Watkins CDP (part), Adams County, Colorado, CO

Adams County does not currently have a county-specific short-term rental license or permit program. Both owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied STRs are legal in unincorporated Adams County. Operators must still register a business with the Colorado Secretary of State, collect Adams County's 0.75% local sales tax plus 2.9% state sales tax, and may owe lodging tax on stays under 30 days. Colorado HB23-1287 authorizes - but does not require - counties to license STRs.

Unincorporated Adams County has no STR-specific licensing fee, but operators must collect Colorado state sales tax (2.9%), Adams County sales tax (0.75%), and the county's lodging tax on stays under 30 days. Per HB23-1287, listings on platforms like Airbnb must display the operator's state DOR sales-tax license number.

Unincorporated Adams County does not impose STR-specific parking minimums. The Development Standards and Regulations Chapter 4 off-street parking rules for the underlying single-family dwelling apply, and on-street RV/recreational vehicle parking is restricted under county nuisance and right-of-way provisions. Confirm with Adams County Community & Economic Development at 720-523-6800.

Unincorporated Adams County has no STR-specific occupancy cap in the Development Standards and Regulations. Industry guidance commonly applies a 'two per bedroom plus two' overnight figure, but it is not codified locally. Colorado HB24-1007 (effective 2024) bars municipalities and counties from limiting occupancy based on familial or relationship status.

Adams County enforces residential pool barrier rules through the 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) Appendix G and the 2018 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, adopted under Adams County Ordinance 12. Barriers must be at least 48 inches high with no openings allowing passage of a 4-inch sphere. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching. Permits are issued by the Adams County E-Permit Center under Section R105 of the IRC.

Adams County does not set its own decibel-based noise ordinance for unincorporated areas; instead, Colorado state law at C.R.S. 25-12-103 applies. In residential zones, the maximum permissible noise level is 55 dB(A) from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and 50 dB(A) from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., measured at or beyond the property line. The Adams County Sheriff's Office (303.288.1535) handles loud music, party, and disturbance complaints. Construction noise is permitted only between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. per Adams County code compliance policy.

In unincorporated Adams County, any fence or wall taller than 42 inches (3.5 ft) requires a building permit through the Adams County E-Permit Center. Fences 42 inches and shorter do not require a permit. All fences - regardless of height - must be structurally sound and maintained in good repair. Outdoor storage screening requires a 6-foot opaque fence under Section 4-09-01-04 of the Adams County Development Standards and Regulations. Permits and inquiries: epermitcenter@adamscountyco.gov or 720.523.6800.

Adams County Ordinance No. 6 (Pet Animal Licensing and Control), updated by Resolution 2022-043 (Animal Control Code), requires dogs in unincorporated Adams County to be under physical control - on a leash or in a fenced area - at all times when off the owner's property. Dogs running at large, repeatedly straying, or chasing wildlife/livestock can be impounded by Adams County Animal Management. Colorado state authority for county dog laws is C.R.S. 30-15-401(1)(j). All dogs 6 months and older must be licensed and currently vaccinated against rabies. Report violations to the Adams County dispatch line at 303.288.1535.

Adams County participates in the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and administers Flood Control Overlay regulations through Chapter 3 of the Adams County Development Standards. A Floodplain Use Permit is required for any development - including grading, fill, structures, and substantial improvements - within a Special Flood Hazard Area mapped on the FEMA FIRM. Colorado state rules at 2 CCR 408-1 require freeboard of 1 foot above base flood elevation for residential structures.