Westminster, CO Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Accommodations tax rate
- 7% (§4-4-2)
- Tax imposed on
- the purchaser/guest
- Vendor duty
- collect and remit the tax
- Effective since
- January 1, 1991
- STR compliance
- required by §5-24-7
Summary
Westminster charges a 7 percent accommodations tax on every short-term rental stay under W.M.C. 4-4-2, and STR licensees must collect and remit it under 5-24-7. The tax applies to the full purchase price paid for the room or unit and is imposed on the renter, not the host.
5-24-7. - Taxes. Each Licensee shall collect and remit accommodations tax on all Short-Term Rentals in accordance with the provisions of W.M.C. Title IV, Chapter 4, and any regulations issued pursuant thereto. ... 4-4-2. - Tax on Accommodations; Collection. (A)Tax on Accommodations: For transactions consummated on or after January 1, 1991, at 12:01 a.m., there is hereby levied a tax or excise of seven percent on the purchase price paid by any person or charged by any vendor on the lease, rental or other transaction of furnishing rooms or accommodations to any person who, for a consideration, uses, possesses, or has the right to use or possess, any room or rooms or other accommodations.(B)The tax specified in this section is imposed upon the purchaser. Every vendor shall collect the tax and remit it to the City.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12).
Full Breakdown
C. ' That cross-referenced chapter, Title IV, Chapter 4 (Accommodations Tax), sets the actual rate: Section 4-4-2(A) levies a 7 percent excise tax on the purchase price charged for any room or accommodation furnished for consideration, effective for transactions on or after January 1, 1991. The tax is legally imposed on the purchaser, meaning the guest pays it, but Section 4-4-2(B) makes every vendor, defined in Section 4-4-1 to include a 'lodging house, guest house, guest ranch, or any other place that provides sleeping rooms or sleeping facilities' as well as marketplace facilitators, responsible for collecting the tax and remitting it to the City.
Under Section 4-4-2(C) the tax applies 'in addition to all other taxes imposed by law,' so it stacks on top of any other City tax that applies to the same transaction. ,' so unremitted STR tax exposes the license itself to revocation under Section 5-24-10, on top of whatever recovery remedies Title IV, Chapter 4 provides for unpaid tax.
Violations & Fines
A vendor who fails to collect and remit the 7 percent accommodations tax under Section 4-4-2 is subject to Title IV's general tax administration provisions, and an STR licensee's tax noncompliance is also a violation of the STR Code itself, since Section 5-24-8(B) holds the licensee responsible for any violation of applicable W.M.C. provisions, exposing the license to suspension or revocation under Section 5-24-10.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Westminster's short-term rental tax rate?
Who is responsible for collecting the STR tax, the host or the guest?
Does my STR license require me to pay the accommodations tax?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
How Westminster compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·Compare Westminster to another location·View the Colorado short-term rentals overview
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