Chaffee County, Colorado
Buena Vista, CO vacation rental requirements
Buena Vista caps short-term rental licenses by zone, and nearly every residential zone is full, so most new applicants go on a waitlist. You can hold only one license (two per parcel at most), and the application needs a site plan and a floor plan. Licenses cost $250 new and $150 to renew, every October.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
The town adopted Ordinance 16 on September 22, 2026; it takes effect 30 days after publication. Existing licenses in good standing continue but lose their status if they lapse or the home sells.
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.
Chaffee County, Colorado
Get a state sales tax license
Needed for any rental unless a platform covers all your taxes.Source
Then your town or area
Towns set their own rental licenses and collect their own taxes, and the county’s rules cover only areas outside town limits. Pick your area.
Town of Buena Vista
Check your zone and the cap
Look up your zoning on the town map, then ask the Town Clerk what’s open: caps run 1% to 11% of homes by zone, and most residential zones had no openings in late 2026. Homes with a qualifying live-in onsite representative, and properties in the MU-MS zone or the South Main PUD, don’t count against the cap. Deed-restricted homes can’t be licensed.Source
Draw the site plan and floor plan
Submit a legible site plan and floor plan with the application; digital or hand-drawn both work, and the town posts examples.Source
Apply by mail or in person
New applications open November 16, 2026 at 8 a.m.; mailed applications received by then are opened in random order that afternoon. Include proof of a certificate of occupancy and at least $1,000,000 of insurance that covers rental use. Licenses end when the home sells.Source
Renew every October
Renewals ($150) are taken October 1-30 and aren’t automatic. More than one sustained enforcement action in a year can block renewal.Source
Taxes on each stay
Stays under 30 days owe 2.9% state and 2.75% Chaffee County sales tax plus Buena Vista’s town sales tax. Airbnb and other platforms collect the state and state-administered taxes on their bookings; for direct bookings, file with the Colorado Department of Revenue. The town says homes listed only on Airbnb, VRBO, or Evolve don’t need their own state sales tax license; if you book anywhere else, get one. Ask the town about any town lodging tax.Source
Fees
$250 the first year, $150 a year after
| New license | $250 |
|---|---|
| Renewal (yearly) | $150 |
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 Rental · Town of Buena Vista
- 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.