Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Lakewood, CO

Airbnb listings are allowed in Lakewood, CO, but with restrictions. STR defined as rental of real property for not more than 29 consecutive days; applicants must provide proof of primary residence for each owner, proof of ownership (deed), minimum $500,000 liability insurance with STR endorsement, a floor plan, a third-party certified home inspection dated within 30 days of application, and must provide certified-mail community notice to abutting properties within 10 days of submission. Operators must hold (or show platform collection of) a City Sales & Use Tax account; annual renewal required. A permit is required before you can host. These rules apply to all short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, etc.) — not just Airbnb specifically. See the official source linked on this page for full requirements. Last verified 2026-05-14.

STR defined as rental of real property for not more than 29 consecutive days; applicants must provide proof of primary residence for each owner, proof of ownership (deed), minimum $500,000 liability insurance with STR endorsement, a floor plan, a third-party certified home inspection dated within 30 days of application, and must provide certified-mail community notice to abutting properties within 10 days of submission. Operators must hold (or show platform collection of) a City Sales & Use Tax account; annual renewal required.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in Lakewood. 1) Create an eTRAKiT account and apply online selecting "Short-Term Rental"; upload required documents (cover sheet/checklist, notarized affidavits of ownership/primary residence and affidavit of compliance, proof of primary residence, deed, proof of insurance ≥$500,000 with STR endorsement, floor plan, certified home inspection report, HOA covenants if applicable, community notice, and sales tax license or platform screenshot). 2) Pay $150 non-refundable initial application fee online; incomplete applications will not be accepted. 3) Upon approval, renew annually by submitting renewal cover sheet and required documents and paying $75 non-refundable renewal fee.

1) Create an eTRAKiT account and apply online selecting "Short-Term Rental"; upload required documents (cover sheet/checklist, notarized affidavits of ownership/primary residence and affidavit of compliance, proof of primary residence, deed, proof of insurance ≥$500,000 with STR endorsement, floor plan, certified home inspection report, HOA covenants if applicable, community notice, and sales tax license or platform screenshot). 2) Pay $150 non-refundable initial application fee online; incomplete applications will not be accepted. 3) Upon approval, renew annually by submitting renewal cover sheet and required documents and paying $75 non-refundable renewal fee.

Vrbo is permitted in Lakewood, CO under the same restrictions that apply to Airbnb — local rules govern the rental itself, not the specific platform. You must hold a valid permit before hosting on Vrbo. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rental hosts in Lakewood are typically responsible for lodging, occupancy, and applicable sales taxes — these usually apply even where hosting is allowed without a permit. Rates and remittance rules vary by jurisdiction (state, county, and city can each levy a share); confirm the current rates with the official source linked on this page. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo collect some taxes automatically, but the host remains liable for any not collected on their behalf.

We are not currently tracking any recent short-term rental ordinance changes for Lakewood. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.