Denver short-term rental license: full 2025 requirements

Last updated 2026-07-25

What is Denver's short-term rental license and who needs one?

If you rent out a room, an accessory dwelling unit, or a whole home in Denver for stays under 30 days, the city classifies that as a short-term rental (STR) and requires a license before you list it anywhere, Airbnb, Vrbo, or your own website. Denver defines an STR under its zoning and licensing code as lodging offered for fewer than 30 consecutive days in a dwelling unit. ^[1] The rule that trips people up: Denver only licenses STRs at your primary residence. You have to actually live in the unit for at least 9 months out of the year. That kills the classic "buy a condo downtown and Airbnb it full time" business model within city limits. You can still rent out an accessory dwelling unit (like a basement apartment or carriage house) on your property, or rent a room in the house you live in, or rent your whole primary home while you're traveling. But a separate, non-owner-occupied investment property that you never live in generally cannot get a Denver STR license. This primary-residence rule came out of Denver's 2016 zoning code amendment that legalized STRs citywide but restricted them to owner-occupied homes, a policy choice aimed at keeping housing stock available for long-term renters rather than tourists. ^[1] Denver's licensing office (Excise and Licenses) handles the applications and enforcement. If you're outside Denver proper (Aurora, Lakewood, Boulder, unincorporated Adams or Arapahoe County), the rules are different. Always confirm with your city or county's rental or business licensing office before assuming Denver's rules apply.

How much does a Denver short-term rental license cost?

As of the most recent published fee schedule, Denver's STR license runs $150 and covers a two-year term. ^[1] That's separate from any lodger's tax registration, which is free to set up but requires ongoing tax remittance on every booking. Budget beyond the license fee too. You'll likely need to show proof of insurance, possibly pay for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that meet code, and in some cases cover a zoning use permit fee if your property type needs one. None of those extra costs are fixed citywide numbers, so confirm current figures with Denver's Excise and Licenses office before you apply. ^[1] Compare that to renewal: Denver STR licenses need renewal, and letting one lapse means you have to reapply, sometimes from scratch, sometimes with a grace period. Missing a renewal deadline while you're still taking bookings is one of the most common ways landlords accidentally end up unlicensed and exposed to fines.

What documents do I need to apply for a Denver STR license?

Denver's application checklist typically asks for: - Proof of primary residency, things like a driver's license, voter registration, or tax return showing the STR address as your home

• A lodger's tax license number from Denver's Treasury Division
• Proof of general liability insurance, often $300,000 or more in coverage
• A copy of your government-issued ID
• An affidavit or self-certification that the unit meets Denver's building and fire code requirements for STRs (working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguisher, egress windows in bedrooms)
• If you rent, written permission from your landlord to sublease as an STR
• HOA approval documentation if your property is in an HOA that restricts short-term rentals Denver's Excise and Licenses office reviews the application and, in some cases, may require an inspection or self-certified checklist confirming the unit meets safety standards. ^[1] Exact document requirements shift as the city updates its process, so pull the current checklist from the city's licensing portal before you start gathering paperwork instead of relying on last year's list. If you're juggling this alongside other city paperwork, a lot of landlords find it easier to build a folder of every required document in one pass rather than hunting piece by piece each time the city asks for something new. That's the exact gap our $79 Rental License & Inspection Prep Packet is built to close: a checklist and document organizer built around what cities actually ask for during STR and long-term rental licensing.

What happens if I operate a Denver short-term rental without a license?

Denver enforces its STR ordinance through Excise and Licenses, and the city has issued citations and fines to hosts operating unlicensed listings. Municipal code violations in Denver can carry fines, and unlicensed STR operation has historically drawn penalties in the range of several hundred to over a thousand dollars per violation, with repeat violations increasing the exposure. ^[1] The city has also worked directly with platforms like Airbnb to remove listings that lack a valid Denver license number, so an unlicensed listing risks getting pulled down entirely, more than fined. Denver requires the STR license number to be displayed on every listing. ^[1] If Excise and Licenses spots a listing without one, that's typically the first enforcement trigger, before any fine ever gets issued. Don't assume a low booking volume keeps you under the radar. Enforcement in Denver, like in most cities that regulate STRs, is largely complaint-driven from neighbors, but the city also periodically sweeps listing platforms for license numbers.

How is a short-term rental license different from a long-term rental license in Denver?

