City to Launch New Rental License for Special Festival Events

Last night, City Council approved a new type of rental license for City of Boulder homes. The Festival Lodging Rental License allows Boulder homeowners to rent out their home for less than a month during a Special Festival Event in the city. The license is designed to allow visitors to stay in Boulder while attending city-approved large, multi-day festivals and events.

The license is designed to:

• Create lodging opportunities for attendees to large festivals, while ensuring the primary use of most homes in Boulder is for city residents.
• Support the local economy by creating lodging opportunities in Boulder for visitors to large festivals, rather than visitors staying outside Boulder and commuting in.
• Reduce the climate and traffic impacts of visitors, including carbon reduction and fewer vehicle miles traveled, by creating lodging opportunities within, rather than outside of, the city.

The Festival Lodging Rental License can be used for city-approved Special Festival Events, plus a buffer of 10 days before and nine days after the event. It is limited to a maximum of 29 days per year and allows owners of any property type to hold a license. For a full list of requirements and details, visit the city's website.

Applications for the Festival Lodging Rental License are anticipated to open on Dec. 1, 2025. Sign up for more information and notification here.