Summary
The Town of Breckenridge and the mountain towns of Summit County, Colorado have different rules, regulations and restrictions when it comes to Short Term Rental License applications and enforcement policies vary by municipality. Find short term rental license information for Breckenridge and Summit County Colorado.
How to Buy an Investment Property near Breckenridge
Thanks for reading this Blog about buying a home near the Breckenridge Ski Resort, one of top vacation destinations for families and outdoor enthusiasts. Summit County has become a world famous location for its array of resorts, amenities and outdoor adventure opportunities.
We’ve covered this the past few years, and here are a summary of those posts. However, most everything you’ll need is right here on this blog.
- Breckenridge Real Estate Blog – Market Opinion Winter 2023
- Will the Breckenridge Real Estate Market Crash?
- How to Search for a Breckenridge Short Term Rental Investment Property
- 7 Reasons Why Now is the The Time To Buy
- Short Term Rentals in Breckenridge
- How to Buy a Property in Breckenridge, Colorado
- Short Term Rental Property Management in Breckenridge
- Breckenridge, Colorado Real Estate Market Opinion – Winter 2021
- Breckenridge Real Estate Investment Analysis for 2020
This blog post is to summarize the current information needed to navigate the various rules and regulations that exist for owners that would like to rent their home. The short list of what’s needed to get an STR (Short Term Rental) license is the following:
1 – Determine your property’s jurisdiction
This means that each property will have to adhere and follow the rules that apply to the jurisdiction that governs the property. For example, we are working with a client and their property falls outside of the town limits, and is therefore subject to the rules of Summit County (unincorporated) and not the town that it may be closest to. There are online tools that will help you determine this.
2 – Analyze your renting options
While it’s important for some to be able to come and go as their schedule allows, for others, that may not be as important. What I mean is that some owners will choose a Long Term Rental (LTR) as an option for revenue. These owners should have longer absences between visits, which will allow for proper planning for LTRs that are 30 days or longer. Anything less than 30 is considered an STR.
3 – Apply for a license
Ok, so after you’ve determined your location and know where you need to apply, then you’ll be ready to apply for the STR license, but ONLY AFTER you have closed on the property. Certain zones will have waitlists and you need to be sure that you’re ok with the area and the situation that is inherited with the purchase of the property.
Researching the Different Regulations throughout Summit County
The purpose of this post is help provide a comprehensive resource for those looking for a one stop shop for all the various municipalities and communities that affect your ability to obtain an STR license. Please take a look around on this page and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, then please contact us to learn how we can help explain or find an answer for you. We are here to help, as this information isn’t easily found and understood. That’s why I wrote this blog. The official STR page for the Summit County government is here: https://www.summitcountyco.gov/1221/Short-Term-Rentals
Short Term Rental Business Planning
If you’ve never owned and operated an STR as a business venture, then we have another resource in the works for you. We are putting together an STR Guide that will help owners navigate the various steps to becoming a successful business owner operator. We have run a retail business in town, and know some aspects of business that others might not have. We understand that not everyone is a business person, and we can help provide suggestions and solutions for that lack of experience. With the STR busijess, you’ll need to have a plan for a responsible agent, how to communicate and effectively manage guests needs and occupancy limits, licensing and sales tax reporting. Contact us for your free STR guide.
Breckenridge STR License Availability, Current Lists and Waitlists
Understanding the nuances of the town maps and how they zig zag around the mountains isn’t easy. We are here to help you if you need it. Most that are tech friendly can click around and find what they’re looking for. But, with properties, you may be looking at GIS and parcel maps that have different layers and can be confusing. Regardless, we will talk you through everything and will doublecheck listing status, STR revenue history and / or projections and can help determine which zone and if there’s a waitlist for the area that is being considered.
Summit County Short Term Rental Information
The following information is taken directly from the website of the Summit Realtors. It’s a good start, but some of the information will need to be double checked that it is current and up to date.
Source: Summit Realtors
We Have Updated STR Information! Read below for Short-term Rental Information for Summit, Park, and Lake Counties as of April 10, 2023.
*Clients are encouraged to do their own due diligence and contact the appropriate Town directly for information on a specific property.
Blue River: Short-Term Rentals Allowed
Information and Applications: Click Here.
Contact: Michelle Eddy, Town Administrator
970-547-0545
michelle@townofblueriver.org
Breckenridge – STR’s are Restricted
General Policy:
Breckenridge limits STR’s By Zones 1, 2, 3 & Resort. Availability of permits is linked to the right.
- General Info on STR policies, Licensing and Taxes/Fees: Click Here.
- STR Ordinances: Click Here.
