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HomeShort-Term Rental LawsColoradoDenverShort-Term Rental License

Before you list

Denver Short-Term Rental License: Step-by-Step

Prepare the Denver Short-Term Rental License: prerequisites, documents, fees, application steps, verification, and post-approval work.

  • Property eligibility
  • Official sources
  • You control every submission

Approval path

One Property, One Ordered Path from Requirements to Renewal.

Confirm the Property

Verify the address, jurisdiction, property type, eligibility rules, and private restrictions.

Prepare 6 Readiness Checks

Bring the host, ownership, residence, tax, insurance, and supporting records into one file.

Follow 4 Ordered Stages

Work through the government sequence, then retain the submitted record and confirmation.

Verify and Maintain

Confirm the issued approval, publish required details, and track taxes, changes, and renewal.

What You Will Complete

Obtain an active Denver STR license for the applicant’s one primary residence and verify the number on every listing. Stop if the dwelling is not the applicant’s fixed habitation and usual place of return.

Treat primary-residence proof as the core Denver application, with possession, tax, portal and listing records attached to it.

Before You Apply

  • Confirm jurisdiction and eligibility

    Confirm the address is governed by the City and County of Denver and the applicant can support this dwelling as the one primary residence.

    Required

  • Resolve the residency rule

    Confirm the dwelling is the applicant’s fixed habitation and usual place of return, supported by consistent records.

    Required

  • Government identification and primary-residence evidence

    Choose current records that collectively show the applicant’s identity and that the Denver dwelling is the fixed habitation and usual place of return.

    Required

  • Possession or owner permission records when the applicant does not own the unit

    A tenant or other non-owner applicant should retain the lease and the owner permission requested by Denver for lawful possession and hosting.

    Required

  • Denver tax-license information

    Use the Denver tax account associated with the same applicant and STR address; resolve mismatched legal names before filing.

    Required

  • Property, local-contact, and listing disclosures required in the portal

    Prepare the exact dwelling, contact, platform and listing facts requested in the current online application so each record can be reconciled.

    Required

Application Steps

Complete the process through the official Denver Permitting and Licensing Center.

  1. Step 1: Test the primary-residence facts

    Review where the applicant usually returns, legal records, work, vehicles, taxes, and rental frequency. Success means the applicant can support one Denver primary residence with consistent government, tax, vehicle, work and occupancy facts. Resolve conflicting residence indicators first.

    Confirm the home meets Denver's primary-residence standard before applying.

  2. Step 2: Prepare possession and tax records

    Gather ownership or permission evidence and the Denver tax credentials. Success means possession or owner permission and Denver tax credentials identify the same applicant and dwelling. Correct a legal-name or address mismatch before portal entry.

  3. Step 3: Submit the online license

    Complete the Denver portal application and answer all primary-residence questions accurately. Success means Denver accepts a complete application and provides a trackable record. If specialist review requests more residence evidence, answer that request instead of starting another application.

    Submit the online application, pay the current portal fee, and monitor the review.

  4. Step 4: Publish, operate, and renew

    Add the license number to listings and submit renewal before expiration. Success means the active license number is displayed and a complete renewal is filed before expiration. Retain the timely renewal receipt while review is pending.

    After approval, publish the license number and keep the license and tax accounts current.

Verify the Result

  • Confirm the government status is active

    Confirm active status for the correct person and dwelling in the Denver record; payment alone does not establish a license.

    Required

  • Check the listing number

    Compare the issued Denver number and address with each listing and correct any platform that still shows an old or different license.

    Required

  • Calendar tax and renewal work

    Calendar Denver and Colorado tax filings plus license renewal; retain proof of a timely complete renewal if the City review continues past expiration.

    Required

Common Causes of Delay or Denial

  • Wrong jurisdiction or property type

    The application cannot proceed for an investment property or second home that is not the applicant’s one primary residence.

  • Applicant and property records do not match

    Conflicting identity, possession, primary-residence, tax or listing records can trigger specialist review; reconcile the underlying record rather than changing only the portal entry.

  • Missing operating prerequisites

    Missing owner permission for a non-owner applicant or incomplete Denver tax credentials can hold the license even when the dwelling is otherwise eligible.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

A license is required for rentals of fewer than 29 nights; submit renewal before expiration.

Pay the application and license fees shown in the current Denver online application.

Renew on the expiration schedule assigned to the Denver business license. Submit a complete renewal before expiration; a timely pending renewal can continue operating during review.