Garfield County, Colorado
Glenwood Springs, CO vacation rental requirements
Glenwood Springs caps short-term rentals at a share of homes (7% outside downtown, 18% downtown), spaces them 250 feet apart outside downtown, and inspects each rental for fire safety before every two-year permit. A responder must be within 30 minutes.
Checked against official sources November 8, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
Our source is a 2019 report on the ordinance; we couldn’t read the city’s current page. Confirm fees, caps, and tax rates with the city before you apply.
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.
Garfield 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.
City of Glenwood Springs
Check the cap and spacing
Outside the downtown improvement district, rentals are limited to 7% of free-market homes and must be 250 feet apart; downtown, 18%. Whole-home rentals mail notice to neighbors within 250 feet.Source
Pass the safety inspection
The city inspects smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, exits and egress, and handrails when you apply and at each renewal.Source
Taxes on each stay
Stays under 30 days owe 2.9% state sales tax plus Garfield County and City of Glenwood Springs 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. Glenwood Springs collects its own taxes; you must keep up with city lodging tax filings or lose the permit. Ask the city whether Airbnb collects them.Source
Fees
$500 the first time, $300 every two years (2019 rates)
| Short-term rental permit | $500, then $300 every two years |
|---|---|
| Accessory tourist rental permit | $300, then $150 every two years |
Inspection checklist
What the inspector looks for, from City of Glenwood Springs’s published checklist.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, extinguishers, egress, handrailsChecked at application and renewal.Source
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
- Glenwood City Council finally adopts new vacation rental rules (June 29, 2019) · Glenwood Springs Post Independent (via Aspen Times)
- 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.