Clear Creek County, Colorado
Idaho Springs, CO vacation rental requirements
Idaho Springs allows only 15 licensed short-term rentals at a time, all in the operator’s primary residence; openings go by lottery. You need a delineated off-street parking plan, $1 million in insurance, an inspection every three years, posted evacuation directions, and a contact who responds within an hour.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
These rules come from a third-party copy of the city code, which doesn’t give the fees. Confirm the fee and the cap with the City Clerk.
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.
Clear Creek 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 Idaho Springs
Check for an opening
Only 15 licenses exist, and only for the operator’s primary residence. When one opens, the city takes letters of intent and holds a lottery if more than one person applies. Ask the City Clerk where the list stands.Source
Prepare the parking plan
Draw a plan marking the off-street guest parking, on your lot or on a nearby lot under a signed agreement, and include an illustration or photos of the rooms you’ll rent.Source
Apply and pass the inspection
Apply with proof of residence, $1 million in liability insurance, and the fee. Have a smoke detector, CO detector, and fire extinguisher in place; the city inspects before the first license and every three years after.Source
Post the rules and renew each year
Post parking rules and evacuation directions inside. Licenses run January to December; each year file a notarized affidavit of the nights rented and the sales and lodging taxes paid.Source
Taxes on each stay
Stays under 30 days owe 2.9% state plus Clear Creek County and Idaho Springs city 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. Idaho Springs requires you to collect and remit city sales and lodging taxes; ask the city whether your platform collects them.Source
Inspection checklist
What the inspector looks for, from City of Idaho Springs’s published checklist.
- Smoke detector, CO detector, fire extinguisher
- City inspectionBefore the first license and every three years.Source
- Posted evacuation directions and parking rules
- No fire pits or open burning
House rules for guests
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
- Idaho Springs Municipal Code Sec. 21-33, Short-Term Rentals (copy) · Zoneomics (copy of the Idaho Springs code)
- 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.