- Additional STR Ordinances: Click Here.
- MAP of STR Areas: Click Here.
- Searchable GIS Map of Zones: Click Here.
- License Availability, Current Lists and Waitlists: Click Here.
Contact: Bela Del Valle, Short-term Rental Code Enforcement
970-547-3106
Belad@townofbreckenridge.com
Dillon- Short-Term Rentals Allowed
- General information & Licensing: Click Here.
- Lodging Tax Information: Click Here.
Contact: str@townofdillon.com
Frisco – Short-Term Rentals Restricted
General Policy: Frisco has a maximum of 900 STR licenses. There is currently a waitlist.
- License Application & waitlist registration: Click Here.
- STR Guide & FAQ’s: Click Here.
- STR Ordinance: Click Here.
- Town Map: Click Here.
Contact: Sarah Schwartz, Short-term Rental/Housing Specialist
Sarahs@townoffrisco.gov
970-668-2571
Keystone
Keystone is currently transitioning from Unincorporated Summit County to its own Town. Currently licenses are unlimited. It is unknown what Keystone as a Town will implement for STR’s.
Contact: N/A
Montezuma – Rentals Not Allowed Under 180 Days
- STR ordinance: Click Here.
- Town Map: Click Here.
Contact: Sandra Lerner, Town Clerk
townclerkmontezuma@gmail.com
Summit County (Unincorporated) – Short-Term Rentals Restricted
General Policy: Unlimited STR Licenses in Copper Mountain, Keystone *, Tiger Run, and 4 O’Clock and Sawmill Subs in Breckenridge in the Resort Overlay Zone (ROZ). There is a cap on STR’s in all other Neighborhood residential Overlay Zones (NOZ) by Basin in the County. There are two types of Permits: Type I for locals and Type II for STR’s. Type I licenses are available. No new Type II Licenses are available in residential areas of unincorporated Summit County at this time and there is not a waitlist available.
- General Information & Links: Click Here.
- Current Caps & Available Permits: Click Here.
- Basin Locator: Click Here.
- Ordinance: Click Here.
- Accessory Apartment/ADU Regulations (At the bottom of the Page): Click Here.
Contact: str@summitcountyco.gov
970-668-4186
Silverthorne – Restricted with licenses available
General Policy: Town of Silverthorne short-term rentals are capped at 10% of the number of units in the majority of Town neighborhoods, Area 1, and 50% of the number of units within the Town Core and Riverfront areas, Area 2. Short-term rentals are not allowed within deed restricted neighborhoods, Area 3. Permits are currently available in Areas 1 & 2.
- General Information: Click Here.
- Map of Zones: Click Here.
- List of Subdivisions by STR area: Click Here.
- STR Ordinance: Click Here.
Contact: Mark Leidel, Community Development Manager
str@silverthorne.org
*Unsure of what jurisdiction the property is in? To Find a Properties Town of Jurisdiction, search the County Property Data Search and enter the address: http://gis.summitcountyco.gov/map/
Park County (Unincorporated)
- General Policy: The County does not limit STR’s but requires licenses and other items as defined in the ordinance linked below.
- General information: Click Here.
- Ordinance: Click Here.
Contact: str@parkco.us
Alma
- General Policy: The maximum number of STR’s in Alma is 10. None are available at this time, but there is a waiting list.
- Municipal Code with STR requirements (pages 65-67): Click Here.
- Municipal Code with maximum of STR units: Click Here.
Contact: Any town staff at 719-836-2712
Fairplay
- General policy: Short-term rental licenses are limited to 15 within the Town of Fairplay. *As of 4/15/23, 5 licenses are available.
- General Information and Available Permits: Click Here.
- Ordinance: Click Here.
Contact: Janell Sciacca, Town Administrator
719-836-2622 x-102
Lake County (Unincorporated)
- General Policy: Lake County is under a STR moratorium and will not allow any new STR permits for 2023.
- General Info: Click Here.
- Ordinance: Click Here.
Contact: 719-486-2875 or buildingpermits@co.lake.us
Leadville
- General Policy: STR’s limited to 12% (171 licenses) of residential properties in the City. There are 2 classes of licenses. Class 1 is for owner occupied units and Class 2 is for non-owner occupied units. Class 1 permits do not fall under the 12% maximum licenses. As of April 10th, the City is in the renewal period for licenses but currently is at the maximum 171 permits. They have a very short waitlist of 12 people.
- General info: Click Here.
- Ordinance: Click Here.
Contact: cityclerk@leadville-co.gov
*How to know if the property is in Leadville or Lake County jurisdiction:
https://lccgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b5d103f931524e319cfc7888528119d6
