Colorado county rules
El Paso County, CO vacation rental rules and taxes
El Paso County is home to Colorado Springs, the Front Range’s second-biggest rental market, plus Manitou Springs and Green Mountain Falls, each with its own license. Outside city limits the county has no short-term rental license.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026What to do
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.
Towns
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs requires a $124.95 yearly permit for each short-term rental listing. Homes you don’t live in are barred from single-family zones and must be 500 feet from another rental elsewhere; homes with an ADU can’t get a new permit. Up to 15 guests, a contact who responds within an hour, and Airbnb collects the city sales tax.
Full guideGreen Mountain Falls
Green Mountain Falls requires a town business license ($75 a year) and a short-term rental license for each property (up to $500 the first year, $250 to renew). The town charges $4.50 per room per night in lodging tax, which Airbnb and Vrbo do not collect: you file it quarterly.
Full guideManitou Springs
Manitou Springs caps short-term rentals at 2% of the city’s homes, requires the owner to live on the property at least 185 days a year, and keeps rentals 500 feet apart. You must post an evacuation route, extinguisher and CO alarm locations, and house limits by the front door.
Full guideUnincorporated El Paso County
Unincorporated El Paso County has no short-term rental license or ordinance: you can rent your main house without a county permit. Renting an accessory building needs zoning approval, and advertising for weddings or retreats can break the county’s event-center rules.
Sources
- Colorado Airbnb market data (active listings) · AirROI
- Short-Term Rentals · El Paso County Planning and Community Development
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 Spot something out of date?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.