Denver separately requires a rental license for long-term residential rentals (leases 30 days or longer), a program that rolled out in phases starting in 2023 and expanded through 2024 to cover most rental units citywide. ^[2] That's a completely different license from the STR license, with different fees, different inspection requirements, and a different office workflow, though both run through Denver's Excise and Licenses. If you own a property and sometimes do short stays and sometimes do month-plus leases, you may need both licenses depending on how you're actually using the unit at a given time. This is a common point of confusion: switching a unit from STR to a 6-month lease doesn't automatically transfer or cancel anything, you have to manage both license types separately. For landlords juggling long-term units in Denver alongside a short-term listing, it's worth reading up on Denver's long-term rental licensing rules specifically, since the inspection standards and renewal cadence differ meaningfully from the STR track.

How do I become a landlord in the first place?

Becoming a landlord, whether you're doing short-term or long-term rentals, starts with a few concrete steps that have nothing to do with any single city's licensing office. First, you need to own or control the property (or have explicit sublease rights from your landlord if you're renting and want to sub-rent). Second, most states and cities require some form of registration or licensing before you can legally collect rent, Denver's STR and long-term rental licenses being examples of that. Beyond licensing, practical steps include getting landlord liability insurance (a standard homeowner's policy usually excludes rental activity), understanding your state's landlord-tenant law on security deposits and notice periods, and deciding how you'll screen tenants or guests. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development publishes fair housing guidance that applies regardless of whether you own one unit or a hundred, and it's worth reading before you ever list a property. ^[3] A lot of first-time landlords underestimate the paperwork side: lease agreements, move-in/move-out inspection documentation, and license renewal calendars. Missing a renewal date is one of the most common (and cheapest to avoid) mistakes new landlords make.

What is landlording and what does a landlord actually do?

"Landlording" is the ongoing work of owning and managing a rental property: setting rent, screening and selecting tenants, handling repairs, collecting payments, managing lease renewals, and staying compliant with local licensing and inspection rules. It's more than collecting a check. A landlord is legally the property owner (or their authorized agent) who has entered a rental agreement granting a tenant or guest the right to occupy a unit in exchange for payment. In a short-term rental context like Denver's STR license, the same core duties apply but compress into shorter cycles: turning over the unit between guests, handling last-minute cleaning or maintenance issues, and managing guest communication instead of a single tenant relationship. The licensing and safety obligations (smoke detectors, egress, liability insurance) don't disappear just because a stay is 3 nights instead of 12 months. Some landlords self-manage everything. Others hire a property manager, particularly for STRs where turnover work is constant. Either way, the license stays in the property owner's name in Denver's system, so hiring a manager doesn't transfer legal responsibility for compliance.

What rights do tenants have without a lease?

Tenants without a written lease still have real legal protections in almost every state, they're typically classified as month-to-month tenants under state landlord-tenant law, not as people with no rights at all. Colorado law treats a tenancy without a specified term as a tenancy at will or month-to-month arrangement, and either party generally must give notice before ending it, the length depending on how rent is paid (monthly, weekly). ^[4] Without a lease, tenants still have the right to a habitable unit (working plumbing, heat, and structural safety), protection from illegal lockouts or utility shutoffs, and in most states the right to proper notice before eviction. Landlords can't skip the legal eviction process just because there's no signed lease; verbal or implied leases still create a landlord-tenant relationship under state law. For a Denver STR host, this rarely comes up directly since guests are typically short-stay and covered by different consumer protection rules than tenancy law. But if a short-term guest overstays and starts paying rent informally, that situation can shift into an actual tenancy under Colorado law, which is a separate legal problem from STR licensing entirely.

Why do landlords require renters insurance?

Landlords require tenants to carry renters insurance mainly to cover the tenant's personal belongings and liability, protections that the landlord's own property insurance policy doesn't extend to. If a pipe bursts and ruins a tenant's furniture, the landlord's policy typically covers the building, not the tenant's stuff, unless the tenant has their own renters insurance. Renters insurance also usually includes liability coverage, which matters if a tenant's guest gets injured in the unit or the tenant accidentally causes damage (a kitchen fire, a bathtub overflow that floods the unit below). Without that coverage, the landlord's insurer or the injured party may come after the landlord directly, or the landlord ends up eating the cost of a lawsuit that should've been the tenant's responsibility. For STR hosts specifically, the insurance question runs the other way: Denver requires the host to carry adequate liability coverage (commonly $300,000 or more), since traditional homeowner's policies typically exclude commercial short-term rental activity. ^[1] Standard platforms like Airbnb offer host guarantee programs, but those aren't a substitute for a real liability policy, and Denver's application process generally asks for proof of your own coverage.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before entry or ending a tenancy?

