Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Rules in Boulder, CO (2026)

Boulder, CO allows short-term rentals — commonly listed on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO — subject to local regulations that have evolved significantly since 2015. Hosts must register with the city (Short-Term Rental License) before listing their property. Boulder regulates STRs to balance tourism revenue with neighborhood quality of life. Key rules cover primary residence requirements, nightly limits, occupancy caps, and tax collection obligations. Hosts who operate without required registration or in violation of city rules face substantial fines. Below are the current registration requirements, rules, platform-specific notes, and penalties for Boulder.

Statewide Preemption

Registration Requirements

Registration Required: Short-Term Rental License. Registration fee: varies. Annual renewal: annually. Register through the local building department or local planning department. Your registration number must be displayed on all platform listings. Failure to register before hosting is a violation subject to fines.

Registration Type

Short-Term Rental License · Verified June 1, 2026 · Source

Registration Fee

$150

Annual Renewal

$150

Operational Rules

No specific operational rules listed for short-term rentals in Boulder beyond standard property codes.

• •Boulder STR license required for all rentals of 30 days or fewer
• •Primary residence requirement — host must use as principal residence
• •Whole-home STR limited to 120 nights per year when host not present
• •Hosted STRs (host present) have no night cap
• •STR license must be posted in unit and on all platform listings
• •Boulder Accommodations Tax (7.9%) collected by platforms plus state/county taxes
• •Maximum occupancy: 2 guests per bedroom
• •Local contact person required for out-of-town owners

Penalties for Violations

Specific penalty amounts for STR violations in Boulder are not listed. Contact the local planning department for enforcement information.

• ⚠$250 per day for STR without valid license
• ⚠$500 per violation for noise or occupancy violations
• ⚠License revocation for repeat violations

Frequently Asked Questions