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Aurora, CO Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Lodger's tax rate: 8% of rental charge
Lodger's license fee: $0: no fee charged
Tax remittance: Monthly to finance director
License term: 2 years, auto-renews
Marketing fee scope: Only hotels with 75+ rooms

Summary

Aurora short-term rental hosts pay an 8% lodger's tax on the nightly rental charge, collected at the time of sale and remitted monthly; the required lodger's license itself carries no fee.

(a) There is levied a tax in the amount of eight percent of the purchase price paid or charged for lodging within the City. (b) In all cases, the purchase price paid or charged shall exclude the sale of any goods, services, or commodities otherwise taxed under article II of this chapter.

Source: Aurora Sales Tax and Lodgers TaxView official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Aurora levies an 8% lodger's tax on the purchase price of lodging offered for under 30 consecutive days, a definition that reaches short-term rentals (Aurora City Code § 130-363(a); current through Ord. No. 2026-17, May 18, 2026). Operators or their booking service must collect the tax at the time of sale and remit it monthly to the finance director. Hosts also must hold a lodger's license, but § 86-666 sets no fee for that license: only the separate general business license carries a fee, set under the city's biennial fee schedule (§ 86-666, § 26-219(a)(1)).

Violations & Fines

Failing to collect, report, or remit the 8% lodger's tax, or operating without a valid lodger's license, lets the city suspend or cancel the operator's license (§ 86-665, § 86-668(b)) and exposes the operator to the Code's general penalty provision (§ 1-13).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Aurora short-term rental hosts pay a lodging tax?

Yes: an 8% lodger's tax on the rental charge, collected by the host or booking platform and remitted monthly to the finance director under City Code § 130-363.

Is there a fee for the required lodger's license?

No. City Code § 86-666 sets no fee for the lodger's license itself, though the separate general business license carries its own fee under the city's fee schedule.

Does the $2-per-night marketing fee apply to short-term rentals?

No. City Code § 86-667 limits that destination marketing fee to lodging businesses with 75 or more rooms, excluding single-unit short-term rentals.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Aurora

Short-Term Rental PermitsSignificant Restrictions Primary-Residence-Only RuleSignificant Restrictions Extended Home ShareSignificant Restrictions Night CapsSignificant Restrictions Host Platform LiabilitySignificant Restrictions Parking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSome Restrictions Fence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic ZoningSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer RulesSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Rescue PermitsSome Restrictions

All Aurora rules

How Aurora compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado short-term rentals overview

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