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Colorado · La Plata County

La Plata County

county Allowed with registration Verified · last verified 2026-07-15

As of 2026-07-16, unincorporated La Plata County has NO short-term-rental permit, license, or registration program of its own. The county Land Use Code reserves the topic: Chapter 73, Sec. 73-18 "Short term rentals" is marked "Reserved" (code current through April 20, 2026), and the county's official code-amendments schedule lists STR rulemaking as a FUTURE project ("Short term rentals (Q3 - 2027)") that is not yet drafted or adopted. Therefore STRs (vacation rentals / VRBO) are allowed in unincorporated areas without a county land-use permit. The only affirmative obligation to operate lawfully is TAX registration: a Colorado state sales tax license through the Colorado Department of Revenue (unless operating solely through a marketplace facilitator that collects on the host's behalf), plus collection/remittance of the 2.9% state sales tax, 3.0% county sales tax, and 2.0% county lodging tax on stays of less than 30 consecutive days (all administered by the Colorado Dept. of Revenue). A separate county event permit is required only for gatherings of 50+ people. Note: these county rules apply only OUTSIDE city limits; the City of Durango, Town of Bayfield, and Town of Ignacio set their own STR rules and taxes. Classified "allowed_with_registration" because tax registration/remittance is mandatory to operate; there is no county STR license.

Not legal advice. Last verified 2026-07-15 · sources linked below.

Requirements checklist

  • state Colorado sales tax license (Colorado Department of Revenue) Conditional
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Vacation-rental owners in unincorporated La Plata County who collect/remit tax directly (i.e., not operating solely through a marketplace facilitator that collects on their behalf). · official page ↗
  • county Collect, file, and remit lodging/sales taxes via Colorado Dept. of Revenue Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Owners of short-term lodging units (or their property management companies) renting for less than 30 consecutive days within La Plata County but outside city limits. · official page ↗
  • county Post lodging and sales tax rates to be remitted Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Vacation-rental operators in unincorporated La Plata County (county operating-guidance item on the VRBO information page; not codified since Sec. 73-18 is Reserved). · official page ↗
  • county La Plata County special event permit Conditional
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Vacation rentals hosting conferences, seminars, weddings, etc. with 50 or more people in attendance. · official page ↗
  • county 24/7 responsible contact reachable within 30 minutes Not required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Vacation-rental owners. The county VRBO information page states this in mandatory terms ('must'), but it is county operating guidance, not a codified permit condition (Sec. 73-18 is Reserved and there is no STR ordinance to enforce it). · official page ↗

Taxes

TaxRateAdministered byAirbnb remitsVrbo remits
County lodging tax 2% Colorado Department of Revenue (state-collected on behalf of the county; filed on form DR 1485) — —
County sales tax 3% Colorado Department of Revenue (state-collected; filed on form DR 0100) — —
Colorado state sales tax 2.9% Colorado Department of Revenue — —

Lodging-tax estimator

Estimate the combined transient/lodging tax (~7.9%) on a stay in La Plata County. Estimate only — not tax advice.

Operating rules

Primary residence
No
Min stay (nights)
—
Max nights / year
—
Max occupancy
No county-mandated occupancy cap. County guidance cites the industry standard of two persons per bedroom plus one additional person as a recommendation only (Sec. 73-18 STR regulations are Reserved).
Zoning-restricted
No
Cap on licenses
No

Zoning: STRs are not separately regulated by the county Land Use Code as of 2026-07-16; Chapter 73, Sec. 73-18 'Short term rentals' is Reserved (code current through April 20, 2026), and county-wide STR rulemaking is scheduled for Q3 2027 but not yet drafted. No STR-specific zoning-district prohibitions currently exist in unincorporated areas.

  • County rules/taxes apply only to unincorporated areas (outside city limits). The City of Durango, Town of Bayfield, and Town of Ignacio administer their own STR rules and taxes.
  • Recommended (not mandated) max occupancy per county guidance: 'Industry standards are two people per bedroom, plus one additional person. For example, a two-bedroom unit could have five guests.'
  • A separate county event permit is required for gatherings of 50+ people at a rental.
  • A dedicated county STR ordinance is anticipated in Q3 2027 per the county's code-amendments schedule; monitor for change.

Enforcement

Active enforcement
no
Fines
—
Notes
No county STR-specific enforcement regime exists because there is no STR ordinance (Sec. 73-18 Reserved). Tax non-compliance is enforced by the Colorado Department of Revenue; event-permit and general land-use requirements are enforced by La Plata County. No county-published STR fine schedule was located.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in La Plata County?
As of 2026-07-16, unincorporated La Plata County has NO short-term-rental permit, license, or registration program of its own. The county Land Use Code reserves the topic: Chapter 73, Sec. 73-18 "Short term rentals" is marked "Reserved" (code current through April 20, 2026), and the county's official code-amendments schedule lists STR rulemaking as a FUTURE project ("Short term rentals (Q3 - 2027)") that is not yet drafted or adopted. Therefore STRs (vacation rentals / VRBO) are allowed in unincorporated areas without a county land-use permit. The only affirmative obligation to operate lawfully is TAX registration: a Colorado state sales tax license through the Colorado Department of Revenue (unless operating solely through a marketplace facilitator that collects on the host's behalf), plus collection/remittance of the 2.9% state sales tax, 3.0% county sales tax, and 2.0% county lodging tax on stays of less than 30 consecutive days (all administered by the Colorado Dept. of Revenue). A separate county event permit is required only for gatherings of 50+ people. Note: these county rules apply only OUTSIDE city limits; the City of Durango, Town of Bayfield, and Town of Ignacio set their own STR rules and taxes. Classified "allowed_with_registration" because tax registration/remittance is mandatory to operate; there is no county STR license.
Do I need a license or registration for a short-term rental in La Plata County?
Yes — La Plata County requires: Colorado sales tax license (Colorado Department of Revenue); Collect, file, and remit lodging/sales taxes via Colorado Dept. of Revenue; Post lodging and sales tax rates to be remitted. See the requirements checklist for fees, renewal, and official links.
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in La Plata County?
County lodging tax (2%), County sales tax (3%), Colorado state sales tax (2.9%) — roughly 7.9% combined. Use the lodging-tax estimator on this page for a specific stay.

Official sources

Related coverage

In Colorado

Cities in this county Durango

Informational summary of publicly available sources; not legal advice. Verify against the linked official sources.