Short-Term Rental Regulations · Roaring Fork Valley, CO
Is Aspen short-term-rental friendly?
Permit, zoning, and occupancy limits
Highly regulated. Aspen, Pitkin County, Glenwood Springs, Snowmass Village, and Garfield County each set their own permit, zoning, occupancy, or tax rules. A Snowmass mailing address does not decide which rules apply, so confirm the parcel first.
Last updated: . Every fact links to its official source.
Town-by-town rules
| Town | Permit required? | Annual cost | Primary-residence / night-cap limits | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspen | A city STR permit and required business licensing are required before operating a residential property for fewer than 30 days. (City of Aspen short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | Annual STR permit fees are $148 per unit for STR-LE and $394 for STR-C and STR-OO. A $150 annual business license is also required. (City of Aspen short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | The Owner-Occupied permit requires the property to be the owner primary residence and allows 120 rental nights per year. Classic permits have no annual night limit but are numerically capped in certain residential zones. (City of Aspen short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | Aspen lists aggregate 2026 tax obligations of 17.35% for owner-occupied or lodge-exempt permitted properties and 22.35% for investment or second-home Classic permitted properties, including the listed sales and lodging taxes. (City of Aspen lodging and short-term rental taxes (opens in a new tab)) |
| Pitkin County (unincorporated) | Residential properties in unincorporated Pitkin County rented for fewer than 30 days require a county STR license. These county rules do not apply inside Aspen, Snowmass Village, or other incorporated towns. (Pitkin County short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | The seasonal license fee is based on assessor home market value: 0.07% for 61 to 120 nights, 0.06% for 21 to 60 nights, or 0.05% for 20 nights or fewer. (Pitkin County short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | The county lists a 4-night minimum and 120-night maximum and requires a history of STR activity for the property for the stated eligibility period. (Pitkin County short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | A current Pitkin County lodging-tax rate specific to unincorporated STRs was not found in the cited materials. (Pitkin County short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) |
| Glenwood Springs | A city permit is required for homes rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days. (Glenwood Springs vacation rentals (opens in a new tab)) | For the 2025 to 2027 permit period, a new whole-home permit costs $613.62 and renewal costs $409.08. Accessory Tourist Rental permits have separate fees. (Glenwood Springs vacation rentals (opens in a new tab)) | A 250-foot buffer between whole-home STR permits can make a property ineligible. No primary-residence requirement or annual night cap was found. (Glenwood Springs vacation rentals (opens in a new tab)) | The city lists a 14.35% total 2026 lodging rate, consisting of the 9.35% combined sales-tax rate plus the 5% city accommodations tax. This is an aggregate total for the listed city limits components. (Glenwood Springs sales tax (opens in a new tab)) |
| Snowmass Village | Hosts must obtain a business license and STR permit before offering a dwelling for fewer than 30 consecutive days. (Snowmass Village short-term rentals (opens in a new tab), Snowmass Village 2026 STR regulations (opens in a new tab)) | The standard STR permit fee is $400 and the listed business license fee is $85, with fee treatment varying by permit type. (Snowmass Village short-term rentals (opens in a new tab)) | Single-family homes and duplexes have a 4-night minimum stay. Maximum occupancy is tied to legal bedrooms. No general annual night cap was found. (Snowmass Village 2026 STR regulations (opens in a new tab)) | The town lists a 13.05% lodging-tax rate including state, county, transportation, district, town sales, and town lodging components. It is not a local-only total. (Snowmass Village sales and lodging tax (opens in a new tab)) |
| Garfield County (unincorporated) | In unincorporated Garfield County outside PUDs, the county allows renting an entire home or part of a home for any period without a Land Use Change Permit. A state sales tax license and applicable building permits remain required. PUD eligibility depends on the individual PUD guide. (Garfield County short-term home rentals (opens in a new tab)) | No STR-specific county fee was found in the cited materials. (Garfield County short-term home rentals (opens in a new tab)) | No primary-residence requirement or annual rental-night cap was found in the cited materials. The county allows whole-home or partial-home rentals for any period in standard zones outside PUDs. PUDs are not covered by that general allowance and require review of the individual PUD guide. (Garfield County short-term home rentals (opens in a new tab)) | A current county lodging-tax rate specific to unincorporated STRs was not found in the cited materials. (Garfield County short-term home rentals (opens in a new tab)) |
"Not found" means the restriction was not located in the linked official materials reviewed as of the update date. It does not prove that no later, uncodified, parcel-specific, or special-district rule applies.
Good to know
- Aspen: Permits are non-transferable, expire annually, and renewal requires evidence of at least one short-term-rental occupancy through tax filings. (City of Aspen short-term rentals (opens in a new tab), City of Aspen lodging and short-term rental taxes (opens in a new tab))
- Pitkin County (unincorporated): The county lists eligibility based on demonstrated STR activity between May 11, 2017 and May 11, 2022. Hotels, motels, lodges, resort cabins, guest ranches, country inns, and bed and breakfast establishments are excluded from this licensing program. (Pitkin County short-term rentals (opens in a new tab))
- Glenwood Springs: Whole-home STRs and Accessory Tourist Rentals are not allowed in accessory dwelling units. Renewals require inspection and proof of tax activity. (Glenwood Springs vacation rentals (opens in a new tab))
- Snowmass Village: Permit holders must have a designated local owner representative available 24 hours a day and able to respond within 60 minutes. Permit numbers must appear in advertising. (Snowmass Village 2026 STR regulations (opens in a new tab))
- Garfield County (unincorporated): The October 14, 2026 county planning agenda lists a PUD amendment and rezoning review southeast of Glenwood Springs, so zoning in parts of this area may change. Confirm the exact parcel and its final zoning before listing. (Garfield County October 14, 2026 Planning Commission agenda (opens in a new tab), Garfield County short-term home rentals (opens in a new tab))
FAQ
What should I verify before listing in the Aspen area?
Confirm the exact parcel jurisdiction, zoning or land-use eligibility, permit or license status, tax registrations, and any HOA or deed restrictions for Aspen, Snowmass, Glenwood Springs, and surrounding county areas.
Are the rules the same across the Aspen area?
No. The governing city, town, county, and special district can change permit, cap, and tax requirements.
What does "not found" mean?
It means the rule was not found in the cited materials. It is not a guarantee that no rule applies.
Do platforms handle every tax or permit?
Platforms may not handle every tax or permit. Confirm collection, filing, and registration responsibility directly with the jurisdiction.
General information, not legal advice. Short-term rental rules change, so verify current requirements with the jurisdiction before listing.