Town of Vail Short-Term Rental License: A Homeowner’s Guide

If you rent your home in the Town of Vail for fewer than 30 consecutive days, you need an approved Town of Vail short-term rental (STR) license before you advertise it. Licenses expire every February 28, and renewals are due by January 31.

To get and keep a license, you will need $1,000,000 in liability insurance, a local representative available 24/7 within 60 minutes of your home, a fire and life safety inspection, the required signs, your license number in every listing, and sales and lodging taxes collected and remitted on every stay.

This guide summarizes the Town Code (Title 4, Chapter 14) in plain English. Rules and fees can change, so always confirm current requirements with the Town of Vail.

The Town of Vail defines a short-term rental as a residential home, or a room in one, rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days. Bed and breakfasts and lodge accommodation units are handled separately.

• Every rental needs its own license. Owning several units means several licenses.

• Licenses do not transfer. When a home sells, the new owner must apply for a new license.

• HOA rules still apply. A Town license does not override your association’s covenants, and some HOAs add their own rental rules.

• Location matters. These rules cover homes inside Town of Vail boundaries. Homes in Avon or unincorporated Eagle County, including Beaver Creek, follow different rules.

Applications are submitted online through the Town. Have these ready before you start:

• Application fee: the Town Code lists a $260 administrative fee, or $50 for buildings with 24/7 on-site management. Confirm the current amount with the Town.

• Liability insurance: at least $1,000,000 in coverage that specifically includes short-term rental use, through a property, commercial, or endorsed homeowner’s policy

• Notarized self-compliance affidavit confirming the home meets health and safety standards

• Local representative form, plus a copy of the representative’s driver’s license showing an address within 60 minutes of the home

• Fire and life safety inspection by Vail Fire and Emergency Services, requested at least 60 days before you apply

• Duplex notice: if your home is half of a duplex, mail notice to the owner of the other unit at least 7 days before applying

Timing: submit your application at least 30 days before you plan to advertise.

• Renew every year. Licenses expire February 28, and renewals are due by January 31.

• Re-inspect every 3 years. A fire and life safety inspection is required at licensing and every three years after. Inspectors check items such as fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, exits and a posted egress plan, occupant load, electrical conditions and heating appliances.

• Post the required signs. Inside: your license number, local representative contact and property address. Outside, visible from the street: a notice that the home is a short-term rental, the local representative contact and the Town complaint hotline.

• Show your license number in every ad, placed right after the property description.

• Respond to complaints fast. Your local representative must resolve complaints within 60 minutes, or within 30 minutes between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

• Collect and remit taxes. Town sales and lodging taxes must be collected from guests and remitted on time.

• Meet health and safety standards whenever guests are staying, including working plumbing, enough trash receptacles, clearly labeled electrical panels, parking only in designated areas, and no portable outdoor fireplaces.

Vail enforces its short-term rental rules, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. Under the Town Code:

• First violation in 12 months: $1,500 civil fine

• Second violation in 12 months: $2,650 civil fine

• Third violation in 12 months: the property cannot be licensed for three years, even if it changes owners

Unpaid fines can lead to license suspension, and the Town can also pursue other remedies, including court orders. Owners are responsible for violations at their rental, and property managers share that responsibility for homes they manage.

Staying compliant is a year-round job. When you work with Vacation Vail, our local team takes it on:

• Licensing and renewals: we obtain and renew your Town of Vail short-term rental license in your name. License fees are paid by the owner.

• Local representative: we serve as your 24/7 local representative and respond to complaints within the Town’s required timeframes.

• Fire and life safety inspections: we schedule your inspection and prepare your home for it.

• Required signs: we post the interior and exterior signs the Town requires.

• License number in every listing: we make sure your license number appears on every platform and on vacationvail.com.

• Taxes: we remit the lodging taxes collected from guests, with monthly tax recording and reporting.

Learn more about our Vail vacation rental management, or read What Does Vail Property Management Cost?

Sources: Town of Vail Short-Term Rentals and Town of Vail Code, Title 4, Chapter 14. This guide is general information, not legal advice.