SHORT-TERM RENTALS

Denver Revised Municipal Code ch. 33, art. III

in effect

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-46 Definitions.

Sec. 33-46. - Definitions. (1) Booking service provider means any person or entity who facilitates a transaction between a prospective guest and a person or entity offering a short-term rental. (2) Department means the department of licensing and consumer protection. (3) Licensed premises means the premises specified in an approved application for a license under this chapter which are owned or in the possession of the licenses and within which such licensee is permitted to provide short-term rental in accordance with the provisions of this article. (4) Manager means the manager of licensing and consumer protection. (5) Primary residence means the place in which a person's habitation is fixed for the term of the license and is the person's usual place of return. A person can have only one (1) primary residence. (6) Short-term rental means any dwelling unit offered, provided, or operated as lodging accommodations to guests in exchange for remuneration for a period of less than thirty (30) consecutive days, but does not include a facility licensed pursuant to article I of chapter 26 or article II of chapter 33. "Dwelling unit" has the meaning set forth in the Denver Zoning Code. (Ord. No. 262-16, § 1, 6-13-16; Ord. No. 240-20, § 1, 3-31-20; Ord. No. 1229-20, § 1, 11-23-20; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 19, 7-28-25)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-47 Licensing requirement.

Sec. 33-47. - Licensing requirement. It shall be unlawful to offer, provide, or operate a short-term rental in the City and County of Denver without first obtaining a license as provided in this article III and in compliance with any and all applicable laws and regulations adopted pursuant thereto. (Ord. No. 262-16, § 1, 6-13-16; Ord. No. 240-20, § 1, 3-31-20)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-48 Application.

Sec. 33-48. - Application. (a) Before any license under this article is issued, an application shall be submitted to the manager pursuant to chapter 32. All applications shall be made upon forms provided by the manager. The manager may, at the manager's discretion, require additional documentation associated with the application as may be necessary to enforce the requirements of this article III or chapter 32. In addition to any other requirements, applicants shall provide the following documentation showing the official City and County of Denver address of the short-term rental: (1) A valid Colorado driver's license or a valid Colorado state identification card; and (2) At least two (2) of the following documents indicating that the short-term rental is the applicant's primary residence: a. Proof of valid motor vehicle registration; b. Proof of voter registration; c. Federal or state tax returns or other financial documentation; d. A utility bill; or e. Any other legal documentation deemed sufficient by the manager which is pertinent to establishing primary residency; and (3) Proof of possession of the short-term rental, either by valid warranty deed, valid lease, or other verification of the tenant's right to possession of the premises. If the applicant does not own the dwelling unit, the applicant must also provide written documentation from the property owner allowing the applicant to conduct a short-term rental on the proposed licensed premises; and (4) A valid city lodger's tax account number issued pursuant to chapter 53. (b) The applicant shall self-certify that the information on the application is accurate and truthful under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Colorado. (Ord. No. 262-16, § 1, 6-13-16; Ord. No. 240-20, § 1, 3-31-20; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 19, 7-28-25)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-49 Unlawful acts.

Sec. 33-49. - Unlawful acts. (a) Safety requirements. It shall be unlawful to operate a short-term rental without a functioning smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and fire extinguisher on the licensed premises. (b) Primary residence. It shall be unlawful to operate a short-term rental in any location that is not the applicant's primary residence. (c) Compliance with city and state laws. It shall be unlawful to operate a short-term rental that does not comply with all applicable city and state laws. (d) Advertising. It shall be unlawful to advertise aft short-term rental without the license number clearly displayed on the face of the advertisement. For the purpose of this section, the terms "advertise," "advertising" or "advertisement" mean the act of drawing the public's attention to a short-term rental. (e) Insurance. It shall be unlawful to operate a short-term rental without, fire, hazard and liability insurance within the liability coverage limits set by the manager. (f) Unlawful transactions. On and after February 1, 2020, it shall be unlawful for any booking service provider to receive payment, directly or indirectly, for an unlicensed short-term rental located in the City and County of Denver. The provisions of this subsection (f) are entirely strict liability in nature. (g) Records. On and after February 1, 2020, it shall be unlawful for any person or entity to fail to comply with section 33-55. (h) Penalty. In addition to the general penalty provided for in D.R.M.C. sec. 1-13(a), a booking service provider who violates subsection (f) or (g) of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation per day. (Ord. No. 262-16, § 1, 6-13-16; Ord. No. 240-20, § 1, 3-31-20; Ord. No. 1229-20, § 1, 11-23-20; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 19, 7-28-25)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-50 Brochures.

