Unincorporated Summit County STR Rules
Unincorporated Summit County Colorado includes all areas of Summit County that are not incorporated towns or cities. Unincorporated Summit County has adopted a zoned approach to STR licensing. The zones are as follows:
Resort Zones:
Allows for 100% of properties to obtain STR license. There are no restrictions on nights rented or number of reservations. The Resort Zones are Copper, Peak 8, and Tiger Run.
Neighborhood Overlay Zones:
There are Type II and Type I exception license categorizations in the Summit County Neighborhood Overlay Zone. More information about the license types can be found at this link. Additionally, find more information regarding Overlay Zones here.
There is a cap on the number of type II licenses available and the number of bookings per year at each property. Each property will be capped at a maximum of 35 total bookings per year.
Currently, there are no new Type II licenses available for properties located within the Summit County neighborhood overlay zone. Waitlists for the Lower Blue and Upper Blue Basins are opening in July, 2025. Waitlists for the other basins are expected to open as license numbers decrease toward the caps.
Licenses are only relinquished through property sales, since they are non-transferable, or owner non-renewal. Each basin is handled separately in terms of license caps and availability of future licenses and there will be a separate waitlist for each water drainage basin within the county.
Update 4/18/2025: Summit County STR Waitlist Opens July 22 at 8:00 AM
Summit County will open the waitlist for Type II Short-Term Rental (STR) licenses in the Lower Blue and Upper Blue Basins on Monday, July 22nd at 8:00 AM MT. Only property owners are eligible to apply.
Before applying, verify your property’s location using the Summit County Basin Map to confirm it falls within the Lower or Upper Blue Basins.
There is a $75 non-refundable application fee. Applications will be reviewed first come, first served, and your position on the waitlist will be published on the County’s website. Once contacted, you will have 30 days to submit your STR license application or risk losing your spot.
⚠️ Being on the waitlist does not guarantee issuance of a license.
Disclaimer: This page was created by Summit County real estate agent Brady Stout. This page is for informational purposes only. Do not make investment decisions based on this information. Please contact Summit county to verify STR licensing info for any property in question.
Need an STR Expert Realtor in Summit County Colorado?
Short-term rental rules can be intricate, but there are plenty of opportunities for those in the know. We’re Anna and Brady Stout, your Summit County real estate team at BuyBreck who developed this guide to help you navigate the short-term rental market in our scenic mountain communities. With experience in assisting both buyers and sellers of short-term rentals, we’re here to help. Feel free to reach out by phone, text, email, or by using the form below—we’re excited to help turn your mountain dreams into reality!
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