Clear Creek County, Colorado charges a flat $160 permit fee that includes the fire safety inspection — one of the most straightforward STR permit processes in the Mountain West. A soft cap of 4.5% of total housing units applies.
Clear Creek County's STR permit program stands out for its relative simplicity and low cost: a flat $160 fee that includes the required fire safety inspection, with no separate inspection scheduling or payment. For a mountain Colorado county close to Denver (Georgetown, Idaho Springs, Empire), this makes it one of the more accessible STR permit processes in the region.
The county adopted its STR ordinance to manage the rapid growth of vacation rentals along the I-70 mountain corridor. The 4.5% housing unit cap means that STR density is monitored — if rentals reach 4.5% of total housing units in the county, new permits may be paused. As of the most recent publicly available data, the county has not yet reached this cap.
Properties inside the Town of Georgetown or Town of Idaho Springs are governed by their respective town governments. Properties in unincorporated Clear Creek County go through the county Community Development office.
Contact Clear Creek County at (303) 679-2436 for the current application form. Required: proof of ownership, insurance certificate showing vacation rental/STR coverage, occupancy declaration, and the completed form.
The flat $160 fee covers both the application processing and the fire safety inspection. No separate inspection fee is charged.
An inspector will contact you to schedule the inspection. Standard items: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, egress from sleeping areas, and general life safety. Use our inspection prep checklist to prepare.
Register with the Colorado Department of Revenue for sales tax and with Clear Creek County for lodging tax. Both Airbnb and VRBO collect and remit Colorado state sales tax automatically; verify local lodging tax handling.
Permits renew annually. The renewal fee is the same as the initial fee. A reinspection may be required on a periodic cycle — verify the current inspection frequency with the county. Start renewal 60 days before expiration to accommodate any reinspection scheduling.
This guide is informational only. Requirements in Clear Creek County, Colorado are subject to change. Always verify current requirements directly with the local planning or code enforcement office before applying.