Ski runs above Breckenridge in Summit County, Colorado
Colorado STR Markets · Summit County

Breckenridge STR Investing

Peak 7 · Peak 8 · Main Street · Warriors Mark · Wellington

Breckenridge is the most tightly managed STR market in Summit County. Licenses are capped by zone, waitlisted, and they don't come with the house when you buy it.

By , licensed Colorado broker (license IR.100066325) · Published · Updated

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License Caps
3 zones
Plus an uncapped resort zone
Transfers on Sale
No
Narrow family and entity exceptions
License Fee
$756
Per bedroom, per year
Occupancy Limit
2/BR + 4
Studios: 4 guests

Rules: Town of Breckenridge Accommodation Unit license page and Ordinance No. 28, Series 2022, checked October 2026. Nightly rate and occupancy figures for Breckenridge are coming; I only publish market numbers I can source and date.

Key takeaways

  • Every Breckenridge STR needs an Accommodation Unit license, with no primary-residence requirement. Since September 27, 2022, licenses have been capped zone by zone.
  • Zone 1 is capped at 1,680, Zone 2 at 130 and Zone 3 at 390, with no fixed cap in the Resort Properties Zone. Only current owners can join a waitlist.
  • Licenses don't transfer on a sale except in narrow cases like family gifts, the owner's trust or LLC, inheritance, divorce and bankruptcy. The fee is $756 per bedroom per year.
  • Covest checks the unit's zone, whether the seller's license can carry over, the waitlist and HOA rules. More in the Breckenridge and Summit County license guide.
Is an Airbnb Legal in Breckenridge?

Yes. If You Can
Get a License.

Every short-term rental in Breckenridge needs an Accommodation Unit license from the town's Finance department. There's no primary-residence requirement, so investors can hold one. The catch is supply. Since Ordinance No. 28, Series 2022 took effect on September 27, 2022, licenses have been capped zone by zone.

The caps are 1,680 in Zone 1, 130 in Zone 2 (the downtown core) and 390 in Zone 3. A Resort Properties Zone around the base areas has no fixed cap. The town has said Zones 2 and 3 were over their caps when the limits took effect, so those zones shrink as licenses lapse rather than open up.

When a capped zone is full, only current owners can join that zone's waitlist, and a sale voids the spot. For more on how Summit County towns compare, see the Breckenridge and Summit County license guide.

The Rulebook

Breckenridge STR Rules,
Line by Line.

The Town of Breckenridge rules, read for someone buying an STR.

Accommodation Unit license
Required for any rental under 30 days. Issued by Town Finance; applications through MuniRevs.
Required
Primary residence
Not required. A primary residence rented 21 days a year or less pays no annual fee.
Investor OK
Zone caps
Zone 1: 1,680. Zone 2: 130. Zone 3: 390. Resort Properties Zone: no fixed cap. Licenses issued before the caps are grandfathered (Sec. 4-6-5).
Capped
Waitlist
One per zone. Only current owners can join, a sale voids the spot, and the owner at the top has 14 business days to apply when a license opens (Sec. 4-6-7).
Waitlist
Fees
$756 per bedroom (or studio) per year, set in the annual budget, plus the business and occupational license tax.
$756/BR
Taxes
2.5% town sales tax plus a 3.4% accommodation tax, before state and county taxes.
Taxes
Occupancy and parking
Two guests per bedroom plus four; studios four. Guests park on site or in a designated town lot, never blocking the street.
Limits
On a sale
Not transferable (Sec. 4-6-8), except family gifts, the owner's trust or LLC, inheritance, divorce and bankruptcy. A buyer can get a temporary license for up to six months to honor existing bookings.
No transfer
Summarized from Town of Breckenridge license and tax pages and Ordinance No. 28, Series 2022, checked October 2026. The town's current license counts and waitlist lengths weren't available when I checked; confirm them with the town before you buy.
Market Numbers

Breckenridge Numbers
Are Coming.

I don't yet have a market data pull for Breckenridge that I can source and date, so I'm not going to post a guess. Sourced nightly rate and occupancy ranges will go here.

What matters more in Breckenridge is the license. A unit in a full zone earns nothing as a nightly rental, however good the comps look.

For a specific unit, I'll pull the comp set for that address directly.

Before Any Offer

What I Check in Breckenridge

In a capped town, the license comes before the floor plan.

  • Which zone the unit is in, and whether it falls in the Resort Properties Zone.
  • Whether the seller's license could legally carry over under one of the narrow exceptions.
  • Where that zone's cap and waitlist stand when you're ready to buy.
  • HOA and condo declarations, which can restrict rentals beyond the town's rules.
  • The per-bedroom fee and taxes against the bedroom count you're paying for.

Looking at a Breckenridge unit?

Send me the address. I'll confirm the zone and the license path, then tell you whether it can rent nightly at all.

Send Me an Address
Breckenridge STR FAQ

Questions Investors Ask Us

Q.Is there a cap on Airbnb licenses in Breckenridge?
Yes. Since September 27, 2022, Breckenridge caps Accommodation Unit licenses at 1,680 in Zone 1, 130 in Zone 2 and 390 in Zone 3. The Resort Properties Zone has no fixed cap. Licenses issued before the caps are grandfathered.
Q.Does a Breckenridge STR license transfer when you buy?
No. Under Section 4-6-8 the license doesn't transfer on a sale, except in narrow cases like family gifts, transfers to the owner's trust or LLC, inheritance, divorce and bankruptcy. A buyer can get a temporary license of up to six months to honor existing bookings.
Q.How does the Breckenridge STR waitlist work?
Each capped zone has its own waitlist. Only current property owners can join, a sale voids the spot, and when a license opens the owner at the top has 14 business days to apply.
Q.How much is a Breckenridge STR license?
$756 per bedroom (or studio) per year as of October 2026, set annually in the town budget, plus the business and occupational license tax.

Sources

Covest LLC is a licensed Colorado real estate brokerage. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice, and rules change. Confirm current requirements with the Town of Breckenridge before you buy.

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Ready When You Are

Let's Find Your Breckenridge STR With Covest.

Zone, license path, HOA, then numbers. One call and we'll know if a unit can rent.

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