Fort Collins, CO Short-Term Rentals: Repeat Violator Strikes (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code Sec. 15-649(c)
- Ineligibility period
- One year from date of revocation
- Applies to
- The dwelling unit, not just the licensee
- Alternative to revocation
- Conditional suspension under Sec. 15-649(b)
- Enforcing officer
- Director of Community Development and Neighborhood Services
Summary
Fort Collins does not use a strikes system for short term rentals; a single revocation locks the dwelling out for a full year. Sec. 15-649(c) bars the property from getting a new license for twelve months after any revocation, regardless of who owns it.
Upon revocation of a license, the dwelling unit described in the license is ineligible to receive another license pursuant to this Article for one (1) year from the date of revocation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 155 | Transitional Land Use Code (for project before May 17, 2024): Supplement 61 | Traffic Code: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 15-649(a) lets the Director suspend, revoke or refuse to renew a short term rental license for fraud or material misrepresentation in an application, failure to obtain or remit sales, use, and lodging taxes, failure to comply with license terms or any applicable federal, state, or local law, or failure to meet conditions imposed under Sec. 15-647(c) or 15-649(b). Once revocation occurs, Sec. " The bar attaches to the dwelling unit itself, not merely the licensee, so a revoked property stays locked out even through a change of ownership within that year.
Short of revocation, Sec. 15-649(b) gives the Financial Officer, after consulting the Director, authority to impose conditions on a suspended license instead of revoking it outright; satisfying those conditions gets the license reinstated, while failing to satisfy them results in continued suspension or revocation. All licensed premises remain subject to inspection under Sec. 15-649(d) to check compliance, including locked areas, which must be opened for inspection without delay upon request.
Violations & Fines
Fraud, tax noncompliance, or failure to meet license terms under Sec. 15-649(a) can result in suspension, revocation, or non-renewal. A revocation triggers the one-year dwelling-unit ineligibility in Sec. 15-649(c), and Sec. 15-650 separately allows a fine or imprisonment under the general penalty in Sec. 1-15 for violating any Article XVIII provision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a Fort Collins property banned from short term rental licensing after revocation?
Does selling the property reset the one-year ban?
Can the City suspend a license instead of revoking it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Collins
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