Year-round, Estes Park and Larimer County, Colorado see droves of travelers heading this way to enjoy adventures in the mountains, amazing views, and opportunities to spend quality time with family and friends. This steady stream of visitors makes these destinations equally appealing to those who are looking to get into the short-term rental business.
If you’re excited to realize the full potential of your rental property in either of these areas, it’s important to know how to go about getting a Larimer County and Estes Park vacation rental license ahead of time. Here, we’ll break down the steps to applying through the correct local government agencies and making sure that you’re compliant with all the area regulations before you get your business underway.
Rules Around Obtaining Your Estes Park Vacation Rental License
Both the Estes Park municipal code and the local development code govern the process for applying for a vacation home license in Estes Park. As the popularity of this industry rises in the area, the rules around owning and operating a rental property have understandably become stricter. If you have plans to rent your Estes Park home out to guests for less than 30 consecutive days at a time, you’re required to have a vacation home license in place. This rule applies to multi-family dwellings and single-family homes alike that sit within town limits.
Regulations to Consider Ahead of Time
Before you begin the process of applying for a vacation rental license in Estes Park, you’ll want to consider some of the key requirements that have been put in place in this area. Above all, it’s important to verify that your property is located in a zone established by the Estes Park Development Code that allows for vacation rentals to operate in Estes Park.
Once this is confirmed, you’ll want to make note that your vacation rental in Estes Park will be set to strict occupancy limits. Here, vacation homes are allowed to accommodate two guests per bathroom with an allowance for two additional guests per stay. In total, you are allowed eight occupants per rental maximum. If you can get on board with this, you’ll need to have a life-safety inspection done on your home, which verifies the property is set up with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as well as the proper egress routes and fire extinguishers, too.
Application Process Steps
When you’re ready to take the step to begin officially applying for your Estes Park vacation rental license, you can do so online through the Town of Estes Park website. Once the application is signed by both you and the property manager, you’ll be required to pay the appropriate licensing fees. Currently, this is set at a $200 base fee with an additional $50 required per bedroom.
Once fees have been processed, you can expect a Code Enforcement Officer to perform a full inspection of your home, and upon completing this step, you’ll receive your license. It’s important to keep in mind that your license will need to be renewed annually, and fees are always due by January 31.
Acquiring Your Vacation Rental License in Larimer County
If you own a vacation rental just outside of town limits, in an unincorporated area, or in Estes Valley, you’ll need to follow the guidelines set up by Larimer County for obtaining your vacation rental license. Here, a short-term rental property is also defined as a principal dwelling that’s rented out to guests for 30 days or less, but occupancy limits are set at 10 guests or fewer per stay.
Property owners can verify if their home sits in an appropriate vacation rental zone by checking the Larimer County Land Use Code before submitting a license application. Similar to vacation rental properties in Estes Park, Larimer County rentals will need to undergo a safety inspection ahead of time. In Larimer County, a pre-application meeting with a city official is also required.
Apply with Confidence
Applying for your vacation rental license in Larimer County can be done online and will require you to provide proof of ownership, floor plans, and specific property details. Once the application is signed and completed, you’ll be asked to pay development review fees, a transportation capital expansion fee, an inspection fee, and any building permit fees that are applicable if you’re making structural changes to meet safety codes. Once a county inspector has evaluated and approved your property, you’ll receive your vacation rental license, which must be renewed annually.
Plan Your Estes Park Getaway Today
When you’re heading to Estes Park in the name of a well-deserved break, booking your stay through Mountain Village at Lake Estes is a sure way to infuse comfort, luxury, and style into your stay. Reach out today to learn more about our inviting area property options and how we can help you create a trip you won’t soon forget. We look forward to seeing you in Colorado soon!
