Key takeaways
- As of October 2026, Winter Park, Fraser, Granby and Grand Lake still license investor short-term rentals with no cap, and Mt. Crested Butte says there's currently no limit.
- Lake County and unincorporated Clear Creek County are capped but still issuing. Frisco, Breckenridge and Steamboat run waitlists or lotteries for new owners.
- Licenses end on a sale almost everywhere, so a cap matters to every buyer, not just new applicants.
- "No cap" doesn't mean easy. Parking, septic, fire inspections and HOA rules knock out plenty of houses in towns with no cap at all.
This is where each town stands on one question: can someone who buys a house today get a license to rent it short term? It's about the license only, not whether the numbers work. Licenses end on a sale almost everywhere (see does the license transfer?), so a cap matters to every buyer, not just new applicants.
Open
| Town or county | Where it stands |
|---|---|
| Winter Park and Fraser | No cap in either town. Register in your own name. |
| Granby and Grand Lake | No cap on either town's pages and no primary-residence rule. Grand Lake's parking rules are strict. |
| Mt. Crested Butte | The town's FAQ says there's currently no limit on licenses and no zoning restrictions. |
| Park County (Bailey) | The 2026 ordinance lets the county set limits by resolution, but none were adopted as of October 2026. |
| Unincorporated Jefferson County (Evergreen, Conifer) | Open, but capped at 1% of homes per fire district with 750 foot spacing. Address by address. |
Capped, still issuing
| Town or county | Where it stands |
|---|---|
| Lake County (Twin Lakes) | 135 investor licenses countywide; 9 left as of September 24, 2026, none in the housing overlay. |
| Unincorporated Clear Creek County | 163 investor permits for 2026 (4.5% of homes), then a waitlist. No live count published. |
| Georgetown | Ward caps, 31 of 47 in use in the May 2026 count. A July 2026 ordinance may change the limits. |
| Estes Park | 322 in residential zones, commercial uncapped. Waitlist refilled by a February lottery. |
| Crested Butte | Unlimited-night licenses capped at 199 and two per block face. Owner-occupied licenses are uncapped but limited to 90 nights. |
Waitlist or closed to investors
| Town or county | Where it stands |
|---|---|
| Frisco | 900 cap reached February 2023. Waitlist, with recent waits of 12 to 14 months. |
| Breckenridge | Capped by zone with a waitlist per zone. Only current owners can join. |
| Steamboat Springs | Zone B licenses capped by subzone and awarded by lottery. |
| Salida | Chaffee County residency required outside the downtown zones. |
| Buena Vista | One opening across all capped zones in the town's October 2026 table. Applications from November 16, 2026. |
| Idaho Springs | Primary residence only, 15 total. |
Reading the list
"No cap" doesn't mean easy. Parking, septic, fire inspections and HOA rules knock out plenty of houses in towns with no cap at all. And capped towns move: counts change every month, and towns rewrite their rules often. Buena Vista replaced its caps in August 2026; Clear Creek County has a new ordinance in draft.
How I use this: it's the first filter, not the answer. The towns where licensing is open aren't automatically the best investments, and some capped towns still have specific buildings or zones where a new owner can get in. That's the part I work through with clients one address at a time.
Questions investors ask
Which Colorado mountain towns have no cap on short-term rental licenses?
As of October 2026, Winter Park, Fraser, Granby and Grand Lake show no cap on their official pages, and Mt. Crested Butte says there's currently no limit. Park County (Bailey) can set limits by resolution but hadn't adopted any.
Can I get a new STR license in Frisco or Breckenridge?
Not directly. Frisco hit its 900-license cap in February 2023 and runs a waitlist. Breckenridge caps licenses by zone with a waitlist in each, and licenses in both towns end when a house sells.
Is Summit County closed to new short-term rentals?
Mostly, for new owners. Frisco is at its cap and Breckenridge's zones run waitlists. Check each town and, for unincorporated areas, the county's own rules before you buy.
Where near Denver can an investor still get an STR license?
Arvada and Westminster license non-owner-occupied rentals, and unincorporated Jefferson County (Evergreen, Conifer) licenses them under a 1% per fire district cap. In the mountains, Grand County towns like Winter Park, Fraser and Granby are the closest with no cap.
Sources
- Town of Winter Park, Good Neighbor / Short-Term Rentals
- Town of Fraser, Short-Term Rental
- Town of Granby, Short-Term Rentals
- Town of Grand Lake, Nightly Rental Licenses
- Town of Mt. Crested Butte, Short-Term Rental FAQs
- Town of Crested Butte, Licensing and permitting
- Park County, Short-Term Rental
- Jefferson County, Short-Term Rentals
- Lake County, Short-Term Rentals (availability updated Sept 24, 2026)
- Clear Creek County, Short-Term Rentals
- Town of Georgetown, Short-Term Rentals
- Town of Estes Park, Vacation Home Licensing
- Town of Frisco, How to apply for a short-term rental license
- Town of Breckenridge, Accommodation Unit (Short-Term Rental) Licenses
- City of Steamboat Springs, STR Lottery
- City of Salida, Short-Term Rentals
- Town of Buena Vista, Short-Term Rental
- City of Idaho Springs, Short-Term Rentals
Want the Covest shortlist for your budget?
Tell me what you're looking to spend and how far you'll drive. I'll tell you which of these are worth a look and why.
Talk to ShalomCovest LLC is a licensed Colorado real estate brokerage. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and rules change. Confirm current requirements with the town or county before you buy.