Douglas County does not require a short-term rental to be the owner's primary residence, so non-owner-occupied and investment rentals are allowed. However, where a lot holds more than one residence, only one of them may be licensed and used as a short-term rental.
Unlike some cities, Douglas County's ordinance imposes no owner-occupancy or primary-residence mandate, so an owner may license a home they do not live in. The key limit is one STR per lot: Section V.A provides that where a lot contains a detached single-family residence plus any additional residence (such as a guest house or caretaker residence), the owner may use only one of them as a short-term rental. Licenses are further restricted inside Planned Developments, which must expressly permit the use, and in subdivisions whose covenants prohibit STRs the county will deny the application. HOA rules can independently bar rentals even where the county allows them.
Licensing or operating a second residence on the same lot as an STR, or renting where covenants prohibit it, is grounds for denial or revocation of the Short-Term Rental license.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Douglas County, CO
Douglas County and its towns allow residential backyard composting; there is no permit. Keep piles or bins maintained so they do not create odor, pests, or a...
Douglas County, CO
Douglas County and its towns have no ordinance banning artificial turf on private residential yards. Colorado law even bars HOAs from prohibiting nonvegetati...
Douglas County, CO
Colorado encourages xeriscape and native landscaping, and state law bars HOAs from banning xeriscape or drought-tolerant plants on yards a homeowner maintain...
Douglas County, CO
Colorado law lets residents at single-family or small multifamily homes collect rooftop rainwater in up to two rain barrels holding 110 gallons combined, use...
Douglas County, CO
Colorado has no statewide homeowner watering ban; your water provider sets the schedule. Castle Rock Water allows outdoor watering every third day before 8 a...
Douglas County, CO
Colorado's Noxious Weed Act requires all landowners to control noxious weeds. Douglas County enforces the Act on unincorporated land; Castle Rock adds a 12-i...
See how Douglas County's primary-residence-only rule rules stack up against other locations.
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