shinnslist · guides · Short-term rental rules in the Town of Lyons, Colorado
Short-term rental rules in the Town of Lyons, Colorado
Bottom line: In Lyons, every short-term rental needs a town STR license. The unit must be the owner's primary residence, lived in at least nine months a year, or a residential unit in a commercial district with an on-site business. ADUs cannot be used. A new license is $125 and renewal is $50. Lodging tax is 5%.
Free beta checked October 18, 2026 · next check by January 18, 2027 · not legal advice
Guide
Do these rules apply to you?
Not legal advice. Rules change; check the official source. Read on 2026-10-18.
These rules are for property inside Town of Lyons limits. Source: the town's Short-Term Rentals page, which cites Lyons Municipal Code Sec. 16-10-80, Sec. 6-7, and Sec. 4-10-30.
Guide
Who can get a short-term rental license?
- Primary residence: the owner must live in the unit at least nine months each calendar year.
- Commercial unit: a residential unit in the C, CEC or CD districts, where a business open to the public keeps an on-site representative during normal hours, at least nine months a year.
- ADUs, detached accessory structures, RVs, campers and tents cannot be short-term rentals.
- Allowed zone districts: A-1, A-2, E, EC, R-1, R-2, C, CD and CEC.
Guide
What does it cost?
As listed on the town page on 2026-10-18: $125 for a new license and $50 for a renewal after the first licensed year. The town says it decides applications within 45 days.
Guide
What are the operating rules?
- Up to two adults per bedroom, with a maximum of eight overnight guests, unless a higher limit is approved through conditional use review.
- No more than two vehicles parked overnight on a public street.
- No parties, events or weddings. Short-term rentals are for overnight lodging only.
- Every ad must show the town business license number and maximum occupancy.
Guide
What about lodging tax?
The town page lists a lodging tax of 5% per night per occupied room under Sec. 4-10-30, effective January 1, 2023. Returns are due monthly by the 20th, even when the amount is zero.
Guide
Is there a special event license?
Yes. The town also offers a Special Event Lodging License for a set winter window. The page lists January 1 to February 28, 2027, with no more than 29 rental days in that window. Any owner type can apply, in any zone district.
Guide
What does this mean when you look at a property?
An investment home in a Lyons residential zone cannot get a regular short-term rental license unless the owner lives there nine months a year. Check the property on Boulder County on shinnslist.
By the numbers
Boulder County in the records
| Parcels in the hunt | 109,281 parcels the county files as homes or residential land in Boulder County. |
|---|---|
| Tax bill mailed elsewhere | 28,149 of the 66,392 with a mailing address on file (42%) send the tax bill to an address other than the property. |
| Mailed out of state | 3,787 (6%) send it outside Colorado. |
| Years since the last sale | Median 12.3 years, from 105,859 parcels with a recorded sale: under 5 years 21,824, 5 to 9 22,575, 10 to 19 25,512, 20 or more 35,948. |
Source: shinnslist (county records), read October 16, 2026. How the counts are made and graded: How we grade. Nothing here predicts that an owner will sell. These are counts of public county records.
Questions
Questions people ask
Can I short-term rent an ADU in Lyons?
No. The town page says ADUs and detached accessory structures cannot be used as short-term rentals.
How long must I live in my Lyons home to rent it short term?
At least nine months per calendar year, under the primary residence path.
How often is Lyons lodging tax due?
Monthly, by the 20th, even if you owe nothing that month.