Boulder Real Estate · Short-Term Rental Guide

Boulder's Festival Lodging Rental License: A Homeowner's Guide to Sundance 2027

What Boulder property owners and tenants need to know about the city's new short-term rental license created for the Sundance Film Festival's move to Boulder.

📅 Sundance Film Festival in Boulder: January 21–31, 2027

In This Guide

What Is the Festival Lodging License
Why the City Created It
Who Can Apply
Licensing Requirements
Fees & License Terms
Festival License vs. Short-Term Rental License
Usage Window & Key Dates
How to Apply
Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Festival Lodging Rental License?

Boulder created a brand-new rental license category specifically to prepare for the Sundance Film Festival's arrival in the city. The Festival Lodging Rental License lets homeowners and, as of an April 2026 update, qualifying tenants rent out a home or even a single bedroom for up to 29 days per year, but only during a city-approved "Special Festival Event."

Unlike Boulder's standard Short-Term Rental License, this permit isn't tied to year-round hosting. It exists to help the city absorb a surge of visitors during a specific, limited window, then the rental activity stops until the next approved event.

Why the City Created This License

Sundance is expected to bring tens of thousands of attendees to Boulder over an 11-day run, far more than the city's hotel inventory can absorb on its own. Rather than let demand spill into unregulated or price-gouged short-term rentals, the City Council approved this license to expand legitimate lodging capacity while keeping guardrails in place.

Expand lodging capacity

Creates a temporary supply of licensed rentals to meet festival-driven demand that exceeds hotel capacity.

Keep housing stock intact

Limits usage to 29 days a year so homes remain primarily long-term housing the rest of the time.

Support the local economy

Keeps visitor spending inside Boulder rather than pushing guests to stay, and spend, outside city limits.

Reduce traffic & emissions

Fewer visitors commuting in from outlying areas means less congestion and a smaller carbon footprint.

Who Can Apply

Eligibility is intentionally broader than Boulder's standard Short-Term Rental License:

Any ownership type can hold the license, including second homes and non-owner-occupied properties.
Non-primary residences qualify — the unit does not need to be your principal residence.
Tenants can apply too, as long as the property owner consents. As of the April 2026 ordinance update, renters may sublease their home for the festival window with written landlord permission.
Owners of properties with a Long-Term Rental License can now participate, including vacant units, under a separate one-year license term.
Spare bedrooms qualify, not just entire homes.
A property that already holds a Short-Term Rental License does not need a separate Festival Lodging license; it can simply rent normally during the festival.

Only one rental license per unit. If your property already has a Short-Term Rental License, that unit isn't eligible for a second, separate Festival Lodging license, though a secondary unit on the same property (like an ADU) may qualify on its own.

Licensing Requirements

Usage is capped at 29 days per year.
A signed safety affidavit and current contact information are required.
The unit must meet existing occupancy standards under the Property Maintenance Code.
Sleeping areas must qualify as "habitable" under the Property Maintenance Code.
Rental dates are limited to the approved festival window, plus 10 days before and 9 days after the official event dates.
A Business License is required for each unit in addition to the rental license itself.
Hosts must collect and remit Boulder's short-term rental tax on any nights the unit is rented.
No annual recertification is required once the license is issued.

Fees & License Terms

Standard Festival License

$190 + $25

Application fee plus business license fee, for units without a current rental license. Valid for 4 years.

Long-Term Rental License Add-On

$75 + $25

Reduced-fee, one-year license term for properties that already hold a valid Long-Term Rental License.

Fees reflect the City of Boulder's published rates as of mid-2026 and are subject to change; confirm current fees directly with Boulder Rental Housing Licensing before applying.

Festival License vs. Short-Term Rental License

Provision	Short-Term Rental License	Festival Lodging Rental License
Who can apply	Natural person on the deed, qualifying trust, or nonprofit corporation	Any ownership type
Must be principal residence?	Yes, required	No
Maximum rental days	No cap for a qualifying principal residence; ADUs up to 120 days/year (29 max at a time)	29 days per year, total
Annual requirement	Annual affidavit confirming principal residence	None
License duration	4 years	4 years (or 1 year for Long-Term Rental License holders)
Cost	$190 application + $25 business license + $20 annual affidavit	$190 + $25, or $75 + $25 for Long-Term Rental License holders

Usage Window & Key Dates

Official Sundance dates: January 21–31, 2027, an 11-day festival footprint spanning Downtown Boulder, CU Boulder, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Licensed rental window: 10 days before the festival through 9 days after, giving hosts a buffer for early arrivals and late departures.

Applications: Open year-round with no application deadline, but processing takes roughly two to six weeks, and listing/advertising isn't allowed until the license is officially issued.

Preparation runway: The city and Visit Boulder recommend budgeting up to six months to properly prepare and list a home for the best results.

Apply early. Corporate sponsors and festival travelers typically secure housing many months in advance, and homes already listed in the system tend to get matched first.

How to Apply

Confirm eligibility. Check whether your unit already holds a rental license, and if you're a tenant, secure written consent from your property owner.

Submit the Festival Lodging application through the City of Boulder's Rental Housing Licensing portal, including the safety, ownership, and occupancy affidavits.

Pay the application and business license fees and wait for review, typically two to six weeks.

Prepare the property. Once licensed, ready the home for guests, either self-managed or through a property management company.

List through the festival's official channel once the city notifies you of approved dates; Visit Boulder has partnered with property managers to help with listing, guest services, and licensing support.

Collect and remit short-term rental tax on all booked nights through Boulder's online tax system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this license for events other than Sundance?

No. As of mid-2026, Sundance 2027 is the only city-approved Special Festival Event. The license cannot be used for CU graduation, football games, BolderBOULDER, or other city events unless separately approved.

I already have a Short-Term Rental License. Do I need this one too?

No. If your unit already holds a Short-Term Rental License, you can rent it during the festival as a normal short-term rental without an additional license.

Can renters, not just owners, apply?

Yes, as of the April 2026 ordinance update. Tenants can apply with the property owner's written consent. If consent hasn't been documented, the city will reach out to the owner directly to request it.

Can I list my property before the license is issued?

No. Advertising or offering the unit for rent is not permitted until the Festival Lodging Rental License has been officially issued.

What if I want to rent my home more often, not just during the festival?

You'll need a standard Short-Term Rental License instead, which allows broader use but requires the unit to be your principal residence.

Does this apply to homes in unincorporated Boulder County?

No. The Festival Lodging Rental License only covers properties within Boulder city limits. County properties fall under Boulder County's separate short-term rental licensing rules.

Thinking About Hosting for Sundance 2027?

Whether you're weighing a Festival Lodging License, considering a sale, or just want to understand how Sundance could affect your property's value, I'm happy to walk through the options with you.

Get In Touch

Information current as of mid-2026, sourced from the City of Boulder's Rental Housing Licensing program. Regulations, fees, and approved events can change — confirm current details at bouldercolorado.gov before applying.