RuleGrid

Colorado · Pitkin County

Pitkin County

county Restricted Needs review · last verified 2026-07-15

Short-term rentals (rental of a dwelling/lodging unit as a lodging accommodation for compensation for a period less than 30 consecutive days) in UNINCORPORATED Pitkin County require an annual Short Term Rental (STR) License under Pitkin County Code Title 6 (Health and Safety), Chapter 6.50 ("Pitkin County Short Term Rental Code"), enacted under Colorado HB 20-1093 / C.R.S. § 30-15-401(1)(s). Per the county's STR page the BOCC adopted the program June 22, 2022 and it took effect September 20, 2022. Verified limits from the code text: minimum rental duration of 4 nights (§6.50.055(20)); no more than 120 nights per one-year license term (§6.50.055(21)); occupancy not to exceed two renters/guests per bedroom (§6.50.053(5)); no more than one license per single property or parcel (§6.50.053(13)). Critically, "Licenses shall only issue for properties that have been previously used for short term rental during the period between May 11, 2017 and May 11, 2022" (§6.50.053(14); application must document that history under §6.50.052(12)) — a hard eligibility gate that bars properties without prior STR history and effectively freezes the licensed pool. Licenses are one-year terms, non-transferable (§6.50.030, §6.50.051), confer no vested right, do not override zoning or private covenants (§6.50.030), and are unavailable for employee/affordable/covenant-restricted housing (§6.50.030, §6.50.053(11)); Rural & Remote Zone District applications are decided by the Board (§6.50.053(12)). Per the county STR page, license fees are tiered on the Assessor Home Market Value by nights authorized: Seasonal (61-120 nights) = 0.07%; Limited Seasonal (21-60 nights) = 0.06%; Otherwise Limited (20 nights or less) = 0.05% (the code itself, §6.50.060, sets no fixed dollar amount and states fees are set administratively to cover program costs). Applications are filed through the SagesGov portal. This record covers unincorporated Pitkin County only; Aspen, Basalt, and Snowmass Village administer their own STR rules and lodging taxes.

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

Requirements checklist

  • county Short Term Rental (STR) License Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: One-year term (§6.50.060). Renewal application submitted no sooner than 30 days before expiration; processed administratively if no violations/unresolved complaints, otherwise decided by the Board. The Licensing Authority will not accept a renewal application more than 30 days after expiration; if more than 30 days have passed, a new license application must be made (§6.50.060). · Applies to: Any dwelling unit or lodging unit in unincorporated Pitkin County rented, offered, leased, provided, exchanged or operated as a lodging accommodation for compensation for a period less than 30 consecutive days. Does not apply to hotels, motels, lodges, resort cabins, guest ranches, country inns, or bed and breakfast establishments as defined in the Pitkin County Land Use Code, or to federally permitted rentals / rentals on U.S. property (§6.50.010). · official page ↗
  • county Proof of prior short-term rental history (May 11, 2017 - May 11, 2022) Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: All STR license applicants; the property must document STR use during the qualifying window to be eligible for any license. This is a hard gate: properties without that history cannot obtain a license. · official page ↗
  • state Colorado sales tax registration/account Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: All STR licensees must be currently registered to collect sales tax and remain current on sales tax obligations (§6.50.053(2), §6.50.055(10)). · official page ↗
  • county Adjoining property owner notice (15 days) Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: New STR license applications. Mailed notice is not required for renewal applications unless during the previous term there were violations or unresolved complaints (§6.50.051). · official page ↗
  • county License number in all advertisements; life-safety equipment; posted guest notice Required
    Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: All licensed STR properties (ongoing requirements). License number in every advertisement (§6.50.030); working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers (§6.50.053(3), maintained under §6.50.055(2)); copy of license displayed on inside of front door (§6.50.055(1)); guest information notice posted inside front door and on a prominent kitchen cabinet (§6.50.055(12)); owner/manager available to respond to emergencies immediately and to complaints within 24 hours (§6.50.055(13)). · official page ↗

Taxes

TaxRateAdministered byAirbnb remitsVrbo remits
Colorado State sales tax (on accommodations under 30 days) 2.9% Colorado Department of Revenue — —
Pitkin County sales tax (3.1% general + 0.5% transportation/Mass Transit System) 3.6% Colorado Department of Revenue (state-administered) — —
Roaring Fork Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) sales tax 0.4% Colorado Department of Revenue (state-administered, remitted in the RTA column of the DR 0100) — —

Lodging-tax estimator

Estimate the combined transient/lodging tax (~6.9%) on a stay in Pitkin County. Estimate only — not tax advice.

