The Summit Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted short-term vacation rental regulations for unincorporated Summit County on Dec. 18, 2018, and Summit County staff has been working to develop a fair and streamlined permitting process for STR owners and managers in our community.  

The Summit County STR online permit application is currently under development. We appreciate your patience while we work out the final details. We expect to have the permit application available online within the next two weeks. When the permit application goes live, we will send out an announcement via the STR blog.

The deadline to submit the permit application is June 1, 2019. Beginning June 30, 2019, any STR operating without a permit will be considered in violation of the Summit County Code. All STR permits issued in 2019 will be valid through Sept. 30, 2020, with annual renewal required by Sept. 30 of each year.

Here’s what you can do to make sure you’re prepared to apply for your STR permit(s):

1. Check the GIS Parcel Query Tool to verify your property is located in unincorporated Summit County. If your property is inside Town limits, you will need to apply for an STR permit with the applicable Town (not the County). If you’re outside of Town limits, you will need to apply for a Summit County STR permit.
2. Read the Summit County STR Regulations.
3. Confirm that you have a valid state sales tax license, and you have your Sales Tax Account Name and Sales Tax License Number ready to fill in on the permit application, along with the name and contact information for the person or entity preparing your Sales Tax Return. If still needed, apply for a sales tax license on the State of Colorado’s website or by calling 303-238-7378. Make sure you specify that the Unincorporated Summit County Sales Tax Rate (rather than one of the Towns’ sales tax rates) applies to your property. You are not required to pay Town sales taxes if your property is not located within the limits of an incorporated Town. The total Unincorporated Summit County Sales Tax Rate to collect is 6.375% as follows:
   • State of Colorado 2.9%
   • Summit County 2.0%
   • Mass Transit 0.75%
   • Affordable Housing 0.725%
   • Lodging Tax 0.0% (Unincorporated Summit County does not have a lodging tax)
4. Decide whom you will designate as the Responsible Agent who will be available 24/7 to respond to complaints and has a text-enabled phone.
5. Determine the interior living space square footage (floor area) of your unit.
6. Determine your occupancy limit as described in Section 3821.08.F. of the STR Regulations.
7. Create a parking plan that complies with Section 3821.09.A. of the STR Regulations and the parking requirements in Section 3700 (starting on page 102). You will need to submit a description of your parking plan, and you may also submit sketches and/or photos.
8. Create a trash disposal and collection plan that complies with Section 3821.09.B. of the STR Regulations. You will need to describe this plan on the permit application form.
9. If your property has an on-site wastewater treatment system, you will need to submit a copy of your most recent pumping report.

Here are some helpful shortcuts to regulations referenced in the STR Regulations:

• Section 3821 Short-Term Rental Regulations
• CRS 38-45-104 Carbon monoxide alarms in rental properties, starting on page 555
• Summit County Building Requirements for a Loft (as a sleeping room), page 7
• Section 6 CCR 1010-14 Sanitary Standards and Rules for Public Accommodations
• Section 5CCR 1003-5 Swimming Pools and Mineral Baths
• Summit County Code, Chapter 3, Zoning Regulations
• Section 3700 Parking Requirements, starting on page 102
• Section 3505.07 Lighting Regulations, starting on page 35
• Section 3802 Animal Keeping, starting on page 109
• Chapter 9: Sign Regulations
• Section 5CCR 100-11 Primary Drinking Water Regulation

For more information, please visit our website www.SummitCountyCO.gov/STR, email us, or call 970-668-4185.