Sec. 33-50. - Brochures. Each short-term rental shall provide a brochure on the licensed premises that includes the licensee's contact information, a local responsible party's contact information, and any necessary emergency contact information. For the purposes of this section, "local responsible party" means an individual located in the City and County of Denver during the entire length of the short-term rental period who has access to the licensed premises and is authorized to make decisions regarding the licensed premises. The brochure shall also provide information pertinent to the neighborhood where the short-term rental is located including, but not limited to, parking restrictions, restrictions on noise and amplified sound, trash collection schedule, relevant water restrictions, fire evacuation routes, and any other information, as required by the manager, applicable to the short-term rental and the surrounding neighborhood. (Ord. No. 262-16, § 1, 6-13-16; Ord. No. 240-20, § 1, 3-31-20; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 19, 7-28-25)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-51 Licenses non-transferrable.

Sec. 33-51. - Licenses non-transferrable. No license granted pursuant to this article shall be transferable from one (1) person to another or from one (1) location to another. (Ord. No. 262-16, § 1, 6-13-16; Ord. No. 240-20, § 1, 3-31-20)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-52 Term license, renewal.

Sec. 33-52. - Term license, renewal. (a) All licenses issued under this chapter shall be valid for a period of one (1) year from the date of their issuance. (b) If the licensee has received notice of violation of any law or regulation, including disciplinary action against the license, the application for renewal shall include a copy of the notice or disciplinary action. (c) In addition to the grounds set forth in Chapter 32 of this Code, a short-term rental license may not be renewed if there are causes for denial, suspension, revocation or other licensing sanctions as provided in chapter 32 or this article III, or rules and regulations promulgated thereto. (d) Except where the manager has received a complete renewal application along with the requisite fees, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a short-term rental after the expiration date recorded upon the face of the short-term rental license. (Ord. No. 262-16, § 1, 6-13-16; Ord. No. 240-20, § 1, 3-31-20; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 19, 7-28-25)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-53 Issuance or denial.

Sec. 33-53. - Issuance or denial. In addition to the grounds set forth in chapter 32 of this Code, a license shall be denied under this article III if: (a) The short-term rental is not the applicant's primary residence. In determining whether a location is the applicant's primary residence for short-term rental licensing purposes, the manager may consider any of the following applicable factors: (1) Whether the applicant has or claims any other location for domestic, legal, billing, voting, or licensing purposes; (2) Whether and how often the applicant returns to the short-term rental or resides at any other location within a calendar year; (3) Whether the address listed on an applicant's legal documents or tax assessment records is different than the address of the short-term rental; (4) Whether an applicant's business pursuits, employment, income sources, residence for income or other tax purposes, leaseholds, situs of personal and real property, and motor vehicle registration indicate that the short-term rental is the applicant's primary residence; (5) Whether the amount of time that the short-term rental has been, or will be, rented within the calendar year indicates the short-term rental is or is not the applicant's primary residence; (6) Whether the applicant is actively deployed in the United States military; or (7) Whether any other relevant information discovered by the manager or submitted by the applicant indicates that the short-term rental is or is not the applicant's primary residence. (b) There is good cause to deny the application. The term "good cause" means: (1) Evidence that an applicant or licensee has violated, does not meet, or has failed to comply with any of the terms or conditions placed on his license, any city or state law, or any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, including, but not limited to, the Denver Zoning Code, section 11.8.10, as amended; (2) Evidence that the short-term rental has previously been, or will be, operated in a manner that adversely affects the public health, safety, or welfare of the immediate neighborhood in which the short-term rental is located. (c) The applicant fails to provide a complete application and documentation required pursuant to section 33-48. (d) The applicant fails to obtain or maintain insurance in the amounts set by the manager. (e) The application fails to comply with any state or local laws, or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto. (Ord. No. 262-16, § 1, 6-13-16; Ord. No. 240-20, § 1, 3-31-20; Ord. No. 1229-20, § 1, 11-23-20; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 19, 7-28-25)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-54 Disciplinary actions; sanctions; penalties.

Sec. 33-54. - Disciplinary actions; sanctions; penalties. (a) In addition to the grounds provided in chapter 32 of this Code, a short-term rental license may be suspended or revoked for any of the grounds for denial set forth in section 33-53 of this article III. (b) Procedures for investigation of license violations and for suspension, revocation or other licensing sanctions as a result of any such violation shall be as provided in chapter 32 of this Code and any rules and regulations promulgated by the manager. (Ord. No. 262-16, § 1, 6-13-16; Ord. No. 240-20, § 1, 3-31-20; Ord. No. 1003-25, § 19, 7-28-25)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 33-55 Records.

Sec. 33-55. - Records. (a) Each short-term rental licensee shall maintain the following records for the past year: (1) Total number of nights the short-term rental was rented to a guest; and (2) The dates in which the short-term rental was rented by a guest. (b) Each booking service provider shall maintain the following information for short-term rental transactions facilitated in the City and County of Denver within the past five years: (1) The name of the person who offered the short-term rental; (2) The address of the short-term rental; (3) The dates for which the short-term rental was booked by a guest; (4) The price paid by the guest for each short-term rental transaction; and (5) The short-term rental license number. (c) The department shall maintain and make publicly available a list of all licensed short-term rentals within the city. (Ord. No. 1229-20, § 1, 11-23-20)

Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH33LO_ARTIIISHRMREFetched: 10/27/2026