Short-term rental permit rules in Boulder, CO — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Boulder requires a short-term rental license with annual renewal. Non-owner-occupied STRs are capped citywide. Properties in residential neighborhoods must be owner-occupied or have a local manager.
Boulder Municipal Code requires all short-term rental operators to obtain an STR license. The city caps non-owner-occupied STR licenses citywide. Owner-occupied hosted rentals are more easily permitted. Properties must pass a safety inspection including smoke/CO detectors, fire extinguishers, and posted emergency information. A local responsible party must be available within 30 minutes. STRs in the University Hill area face additional scrutiny. The city tracks complaints and may revoke licenses after multiple violations.
Operating without license: $150/day. Safety violations: correction notice plus $500. Exceeding occupancy: $1,000 per incident. License revocation after three verified complaints.
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See how Boulder's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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