Notice requirements vary by state and by the reason for entry, so there's no single national answer. In Colorado, for month-to-month tenancies, the standard notice to terminate is typically at least 21 days under state law for most residential month-to-month arrangements, though the exact period depends on the specifics of the tenancy and any local ordinance overlays. ^[4] For entry to a unit (not termination), Colorado doesn't set one single statewide numeric requirement the way some states do, so lease language and reasonable notice standards typically govern; many landlords use 24 to 48 hours as a practical norm. Other states differ meaningfully. California generally requires 24 hours' written notice for landlord entry under Civil Code Section 1954, except in emergencies. ^[5] If you own rentals in multiple states, don't assume the notice period from one state applies in another, always check that state's specific landlord-tenant statute. For STR hosts, entry notice rules mostly don't apply in the traditional sense since guests are short-term and typically checking in and out on a schedule you control, but courtesy and platform policies (Airbnb's house rules, for instance) still shape when and how you can enter during an active stay.

What can a landlord look at during a rental inspection?

A landlord (or a city inspector, for licensing purposes) can generally check items tied to habitability, safety, and code compliance: smoke and carbon monoxide detector function, working plumbing and hot water, electrical outlets and panel safety, heating system function, window and door locks, pest presence, and structural issues like water damage or mold. What a landlord or inspector generally cannot do is search personal belongings unrelated to the property's condition, or use an inspection as a pretext to harass a tenant. For city-run rental licensing inspections (like those tied to Denver's long-term rental license program or many STR self-certification checklists), the inspector is checking against a specific code-based checklist: egress window sizes in bedrooms, detector placement and battery status, fire extinguisher presence, and sometimes exterior conditions like railings and stairs. ^[2] These checklists are usually published by the city licensing office ahead of time, so landlords can self-check before an official visit. In California, rental inspections that occur under a city's rental inspection or proactive rental inspection program are generally conducted by the city's code enforcement or building department, not by the landlord personally, though the landlord is usually required to coordinate access and may attend. Responsibility for arranging and passing the inspection sits with the property owner, even when a municipal inspector actually performs the walk-through. ^[6]

What can a landlord not do in Ohio (or any state, really)?

Ohio's Landlord-Tenant Act (Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321) prohibits several specific landlord actions: a landlord cannot shut off utilities to force a tenant out, cannot change the locks without a court order, cannot seize a tenant's belongings without legal process, and cannot retaliate against a tenant for reporting code violations or exercising legal rights. ^[7] Ohio law also requires landlords to maintain the unit in a habitable condition, keeping common areas safe and structural components (roof, walls, plumbing) in good repair. These are broadly similar to what most states prohibit, since "self-help eviction" tactics (lockouts, utility shutoffs, property seizure without a court order) are illegal in nearly every U.S. state, more than Ohio. The correct legal path to remove a tenant is always the formal eviction process through the local court system, regardless of state. If you're licensing a Denver STR and a guest refuses to leave after their booking ends, this becomes a genuinely tricky legal gray area, since guest-to-tenant conversion rules vary and Colorado courts have looked at how long someone has stayed and how they're paying to determine if landlord-tenant law now applies. That's a situation worth getting real legal advice on, not something to guess your way through.

Where do Denver STR rules fit next to other cities requiring rental licenses?

Denver's owner-occupancy requirement for STRs is stricter than some peer cities and looser than others. Some cities cap the number of STR licenses per person or ban non-owner-occupied STRs entirely; others allow full investment-property STRs with no residency requirement at all, just a license and inspection. If you're comparing markets or thinking about where an STR investment actually makes financial sense given licensing restrictions, it's worth reading up on how other cities structure their tenant rights and renters rights frameworks alongside their STR rules, since cities that regulate STRs heavily often also have stronger long-term rental protections that affect landlords running standard leases in the same market. This is genuinely one of the more restrictive STR climates among major U.S. cities specifically because of the primary-residence rule, so if your business model depends on running multiple non-owner-occupied STRs, Denver likely isn't going to work for you no matter how well you fill out the paperwork.

Frequently asked questions

Does Denver require a short-term rental license for a spare bedroom?

