Colorado · Vail

Vail

Name: Vail short-term rental regulations
Creator: RuleGrid
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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

Short-term rentals — defined as "a residential dwelling unit, or any room therein, available for lease for a term of less than thirty (30) consecutive days, but excluding bed and breakfasts and accommodation units" (Vail Town Code § 4-14-2) — are permitted town-wide but require a current, valid Town of Vail STR license under Town Code Title 4, Chapter 14 (§§ 4-14-1 through 4-14-9). A separate, non-transferable license is required for EACH STR (§ 4-14-3(A)). The program was adopted by Ord. 19(2018) and amended by Ord. 11(2022), Ord. 1(2023) (insurance, § 4-14-4) and Ord. 3(2025) (inspections, § 4-14-5). The administrative fee is $260 per unit, reduced to $50 if the STR is in a building with on-site management services available at all times (§ 4-14-3(B)(1)). The Town Finance Dept issues three license types: Individual Property Owners, Professional Property Managers, and On-Site 24/7 Front Desk Managed. Licenses expire February 28 each year (or on transfer of title, whichever occurs first); renewal applications are due by January 31, and an initial application must be filed at least 30 days before advertising (§ 4-14-3(D),(E)). Requirements include: a 24/7 local representative who stays within a 60-minute distance and resolves complaints within 60 minutes (30 minutes between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.) — waived for on-site-managed buildings (§§ 4-14-3(C), 4-14-8); $1,000,000 minimum liability insurance covering STR activity (§ 4-14-4; an approved marketplace facilitator's insurance from Airbnb, VRBO or Evolve with a completed affidavit is accepted in lieu of a policy upload per the Town's STR portal); a notarized/initialed self-compliance affidavit (§ 4-14-3(B)(2)); a fire & life-safety inspection as a condition of issuance and every 3 years thereafter, waived for on-site-managed buildings — existing registrants had until January 1, 2026 to complete an initial inspection (§ 4-14-5(B)); posted interior and exterior signage (§ 4-14-5(A)(11)-(12)); and timely collection/remittance of applicable Town sales tax (4.5%, effective 1/1/2023) and Vail Local Marketing District lodging tax (1.4%) (§ 4-14-7; rates per Town Finance). Chapter 14 imposes NO numerical cap on the number of STR licenses and no primary-residence requirement. Civil fines are $1,500 (first violation in any 12-month period) and $2,650 (second); a third violation in any 12-month period, regardless of ownership, triggers a 3-year suspension during which no license is granted for that STR (§ 4-14-9).

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

Requirements checklist

city Short-Term Rental (STR) License Required

Fee: $260 / annual · Renewal: Annual; each license expires February 28 of each calendar year, or when title of the STR transfers to a new owner, whichever occurs first. A renewal application must be filed by January 31 of the year in which the license expires. (Town Finance page notes licenses 'currently expire Feb. 28, 2026.') · Applies to: Each residential dwelling unit, or any room therein, available for lease for a term of less than 30 consecutive days (excludes bed & breakfasts and accommodation units). A current, valid license is required for each STR and is non-transferable; each change of ownership requires a new license. · official page ↗
city Designated Local Representative (24/7, within 60 minutes) Conditional

Fee: — · Renewal: Must notify the Town at least 5 days prior to any change in appointment. The local representative must resolve the complaint within 60 minutes, or within 30 minutes if the problem occurs between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. · Applies to: Individual Property Owner and Professional Property Manager licenses. Not required for STRs in a building with on-site management services available at all times (if the owner uses those services). · official page ↗
city Liability Insurance (minimum $1,000,000) Required

Fee: — · Renewal: Must be continuously maintained. · Applies to: Every STR; may be property liability insurance, commercial liability insurance, or an endorsement to a homeowner's policy for coverage of STR activities. Per the Town's STR portal, an approved online marketplace facilitator's insurance (currently Airbnb, VRBO, and Evolve are accepted) with a completed affidavit is accepted in lieu of uploading a policy. · official page ↗
city Fire & Life Safety Inspection Conditional

Fee: $115 / per occurrence · Renewal: Every 3 years. Requests must be made to Vail Fire and Emergency Services at least 60 days prior to the initial license application and at least 60 days prior to the end of each subsequent 3-year period. Existing (previously registered) STRs were eligible for a license without an initial inspection provided the STR was inspected prior to January 1, 2026 (with initial-inspection requests due on or before July 1, 2025). · Applies to: All STRs except those located in buildings with on-site management services available at all times. Inspection by Vail Fire and Emergency Services as a condition of license issuance and every 3 years thereafter. · official page ↗
city Town Sales & Lodging Tax Collection Required

Fee: — · Renewal: Periodic tax returns of applicable taxes. · Applies to: All STRs must timely collect and remit applicable Town of Vail sales tax (4.5%, effective 1/1/2023) and Vail Local Marketing District lodging tax (1.4%). Vail is a home-rule self-collecting municipality; remote/marketplace vendors may file the 4.5% Vail sales tax through the State of Colorado's Sales and Use Tax System (SUTS), and existing licensees may file via the MuniRevs portal. · official page ↗
city STR Self-Compliance Affidavit Required

Fee: — · Renewal: Submitted with each application/renewal. · Applies to: All applicants; a notarized and initialed affidavit signed by the owner or property management firm under penalty of perjury, certifying that the STR is in habitable condition and complies with the health and safety standards of the Chapter. · official page ↗
city Adjoining Owner Notice (duplex units) Conditional

Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Only STRs located within a duplex, and per the Town's STR portal only for Individual Property Owner and Professional Property Manager license types. Written notice must be sent to the last known address of the record owner of the adjoining residential dwelling unit by first-class mail at least 7 days before submission of the application (proof of USPS mailing required). · official page ↗

Taxes

Tax	Rate	Administered by	Airbnb remits	Vrbo remits
Town of Vail Sales Tax	—	—	—	—
Vail Local Marketing District Lodging Tax	—	—	—	—

Operating rules

Primary residence: No primary-residence/owner-occupancy requirement in Chapter 14. A 'PRINCIPAL PLACE OF RESIDENCE' term is defined in § 4-14-2 but is not tied to any licensing eligibility requirement in the current codified text.; verified
Min stay (nights): —
Max nights / year: —
Max occupancy: —
Zoning-restricted: —
Cap on licenses: none; Chapter 14 contains no numerical cap on the number of STR licenses.; verified

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Frequently asked questions

Is Airbnb legal in Vail?

Do I need a license or registration for a short-term rental in Vail?

Yes — Vail requires: Short-Term Rental (STR) License; Designated Local Representative (24/7, within 60 minutes); Liability Insurance (minimum $1,000,000). See the requirements checklist for fees, renewal, and official links.

What taxes apply to short-term rentals in Vail?

Town of Vail Sales Tax, Vail Local Marketing District Lodging Tax. Use the lodging-tax estimator on this page for a specific stay.

Official sources

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