Guides · Colorado STR Investing

Colorado Short-Term Rental Guides

Written from the buyer's side: what each town's code actually says, what it costs to operate there, and whether the license survives a sale. Every guide links to the official source and shows the month it was checked.

By Shalom Kaiser, licensed Colorado broker · Updated October 2026

Rules and licenses

Start with the rules. In most Colorado towns the license decides the deal before the numbers do.

Start hereColorado STR regulations by townCaps, zones and permits in the towns investors ask about most, with a link to each town's own rules. Updated Oct 2026Which mountain towns still issue new licensesWhere a buyer today can still get a license, where there is a waitlist or lottery, and where the door is shut. Town by townDoes the STR license come with the house?Almost never. What each town's code says happens to the license when a property sells. Summit CountyBreckenridge and Summit County licensesZones, caps and waitlists, and why the license can matter as much as the house. ComparisonFrisco vs BreckenridgeOne town-wide cap against a zone-by-zone system, and what each means for a buyer. DenverCan you Airbnb in Denver as an investor?Denver's primary residence rule, and where investors who want to be near the city look instead. Grand CountyGrand Lake and Granby rulesPermits, fees and parking in two Grand County towns that still license investors. Clear Creek CountyIdaho Springs and Clear Creek County rulesA closed city, a capped county, and a ward system in Georgetown. Chaffee CountySalida and Buena Vista rulesResidency rules, rewritten caps, and why neither license passes to a buyer.

Buying and markets

Where it still makes sense to buy, and what a property has to pass before an offer.

2026Best Colorado STR markets for investorsThe regions that still work for investors this year, and the tradeoffs between them. ChecklistBuying an STR in Colorado: the checklistThe checks every property has to pass before I'll let a client write an offer. Town pagesColorado markets and town pagesRules, sources and dated market numbers for each town, where I can source them.

Taxes

What guests pay, and what the owner can write off.

Lodging and sales taxColorado STR taxes by townWhat a guest pays in each town, and which share Airbnb and Vrbo collect for you. CalculatorThe STR tax loophole for W-2 earnersHow the average stay rule and material participation can let a rental loss offset a salary. CalculatorCost segregation for Colorado STRsWhat a study does on a short-term rental, with a calculator to estimate yours.

Have a specific address in mind? Ask Covest.

The guides cover the rules. Whether a particular property works is a different question, and that one's better answered on a call. Bring the address.

Talk to Shalom

Covest LLC is a licensed Colorado real estate brokerage. These guides are general information, not legal or tax advice, and rules change. Confirm current requirements with the town or county before you buy.