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

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Permits required
Short-Term Rental Permit plus city business license
Permit term
One year, renewable annually
Transferable
No; expires on sale or transfer
Listing requirement
Permit number posted on every ad
Fee amount
Set by council resolution, not printed in code
Governing section
LUDC § 18.06.4.5

Summary

Operating a short-term rental in Manitou Springs requires both a Short-Term Rental Permit from the Planning Department and a separate city business license before the listing goes live. Municipal Code § 18.06.4.5 makes both good for only one year, so an owner re-applies and re-qualifies annually to keep renting legally.

B.Applicability. To operate as a short-term rental, the owner of the property must obtain a Short-Term Rental Permit from the Planning Department pursuant to the criteria in this chapter. The owner must also obtain a business license from the City prior to listing the property as a short-term rental. ... H.Annual Renewal Required. The short-term rental unit permit is valid for one year from the date of issuance. The permit is required to be renewed for additional one-year periods in order to be in compliance with this LUDC.

Full Breakdown

5 of the Land Use and Development Code, not the tax code, is what actually gates a Manitou Springs short-term rental. Subsection B requires the property owner to obtain a Short-Term Rental Permit from the Planning Department and, separately, a business license from the city before the unit can be listed on any booking site, so an operator carries two distinct city approvals before taking a single reservation. Subsection F adds an ongoing compliance cost to every listing: the owner must send the city a copy of each advertisement on every booking platform used, and every listing must display the Short-Term Rental Permit number along with a statement that the unit complies with the Municipal Code; advertising without meeting this requirement is itself a violation of the chapter.

Subsection H caps the permit's life at one year from issuance and requires renewal for each additional one-year period to keep operating, so a short-term rental owner faces an annual re-licensing cycle rather than a one-time approval. Subsection G ties the permit to the individual owner rather than the property: it expires on any sale or transfer, including a shift from private ownership to a corporate entity, so a buyer of an existing short-term rental cannot simply inherit the seller's permit and must apply again. 5. 24 lodging tax.

Violations & Fines

Section 18.06.4.5.L makes any violation of the short-term rental chapter, including advertising without the required permit number and compliance statement, punishable under Section 18.06.4.28 of the Land Use and Development Code and grounds for revoking the Short-Term Rental Permit itself, in addition to any penalty for operating without the required business license.

Frequently Asked Questions

What permits does a short-term rental need in Manitou Springs?
Section 18.06.4.5(B) of the Land Use and Development Code requires two separate approvals: a Short-Term Rental Permit issued by the Planning Department and a standard city business license, both obtained before the property is listed with any booking agency or website. Operating or advertising without either is a code violation.
How often does a Manitou Springs short-term rental permit need renewal?
The permit is valid for only one year from issuance under Section 18.06.4.5(H) and must be renewed for each additional one-year period to remain in compliance. There is no multi-year or permanent short-term rental permit under the current code.
Can I keep the short-term rental permit if I sell the property?
No. Section 18.06.4.5(G) ties the permit to the specific owner named on it, not to the property, and states the permit expires upon sale or transfer, including a change from individual to corporate ownership. The new owner must apply for a fresh Short-Term Rental Permit before renting the unit.
How much does a short-term rental permit or license cost in Manitou Springs?
The Municipal Code does not print a dollar figure for either fee. Section 18.06.4.5 fixes the licensing structure and the one-year renewal cycle, but the actual permit and business-license fee amounts are set separately by city council resolution, so current pricing should be confirmed with the Planning Department.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Manitou Springs

All Manitou Springs rules

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

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