Manitou Springs, CO Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Occupancy cap basis
- Building code occupancy load
- Notice required
- Posted at/near front door
- Also disclosed
- Max vehicles, evacuation route
- Enforcement
- STR permit revocation
- Governing section
- LUDC § 18.04.5.4(C)(8)-(9)
Summary
Short-term rentals in Manitou Springs cannot exceed the occupancy load set by the City's adopted building code, and every unit must post a clearly visible notice at the front door stating the maximum number of occupants permitted to stay.
8.Occupancy of the short-term rental shall not exceed occupancy load pursuant to the City's duly adopted building code.9.Each short-term rental shall have a clearly visible and legible notice posted within the unit on or adjacent to the front door that includes the following. This information shall also be listed within the rental contract for the property:a.An evacuation route and emergency instructions.b.The maximum number of occupants permitted to stay in the short-term rental.
Full Breakdown
4(C) of the Land Use and Development Code lays out the operating standards every permitted short-term rental must meet, and subsection 8 ties maximum occupancy directly to the building code's occupancy load calculation rather than to a flat bedroom count, meaning the cap is determined by the unit's floor area and egress under the International Building Code as adopted by the City. 3, trash pickup information, contact information for the owner or property manager, and the location of fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide alarms; that same occupancy and rules information must also appear in the rental contract given to guests.
These occupancy and posting duties sit inside a much broader permit scheme: STRs are capped citywide at two percent of the City's residential structures based on State Demography Office counts, permits are non-transferable and expire on sale of the property, the owner must occupy the home as a primary residence at least 185 days a year, and STRs must be separated by a 500-foot radius measured from each property's corners. A property that fails to meet the occupancy or posting requirements is exposed to enforcement under the same section that governs revocation of the Short-Term Rental Permit.
Violations & Fines
Hosting more guests than the building code's occupancy load allows, or failing to post the required maximum-occupancy notice at the front door, is a violation of Section 18.04.5.4(C) that constitutes grounds for revocation of the Short-Term Rental Permit under Section 18.06.4.5; a revocation can be appealed to the Planning Commission within ninety days of notice. General violations of the short-term rental chapter are also punishable under the penalty provisions cross-referenced in Section 18.06.4.27.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many guests can stay in a Manitou Springs short-term rental?
Does the maximum occupancy have to be posted for guests to see?
What happens if a short-term rental exceeds its posted occupancy?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manitou Springs
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Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in El Paso County handle occupancy limits.