Colorado Front Range mountains near Colorado Springs
Colorado STR Markets · El Paso County

Colorado Springs STR Investing

Pikes Peak · Garden of the Gods · Old Colorado City · Downtown

Colorado Springs has no citywide cap and no waiting list. Instead it controls investor STRs through zoning and spacing, so whether a home qualifies comes down to its zone district and its neighbors.

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

See the Portfolio
Investor Permits
By Zone
Not in single-family zones
Spacing Rule
500 ft
Between non-owner-occupied units
Permit Fee
$124.95
Per listing, per year
Transfers on Sale
No
Permit issued to the owner

Permit figures: City of Colorado Springs STR page, checked October 2026. Nightly rate and occupancy figures for Colorado Springs are coming; I only publish market numbers I can source and date.

Key takeaways

  • Colorado Springs has no citywide cap and no waitlist. Zoning and spacing decide whether a home can get a non-owner-occupied investor permit.
  • Non-owner-occupied applications filed after December 26, 2019 aren't allowed in R-E, R-1 6, R-1 9 or single-family PDZ districts. Elsewhere, new ones must sit 500 feet from another STR.
  • Since June 30, 2025, a property with an ADU generally can't hold an STR permit. Permits cost $124.95 per listing per year and don't transfer to a buyer.
  • Demand comes from Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods tourism, the military installations and events. Covest checks the zone district, the 500-foot buffer, any ADU and HOA rules.
Is an Airbnb Legal in Colorado Springs?

Yes. Zoning Decides
Which Kind.

Colorado Springs issues two classes of STR permit. An owner-occupied permit needs the owner to live in the property at least 185 days a year and is the only class allowed in single-family zones. A non-owner-occupied permit has no residency requirement, but applications filed after December 26, 2019 aren't allowed in the R-E, R-1 6, R-1 9 or single-family PDZ districts.

Outside those zones, a new non-owner-occupied permit must sit at least 500 feet from another STR. There's no numeric cap and no waitlist, so the spacing rule does the capping. Ordinance 25-45 added another limit on June 30, 2025: a property with an accessory dwelling unit generally can't hold an STR permit at all, though combos permitted before that date can continue.

Each listing needs its own permit at $124.95 a year, plus $500,000 in liability coverage and any taxes owed to the city paid before the permit issues.

The Rulebook

Colorado Springs STR Rules,
Line by Line.

Two permit classes, one spacing rule and a few traps.

Owner-occupied permit
Owner lives in the property at least 185 days a year. The only class allowed in single-family zones.
Allowed
Non-owner-occupied permit
No residency requirement. Not available for new applications in R-E, R-1 6, R-1 9 or single-family PDZ districts.
By zone
500-foot buffer
New non-owner-occupied units must be 500 feet from another STR in all other zoning districts.
Spacing
ADU properties
Since Ordinance 25-45 (June 30, 2025), a property with an ADU generally can't be used as an STR. Pre-existing permitted combos continue until the permit ends.
Restricted
Occupancy
Two guests per bedroom plus two per unit, capped at 15.
Max 15
Fees, insurance, tax
$124.95 per listing per year. $500,000 liability insurance. Platforms collect city sales tax; direct bookings need your own sales tax license.
Standard
On a sale
The permit is issued to a specific owner, doesn't run with the property and can't be transferred (City Code 7.5.1702).
No transfer
Summarized from the City of Colorado Springs STR page and city code as quoted there, checked October 2026. Confirm zoning and buffer status with the city for any specific address.
Market Numbers

Colorado Springs Numbers
Are Coming.

I don't yet have a market data pull for Colorado Springs 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 I can say is how this market works. Demand comes from Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods tourism, the Air Force Academy, Fort Carson and the other military installations, and events, which spreads bookings across more of the year than a ski town.

If you're underwriting a property now, I'll run the comp set for that address directly.

Before Any Offer

What I Check in Colorado Springs

The zone and the neighbors decide more here than the house does.

  • The exact zone district, since a single-family zone rules out an investor permit.
  • Whether any existing STR sits within 500 feet.
  • Whether the property has an ADU, which now blocks a permit.
  • HOA restrictions, which are common in newer subdivisions.

Have a Colorado Springs address?

Send it over. I'll check the zone, the 500-foot buffer and the ADU rule, then tell you what it should earn.

Send Me an Address
Colorado Springs STR FAQ

Questions Investors Ask Us

Q.Can you run a non-owner-occupied Airbnb in Colorado Springs?
Yes, but not in single-family zones. Non-owner-occupied applications filed after December 26, 2019 aren't allowed in R-E, R-1 6, R-1 9 or single-family PDZ districts, and new ones must be 500 feet from another STR.
Q.How much is a Colorado Springs STR permit?
$124.95 per permit per year, and each listing needs its own permit. Sales tax license fees are separate.
Q.Can you Airbnb a house with an ADU in Colorado Springs?
Generally no. Ordinance 25-45, effective June 30, 2025, says a property with an ADU can't be used as a short-term rental. Properties that had both a permitted ADU and STR on or before that date can continue until the permit ends.
Q.Does a Colorado Springs STR permit transfer to a buyer?
No. Under City Code 7.5.1702 the permit is issued to a specific owner, doesn't run with the property and can't be transferred or assigned.

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 City of Colorado Springs before you buy.

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