Adams County, Colorado
Westminster, CO vacation rental requirements
Westminster licenses short-term rentals with no fee for the first two-year license and $200 to renew, one rental per person. You sign a safety affidavit for smoke and CO detectors and extinguishers, and pay the city’s accommodations tax.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
Westminster spans Adams and Jefferson counties; the city rules are the same in both.
Your licensing checklist
In order: the state, the county, then the town.
State of Colorado
Get a state sales tax license
If you rent rooms or a home for stays under 30 days, Colorado requires a sales tax license from the Department of Revenue. Platforms like Airbnb collect the state and state-administered taxes on their bookings; you file for anything booked directly.Source
Check for home-rule city taxes
Many cities and mountain towns collect their own sales and lodging taxes. Platforms aren’t required by the state to collect these, so you may need a separate city tax license and returns.Source
Get your county or city rental license
Most Colorado mountain counties and towns, and Denver, require a short-term rental license or permit, often with an inspection, an occupancy limit, posted information, and a local responder. Pick your area for the rules.
Adams County, Colorado
Then your town or area
Cities and towns make their own rental rules inside their limits; the county’s rules apply only outside them. Pick your area.
City of Westminster
Apply in the licensing portal
Submit a narrative or photos showing which parts of the home are rented, the recorded deed of trust, and a signed affidavit that the smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguishers, and other required safety equipment work.Source
Renew every two years
The first license runs two years with no fee; renewal costs $200 plus a processing fee.Source
Taxes on each stay
Stays under 30 days owe 2.9% state, Adams or Jefferson County and RTD taxes, and Westminster city sales and accommodations taxes. Airbnb and other platforms collect the state and state-administered taxes on their bookings; for direct bookings, file with the Colorado Department of Revenue. Westminster is home-rule and requires you to remit its accommodations tax; ask the city whether your platform collects it.Source
Fees
Free for the first two years, then $200
| Initial license (two years) | $0 |
|---|---|
| Renewal | $200 plus processing fee |
Sources
- Sales & Use Tax Topics: Rooms & Accommodations · Colorado Department of Revenue
- Sales Tax Guide and Colorado Sales/Use Tax Rates (DR 1002) · Colorado Department of Revenue
- Short-Term Rentals · City of Westminster
- Colorado Airbnb market data (active listings) · AirROI
A plain-language summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the office before you apply. Spot something out of date? Email hello@licensedrental.com.