The Rental License code provides for comprehensive enforcement of Property Maintenance Code and other requirements under the Boulder Revised code for rented accommodations. Obtaining a rental license is the responsibility of the property owner. The discovery of an unlicensed rental property will result in legal action.
The city's Boulder Revised Code and Property Maintenance Code require all rental properties in Boulder to maintain a valid rental license. The code establishes minimum standards for the use and safe occupancy of dwellings to protect, preserve and promote the physical and mental health of its residents.
Rental licenses are not required under the following circumstances. These exemptions do not apply to short-term rentals.
If your property meets this criteria, submit a Rental License Exemption Affidavit - Owner/Relative Occupied.
If your property meets all of these criteria, submit a Rental License Exemption Affidavit - Temporary Rental
Yes. Rental licenses are required for all properties offered for rent and, in addition to inspection for licensing, city staff may inspect the ADU for other approval criteria.
Only property owners who do not reside in Boulder County are required to have a local agent. The local agent is designated by the owner, provides a contact person for the property, and must be able to respond to the property within 60 minutes.
Yes, however, please consider that tenants frequently change and it is the owner's responsibility to keep the city informed of a new agent.
Submit the Rental Licensing Change of Information or Agent form with your changes.
Yes. The Reduced Term Rental License code allows the term of a rental license to be reduced to 12 months when there is a violation of the land use or to 24 months for violations of the Housing Code.
Single-family homes seeking a rental license certify compliance through a rental inspection. Multi-unit dwellings are required to submit a Lighting Certification to receive a four-year term license. Multi-unit dwellings will receive a one-year reduced term license if certification is not received at application, which will be extended to a full four-year term if certification is submitted within the one-year term.
The SmartRegs ordinances require all rental housing to meet a basic energy efficiency standard.
Standard Long-Term rentals are rentals of 30 days or more at a time.
Please note :
All of the criteria for rental inspections is available in the Rental Housing License Handbook and SmartRegs Handbook found in the Applications & Forms database.
A Rental Inspection is needed for:
Rental inspection compliance verification forms must be completed and signed by a licensed inspector.
Inspections are done by private inspection companies. Re-inspections may be required if there are items to be repaired. If the property is in compliance, the inspector will inform you at the inspection site and will provide a signed inspection compliance verification form.
Charges for the inspection depend on the policies of the licensed rental housing inspector that you have contracted with. Prices vary - please compare prices between companies.
The Rental Inspection consists of four parts:
If you are unable to complete the required inspections by your expiration/due date, please contact us at RHL@bouldercolorado.gov with an extension request and provide details of your situation.
Yes, inspections are considered current if they were performed within the last 12 months and are submitted within 90 days past license expiration.
A contractor licensed in the City of Boulder can assist you with determining the cost and extent of the repair work.
The city is not a party to the contract so is not involved in setting the fee. It is up to the property owner to hire a licensed inspector and negotiate a price for the service.
Visit the Contractor Licensing page to learn more.
Ordinance 8585, effective Sept. 18, 2023, increased the number of unrelated people per dwelling unit (house, apartment, condo unit etc.) to five, with a few exceptions:
Ordinance 8585 simplifies and increases occupancy limits for the majority of Boulder properties. There are some properties that were granted non-conforming use approval before the current occupancy limits. These properties retain their existing non-conforming status and do not receive the increased occupancy limit. Existing non-conforming status on a rental property can be viewed on the interactive rental license map.
Owners of rental dwellings in Boulder must inform current and potential tenants about the maximum number of unrelated individuals allowed to live in their units.
The key provisions of the ordinance are:
Advertisements for rental units also must state the maximum number of unrelated occupants.
Property owners, managers and tenants are responsible for knowing the allowed legal occupancy. Property owners can limit the number of occupants to fewer people than their designation allows.