Operating rules

Primary residence
No
Min stay (nights)
4
Max nights / year
120
Max occupancy
The number of renters and guests must not exceed two per bedroom, or such lower number as appropriate for the condition of the property (§6.50.053(5)).
Zoning-restricted
Yes
Cap on licenses
No county-wide numeric cap is stated, but (a) no more than one STR license may issue for any single property or parcel (§6.50.053(13)), and (b) licenses issue ONLY for properties with documented STR use between May 11, 2017 and May 11, 2022 (§6.50.053(14)) — a de facto cap that freezes eligibility to the historically-rented pool and blocks new entrants.

Grandfathering: Eligibility is limited to properties that can demonstrate short-term rental activity between May 11, 2017 and May 11, 2022 (§6.50.052(12), §6.50.053(14)); properties without that history cannot obtain a license.

Zoning: A license does not override any zoning restrictions, terms of development approvals, or restrictive or private covenants (§6.50.030). Licenses are not available for employee, affordable, or other managed or covenant-restricted housing (§6.50.030, §6.50.053(11)). License applications for properties in the Rural and Remote Zone District are determined by the Board of County Commissioners after the Licensing Authority evaluates emergency-service availability, renter/guest safety given the remote location, and impacts on other properties (§6.50.053(12)).

  • Applies to UNINCORPORATED Pitkin County only; Aspen, Basalt, and Snowmass Village administer their own STR programs and lodging taxes.
  • STR defined as rental for a period less than 30 consecutive days (§6.50.020).
  • Licenses are not transferable to another individual, owner, or subsequent purchaser (§6.50.030, §6.50.051).
  • Issuance of a license confers no entitlement or vested right in its continuation (§6.50.030).
  • Regulations do not apply to hotels, motels, lodges, resort cabins, guest ranches, country inns, or bed and breakfast establishments as defined in the Land Use Code, or to federally permitted rentals / rentals on U.S. property (§6.50.010).
  • Owner or any manager/agent must respond to complaints within 24 hours of notice and either the licensee or management personnel must be available to immediately respond to any emergency during any rental period (§6.50.055(13)).

Get change alerts for Pitkin County

RuleGrid checks Pitkin County every night. Add your email and we'll alert you the moment a rule changes — free, one email per change, unsubscribe anytime.

By subscribing, you agree to receive RuleGrid change alerts. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy.

Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in Pitkin County?
Short-term rentals (rental of a dwelling/lodging unit as a lodging accommodation for compensation for a period less than 30 consecutive days) in UNINCORPORATED Pitkin County require an annual Short Term Rental (STR) License under Pitkin County Code Title 6 (Health and Safety), Chapter 6.50 ("Pitkin County Short Term Rental Code"), enacted under Colorado HB 20-1093 / C.R.S. § 30-15-401(1)(s). Per the county's STR page the BOCC adopted the program June 22, 2022 and it took effect September 20, 2022. Verified limits from the code text: minimum rental duration of 4 nights (§6.50.055(20)); no more than 120 nights per one-year license term (§6.50.055(21)); occupancy not to exceed two renters/guests per bedroom (§6.50.053(5)); no more than one license per single property or parcel (§6.50.053(13)). Critically, "Licenses shall only issue for properties that have been previously used for short term rental during the period between May 11, 2017 and May 11, 2022" (§6.50.053(14); application must document that history under §6.50.052(12)) — a hard eligibility gate that bars properties without prior STR history and effectively freezes the licensed pool. Licenses are one-year terms, non-transferable (§6.50.030, §6.50.051), confer no vested right, do not override zoning or private covenants (§6.50.030), and are unavailable for employee/affordable/covenant-restricted housing (§6.50.030, §6.50.053(11)); Rural & Remote Zone District applications are decided by the Board (§6.50.053(12)). Per the county STR page, license fees are tiered on the Assessor Home Market Value by nights authorized: Seasonal (61-120 nights) = 0.07%; Limited Seasonal (21-60 nights) = 0.06%; Otherwise Limited (20 nights or less) = 0.05% (the code itself, §6.50.060, sets no fixed dollar amount and states fees are set administratively to cover program costs). Applications are filed through the SagesGov portal. This record covers unincorporated Pitkin County only; Aspen, Basalt, and Snowmass Village administer their own STR rules and lodging taxes.
Do I need a license or registration for a short-term rental in Pitkin County?
Yes — Pitkin County requires: Short Term Rental (STR) License; Proof of prior short-term rental history (May 11, 2017 - May 11, 2022); Colorado sales tax registration/account. See the requirements checklist for fees, renewal, and official links.
What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Pitkin County?
Colorado State sales tax (on accommodations under 30 days) (2.9%), Pitkin County sales tax (3.1% general + 0.5% transportation/Mass Transit System) (3.6%), Roaring Fork Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) sales tax (0.4%) — roughly 6.9% combined. Use the lodging-tax estimator on this page for a specific stay.

Official sources

Related coverage

In Colorado

Cities in this county Aspen

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