City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Vail, CO
How Vail regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- Townwide STR license nontransferable annual
- No zoning-district exclusion or cap in current code
- No primary-residence gate despite defined term
- Tri-annual fire/life-safety inspection; $1M insurance; 24/7 local rep
- Escalating penalties, up to 3-year revocation
- 2021 Zone 2 suspension and cap debate — not enacted
Based on: Vail Municipal Code Title 4 Ch.14 (STRs), Ord. 19(2018), 11(2022), 1(2023), 3(2025)
Summary of the rule
Current, valid, non-transferable STR license required per unit/room; expires Feb 28 annually or on ownership transfer
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Vail · system last checked Nov 9, 2026
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.