How to get a short-term rental permit in Summit County, CO (2026)
Summit County requires Short-Term Rental (STR) License (Resort License; Type I License; Type II License) — the fee is $360, renewed annual. Here's how to get and keep it.
Permit at a glance
| Permit required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Permit name | Short-Term Rental (STR) License (Resort License; Type I License; Type II License) |
| Permit fee | $360 |
| Renewal | Annual |
Step by step
- 1
Confirm your property is eligible
Confirm the property's zoning allows short-term rentals. Two county-created STR overlay zones govern all of unincorporated Summit County. The Resort Overlay Zone (Copper Mountain, Tiger Run Resort, portions of Keystone, and base areas of Peaks 7/8 in Breckenridge) has no cap on licenses, no annual booking limit, and higher occupancy allowances (2 persons/bedroom + 4, or 1 person per 200 sq ft; occupancy over 19 requires a Class 2 Conditional Use Permit). Everything else is the Neighborhood Overlay Zone, where Type I licenses (property must be the primary residence of a local-workforce 'Qualified Occupant' living there 9+ months/year and working 30+ hrs/week in the county) are uncapped in number but limited to 35 bookings/year, and Type II licenses (no residency requirement) are limited to 35 bookings/year (Oct 1-Sep 30) AND capped in number per basin: Lower Blue 550, Upper Blue 590, Snake River 130, Ten Mile 20. Waitlists are open for the Lower Blue, Upper Blue, and Snake River basins. Occupancy in the NOZ is capped at 2 renters/bedroom + 2. Note: incorporated towns (Breckenridge, Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne, Blue River) have their own separate STR rules.
- 2
Apply for the Short-Term Rental (STR) License (Resort License; Type I License; Type II License)
Submit the Short-Term Rental (STR) License (Resort License; Type I License; Type II License) application to Summit County and pay the $360 fee. Annual fees per county fee schedule (reviewed each March): Neighborhood Overlay Zone Type II $360/year; Type I $240/year; Resort Overlay Zone Resort License $295/year. Fees cannot be prorated and are non-refundable. A separate non-refundable $75 fee applies to join a Type II basin waitlist.
- 3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for Summit County. Some are collected automatically by the booking platform and some you may need to remit yourself.
- 4
Renew on schedule
The permit renews annual — set a reminder so it never lapses, since operating on an expired permit typically triggers fines.
STR rules change without warning.
Get an email the moment Summit County changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.
Watch Summit County for changes →Free monthly digest · same-day alerts from $5/mo · cancel anytime
Keep going
Verified July 12, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with Summit County before applying.