Short-term rentals in Clear Creek County, explained properly.

Accessory dwelling units are not eligible for the Seasonal license, and monitoring software may be used to verify compliance. The County's Short Term Rentals page still describes a 120-day limit in a one-year license period; the Ordinance text sets 90 days after 2025, and this page follows the Ordinance.

The Ordinance lets a license holder live on a property with a permitted ADU and obtain a Primary Residence STR License for the ADU, or the reverse. The County's page says accessory dwelling units cannot be rented per Guideline 2016-1, which reads differently from the Ordinance, so we are treating this rule as unsettled until the County clarifies.

Guests also may not stay overnight in motor vehicles, recreational vehicles or camping vehicles parked at an STR.

Other exceptions cover joint-tenancy changes between the same parties, transfers by death, corrective or boundary-adjustment transfers, and court-ordered or separation-related transfers. If the majority interest is no longer held by the party who obtained the license, a new license is needed. Either before or within 30 days after a transfer, the new owners must contact the Review Authority with the materials needed to decide whether the transfer is exempt.

A renewal not submitted at least 30 days ahead is treated as expired one year from the initial issue date. If there is an open building or OWTS permit for an upgrade, remodel or demolition, the license stays in effect subject to renewal but no rentals may occur until the permit has all final approvals. Non-compliance, or multiple credible or validated complaints in the most recent calendar year, are grounds for non-renewal or revocation.

The County's page says the coverage is usually a short-term rental specific policy or a commercial policy, may not be available on a standard homeowner's policy, and that AirCover is not acceptable. The owner must keep the insurance in place for the STR.

The County's page says the application requires certifying that certain Building Safety elements are in place and that the Chief Building Official will require an inspection to verify them. The Ordinance also requires a fire extinguisher, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. The fee schedule lists a $150 safety inspection fee.

For a well or septic system, evidence can be the current well permit and onsite wastewater treatment system (OWTS) permit. The County says an unsuitable or undocumented system may need upgrading or replacement.

The agent must have access and authority to manage the unit, must be registered with the Clear Creek County alert system, and must tell renters about current fire restrictions. Adjacent property owners within 300 feet of the parcel must be given written notice of the 24-hour contact person. The agent's contact information may be made available to the public.

Occupant load at any time may not exceed one person per 200 square feet of conditioned home area or the calculated guest load, whichever is greater. The maximum number of overnight guests must be communicated to guests. The fee schedule lists a $200 per-occupant fee for STRs over four occupants.

A shared driveway requires written permission from each shared-driveway owner, and parking on neighboring properties needs written owner permission. The owner must also provide snow storage and a snow removal plan for continuous access.

Existing outdoor fire or cooking facilities must be removed or, if permanent, blocked off so they cannot be used. Defensible space is required for all STR properties, to the standard for new construction under the building code, before a license is issued.

Covenants are privately enforced according to their terms.

This follows C.R.S. 30-15-401(1)(s)(III). The County's notice to the platform includes the listing URL and the reason for removal.

An STR operating without a license may be issued a Notice of Violation and must stop operating and advertising immediately, and the later application fee is two times the adopted licensing fee. Unresolved non-compliance or multiple credible or validated complaints can lead to suspension or revocation, which can be appealed to the County Manager within 10 days of notice, then to the Board of County Commissioners. A single egregiously harmful violation can support immediate revocation.

Colorado charges its 2.9% state sales tax on the entire amount charged for rooms and accommodations. A stay may also owe local sales taxes that the Colorado Department of Revenue collects for counties and special districts, and any sales tax of a home-rule city that collects its own tax (see below).

State sales tax does not apply to a room or accommodations rented to a person who is a permanent resident of it and has a written agreement to occupy it for at least 30 consecutive days. Shorter stays are taxed.

The Colorado Department of Revenue says anyone who offers rooms or accommodations for rent must get a Colorado sales tax license and collect sales tax on taxable rentals. A seller who makes sales only through a marketplace may be exempt from licensing, collection and filing if the marketplace collects all state and state-administered local sales taxes for them. The license costs $16 (prorated) plus a $50 deposit, a separate license is needed for each business location, and licenses expire on December 31 of odd-numbered years.

For rooms rented through a marketplace (including online platforms), the marketplace facilitator must collect and remit the state sales tax and the local sales taxes the state collects, plus any county lodging tax and local marketing district tax. City taxes in home-rule cities are separate (see below).

The Colorado Department of Revenue does not administer any lodging tax imposed by a city or town, and it does not collect sales tax for home-rule cities that collect their own. Those taxes are licensed, filed and paid with the city.

Colorado counties may add a county lodging tax, regional transportation authorities a visitor benefit tax, and local marketing districts a marketing tax on rooms subject to state sales tax. County lodging and visitor benefit taxes are filed quarterly with the Department of Revenue on form DR 1485; the Department's DR 1003 publication lists the rates.