Yes. Denver's STR licensing rules apply to any lodging offered for fewer than 30 days, including a single room in a home you live in, as long as it's your primary residence. There's no exemption for renting just one room instead of a whole unit.

Can I get a Denver STR license for a rental property I don't live in?

Generally no. Denver restricts STR licenses to primary residences, meaning you must live in the unit at least 9 months a year. A separate investment property you never occupy typically can't qualify under current rules, so confirm with Denver's Excise and Licenses office before assuming any exception applies to your situation.

How long does a Denver short-term rental license last before renewal?

Denver's STR license generally runs on a two-year term for the standard $150 fee.^[2] Mark your renewal date well ahead of expiration, since operating on an expired license is treated the same as operating with no license at all.

How to become a landlord if I've never rented out property before?

Start by confirming you legally own or control the property, get landlord liability insurance, and check your city and state's licensing requirements (many cities require rental registration or licensing before you collect any rent). Then set up a lease template, a tenant or guest screening process, and a system for tracking license renewals and inspection deadlines.

What is a landlord, legally speaking?

A landlord is the person or entity (owner or authorized agent) who grants another party the right to occupy real property in exchange for rent or payment, under a lease or rental agreement. The landlord holds legal responsibility for the property's habitability and compliance with local licensing and safety codes.

Who is responsible for a rental property walk-through inspection in California?

In California, the property owner or landlord is responsible for coordinating and passing any city-required rental inspection, though the actual walk-through is typically performed by a city code enforcement or building department inspector under that city's proactive rental inspection program.^[7] The landlord arranges tenant access and must fix flagged violations.

What can a landlord not do in Ohio?

Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321, a landlord cannot shut off utilities to force a tenant out, cannot change locks without a court order, cannot seize a tenant's property without legal process, and cannot retaliate against a tenant for reporting code violations.^[8] Eviction must go through the formal court process.

Why do landlords require renters insurance from tenants?

Renters insurance covers a tenant's personal belongings and personal liability, protections the landlord's own building insurance doesn't provide. It also protects the landlord from liability claims if a tenant's guest is injured or the tenant causes accidental damage that spreads beyond their unit.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before ending a month-to-month tenancy in Colorado?

Colorado generally requires at least 21 days' notice to terminate most month-to-month residential tenancies, though the exact period can depend on the tenancy's specifics and any local ordinance.^[5] Always confirm the current statute language, since notice periods have changed in Colorado in recent years.

What rights do tenants have if they never signed a lease?

Tenants without a written lease are typically treated as month-to-month tenants under state law, keeping rights to habitability, protection from illegal lockouts, and standard notice before eviction. A verbal or implied agreement to pay rent for occupancy still creates a legal landlord-tenant relationship in nearly every state.

What can a landlord check during a rental inspection?

Inspections generally cover safety and habitability items: smoke and CO detector function, plumbing and heating systems, electrical safety, window and door security, pest issues, and structural conditions like water damage. Inspectors typically can't search personal belongings unrelated to the property's physical condition.

Do I need a separate license if I switch my Denver rental from short-term to long-term?

Yes. Denver's short-term rental license and its long-term rental license program are separate systems with different applications, fees, and inspection standards.^[3] Switching how you rent a unit doesn't automatically transfer or cancel either license, you have to manage the change yourself.

What happens if my Airbnb listing doesn't show a Denver STR license number?

Denver requires STR license numbers to be posted on every listing.^[1] The city has worked with platforms to remove unlicensed listings, and Excise and Licenses can issue fines for unlicensed operation, so an unlisted license number is often the first thing that triggers enforcement action.

Sources

1. Denver Revised Municipal Code, Chapter 32, Article II, Short-Term Rentals (via Municode Library): Denver's STR license requirements, primary residence rule, and license number display requirement
2. Denver Revised Municipal Code, Chapter 27, Rental Licensing: Denver's separate long-term rental licensing program phased rollout and inspection checklist basis
3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Housing Act Overview: Federal fair housing guidance applies to landlords regardless of portfolio size
4. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 13-40-107, Notice to quit: Colorado notice period requirements for terminating month-to-month tenancies
5. California Civil Code Section 1954: California's 24-hour landlord entry notice requirement
6. Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 162.00, Systematic Code Enforcement Program: City code enforcement, not the landlord, performs the physical rental inspection walk-through under municipal proactive inspection programs
7. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5321, Landlords and Tenants: Ohio's prohibitions on landlord self-help eviction actions including utility shutoffs and lockouts