Boulder, CO Short-Term Rentals: Repeat Violator Strikes (2026)
Key Facts
- 1st violation
- $150 civil penalty
- 2nd violation (same provision)
- $300 civil penalty
- 3rd violation (same provision)
- $1,000 civil penalty
- STR eligibility failure
- Mandatory license revocation
- Reapplication bar
- At least six months after revocation
- Investigative inspection fee
- $250 per inspection
Summary
Boulder enforces short-term rental violations through an escalating civil penalty schedule: $150 for a first violation, $300 for a second, and $1,000 for a third of the same provision. If a short-term rental operator fails to meet the licensing conditions in Section 10-3-19(c), the city manager must revoke the license outright.
(1)Impose a civil penalty according to the following schedule:(A)For the first violation of the provision, $150;(B)For the second violation of the same provision, $300; and(C)For the third violation of the same provision, $1,000;(2)Revoke the rental license;(3)If the city manager finds that a short-term rental license was issued to a licensee who is determined not to comply with subsections (1), (2) or (3) of Section 10-3-19(c), "Short-Term Rentals," B.R.C. 1981, the city manager shall revoke the short-term rental license
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 167 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
C. 1981, and it applies to short-term rentals along with every other licensed rental. After notice and a hearing under the quasi-judicial procedures of Chapter 1-3, the city manager can impose a civil penalty that climbs with each repeat of the same violation: $150 for the first offense, $300 for the second, and $1,000 for the third, under Section 10-3-16(a)(1)(A)-(C). " Once revoked, Section 10-3-16(g) bars the same licensee from reapplying for the same unit for at least six months, and only if the new application demonstrates compliance with every licensing requirement.
Operators also pay a $250 fee per investigative inspection the city manager conducts to check compliance, under paragraph (f). If notice reaches the city manager at least 48 hours before a scheduled violation hearing that the problem is fixed, the manager reinspects and can cancel the hearing under paragraph (c). Separately, criminal prosecution under Section 10-3-17 carries a fine of $500 to $2,000 per violation, or up to 90 days in jail, or both, and courts weigh confiscatory-fine limits and aggravating factors like flagrant, intentional violations when setting the amount.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of any Chapter 3 provision costs $150, a second offense of the same provision costs $300, and a third costs $1,000, all imposed administratively after a hearing. A short-term rental license issued to someone who does not meet Section 10-3-19(c)'s ownership and residency conditions must be revoked, and the same licensee is locked out of reapplying for that unit for six months. Criminal charges under Section 10-3-17 can add $500 to $2,000 per violation or 90 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is there a criminal penalty on top of the civil fines?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boulder
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Repeat Violator Strikes in Nearby Cities
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