only operate if the whole structure meets R-1 Occupancy Building fire and life-safety standards under Sec. 15-647(d).
A short term primary or non-primary rental shall only operate in a multi-unit dwelling unit if the entire multi-unit structure meets all sanitation, mechanical, electrical, structural, and fire safety requirements applicable to an R-1 Occupancy Building.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 155 | Transitional Land Use Code (for project before May 17, 2024): Supplement 61 | Traffic Code: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " R-1 Occupancy Building is a defined term in Sec. 15-641, tied to "the most recent International Building Code adopted by the City of Fort Collins," meaning the standard is a life-safety classification for the structure, not a headcount limit on renters. A grandfather clause softens this for older licenses: Sec. 15-647(e) lets a multi-unit short term rental licensed before September 13, 2019 keep operating without meeting full R-1 standards if it instead satisfies the alternate fire-resistance measures in Sec. 15-648(4), covering sprinklers and egress windows, first- or second-story direct exits, or fire-rated corridor exiting for units above the second story, and if the license has not lapsed more than thirty days.
That grandfathered status ends at sale: Sec. " No section of Article XVIII sets a maximum number of overnight guests per bedroom or per unit; the City's rental regulation tool here is building classification, enforced by the Building Official under Sec. 15-648(4).
Violations & Fines
Operating a multi-unit short term rental in a structure that fails to meet R-1 Occupancy Building standards, without qualifying for the pre-September 2019 alternate standards, violates Sec. 15-647(d) and is grounds for suspension, revocation or non-renewal under Sec. 15-649(a)(3). Sec. 15-650 additionally exposes the licensee to a fine or imprisonment under the general penalty at Sec. 1-15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fort Collins limit how many guests can stay in a short term rental?
What is an R-1 Occupancy Building requirement?
Are older multi-unit rentals exempt from the R-1 standard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Collins
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