Longmont, CO Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Occupancy cap
- 2 guests per legal conforming bedroom, plus 2 more
- Governing section
- Longmont Municipal Code § 15.02.080.D.5
- Enforcing agency
- Planning and development services director
- Posting requirement
- Approved occupancy printed on posted STR license
- Criminal penalty
- Up to $500 fine, 90 days jail (§ 1.12.010)
- Revocation trigger
- 3+ violation notices support license revocation
- Excluded use
- Accessory dwelling units cannot be short-term rentals
Summary
Longmont caps overnight occupancy in a licensed short-term rental at two guests per legal conforming bedroom, plus two additional people, under Longmont Municipal Code section 15.02.080.D.5. The planning and development services director enforces the cap through short-term rental licensing, inspections and revocation for repeat violations, with the approved occupancy figure printed on the license posted inside the rental.
5.Occupancy limit. Occupancy in short-term rentals shall be limited to no more than two persons per legal conforming bedroom, plus two additional persons. 6.Inspections. The applicant shall self-certify that the information provided to the city on official forms for a short-term rental license is accurate and complies with all federal, state, and local regulations under penalty of perjury under the laws of the state. The city shall reserve the right to inspect the short-term rental for compliance with the requirements of this section, the adopted building and fire codes, and any conditions of approval prior to the initial license being issued, and prior to each license renewal.
Full Breakdown
Longmont's short-term rental rules sit in the land development code's administrative-application section, first adopted by Ordinance No. O-2021-36 and most recently amended by Ordinance No. O-2025-83 in December 2025. 5 sets the occupancy cap directly: no more than two persons per legal conforming bedroom, plus two additional persons, may occupy a licensed short-term rental. Tying the count to a "legal conforming bedroom" means a room must meet the building code's bedroom requirements to add to the total; a den, loft or non-conforming room advertised as extra sleeping space does not count.
c. 10 requires the licensee to post that license, occupancy figure included, in a prominent location inside the unit alongside the fire extinguisher location and the property manager's name, phone number and email. 13 folds the occupancy figure into the license's standing conditions of approval, alongside noise and parking restrictions, so exceeding it is treated as a licensing violation rather than just a neighbor complaint. 09.
Violations & Fines
Renting above the posted occupancy figure breaches the license's conditions of approval under section 15.02.080.D.13 and is a development code violation under section 15.09.030, each day of the violation counting as a separate offense under section 15.09.040. The city can withhold future permits from the owner, impose administrative civil penalties under chapter 2.97, or prosecute criminally under the general penalty in section 1.12.010, which allows a fine up to $500.00 and up to 90 days in jail. Three documented violations can trigger outright license revocation under section D.16.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many guests can stay overnight in a Longmont short-term rental?
What counts as a "legal conforming bedroom" for the occupancy count?
What happens if a Longmont short-term rental exceeds its occupancy limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Longmont
Compare Longmont to another location·View the Colorado short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Boulder County handle occupancy limits.