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Short Term Rentals

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1. What is a Short Term Rental or STR?

A STR (also known as a vacation rental) is the nightly or weekly rental of dwellings, dwelling units, mobile homes, rooms or accommodations, excluding hotel and motels, for less than 30 consecutive days, including but not limited to: single family dwellings, duplexes, multi-family dwellings, townhomes, condominiums, time share or similar dwellings. Many hosting sites provide a service to clients listing their properties online for rent to wide audience groups online.  Some examples include, but are not limited to: VRBO, Airbnb, HomeAway, Trip Advisor, and many other vacation rental hosting sites.

2. Who is required to register their property with Grand County as a short term rental?

Any property in unincorporated Grand County which is being rented for less than 30 consecutive days must be registered with Grand County’s short term rental (STR) program.  If your property is located in the town of Winter Park, Fraser, Granby, Grand Lake, Hot Sulphur Springs or Kremmling, your property may be required to register with the specific town, as each town has its own application process, fee structure, and regulations.

3. Why do I need a Colorado Tax ID to register my property as a STR in Grand County?

If you are using your property to generate income in Grand County, as described above, you must have a current Colorado sales Tax ID (Form CR 0100), issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue.  The property owner or property manager shall be responsible for remitting County sales tax and lodging tax. 

Colorado Sales Tax Withholding Account Application

 October 1, 2019 a new House Bill (HB1240) went into effect assigning sales tax collection responsibilities to a marketplace facilitator.  This essentially means that online booking sites, such as AirBnb, VRBO and others, are now responsible for remitting sales tax on your behalf.  Please verify this with any site your are listing your property for rent.  To read more please visit the Colorado Department of Revenues website :  https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/tax/sales-tax-changes

4. Why can’t I use a Federal Tax ID or Employee Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number instead of a State Tax ID?

Income earned from renting your property as a STR is subject to tax in the State of Colorado. Note - you may also be subject to federal taxes.

5. If I pay with a credit card, is there an additional fee?

Yes.  Grand County passes along the processing fee for both credit cards and e-checks.  For the privilege of using a credit card, the additional fee is $.75 + 2.25%, for an e-check it is $1.00.

6. Why can’t I list myself as a local reference? After all, I am the owner of the property in Grand County.

Each short-term rental shall have a primary and secondary person responsible to manage the Short Term Rental during any period it is occupied.  The 24-hour contact persons may be the property owner or property manager and they must reside in Grand County and be able to respond within one (1) hour or less.  Unless you reside within Grand County, you may not list yourself as a primary or secondary emergency contact.  You must list someone within one hour of the property who can be responsible for emergency situations which arise.  (Excessive trash on site, parking related issues, etc.)

7. I rent my property primarily for periods more than 30 days, and only occasionally for less than 30 days. Am I still required to register with the Grand County STR program?

Yes. If your rent your property to anyone for less than 30 days at any time during a calendar year, you must register with Grand County’s short term rental program

8. I rent my property only occasionally and not as a business. Do I need to register with the Grand County STR program?

Yes. As indicated above, any property in unincorporated Grand County that is rented for less than 30 days for one or more times in a calendar year must be registered with Grand County’s STR program.

9. I have a business license already and pay taxes in Grand County. Doesn’t that make me exempt from the STR program?

No. Any short term rental property must register with Grand County’s STR program, with a unique Colorado Sales Tax License. You may not use your local business license number.

10. My property is owned by a non-taxable, not-for-profit [or family trust, IRA etc.]. Doesn’t that make me exempt from the requirement to register?

No. The type of ownership, or whether it is a for-profit or not-for-profit entity is irrelevant.  If you are renting a property as a STR to generate income in Grand County, to any party or parties, the property must be registered with Grand County’s STR program.

11. Because I use Airbnb for my STR, I do not need to submit state taxes, as they remit these to the state on my behalf.

Airbnb does remit sales and lodging tax to the State of Colorado; however if you list with an additional booking agency, like VRBO, you are required to obtain your own Colorado Sales Tax license.   Further, if your property is CLOSE to one of the towns (Winter Park, Fraser, Granby or Grand Lake), we have noticed that Airbnb in particular may be charging you MORE taxes than you need to remit. Airbnb often pulls the closest town taxation rate, which is not required for unincorporated Grand County.  This may be an additional 4-6% charge on your property.  Airbnb is now requiring written notice if your property does not require Town Sales Tax; you may contact the Grand County Treasurer’s website to download a the specific tax rates for each town at http://co.grand.co.us/DocumentCenter/View/461

12. My property and STR is managed by a local management company which remits the permit fee, application, and taxes on my behalf?

This may be true.  Please provide the name of your management company and contact person, and we will verify this information, and their preferred methods of contact.

13. How is my registration/permit fee used by the county?

The permit fees are used to administer and monitor compliance of terms, conditions and requirements for short term rental operations.  A third party consultant pulls the listing / hosting site data, and staff provide the necessary support to customers.

14. Will the Short Term Rental Program be reviewed by the Commissioners on an annual basis?

Yes. The Board of County Commissioners plans to hold a formal review on an annual basis.

15. Do I have to be registered if I'm not actively renting? I "blocked off" the dates on Airbnb / VRBO / HomeAway.

Grand County requires a Short Term Rental Permit for "any property to be offered, advertised, operated, or rented as a short term rental." If your property is listed online as a short term rental, you must hold a valid Short Term Rental Permit, even if you don't have any current availability.

16. What if my property is in a long term lease currently?

You may notify the county of your lease - providing a copy of the contract with expiration dates - and you will be removed from the STR requirement.  Should the lease terminate, and you choose to begin renting your property on a hosting site, or with a property management company for nightly rentals, you will be required to apply for a STR permit.

17. What if my property is listed for sale, or pending sale?

You may contact the County, notifying staff of this sale.  If the sale closes, staff will change ownership of the property.  If your listing expires, or the sale is terminated, and you choose to list your property on a hosting site, or with a property management company for nightly rentals, you will be required to apply for a STR permit.

18. How long is my permit valid?

Each STR is valid for one calendar year.  Upon issuance of a STR permit, the County will email a copy of the permit, permit number, expiration date, and emergency contact information to the property owner.  We ask that upon receipt, you, or your property manager place the permit on site as soon as possible, (in the kitchen, or other central location.)  Approximately ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the permit, you will be notified about the upcoming expiration / renewal of the permit.

19. I would like to read the Resolution, where do I go?

A copy is posted here. http://co.grand.co.us/DocumentCenter/View/9644

20. What changes did the Board of County Commissioners make in 2019?

New in 2019:  Request for online submittal  of a safety checklist.  This to help ensure owners and property manager make short term rentals safe for Grand County visitors.