Homeowner Guide

Know the rules.
Rent with confidence.

Renting your home in Boulder during the Sundance Film Festival requires a license. This guide explains the two types available, which one is right for you, and how Marquee walks you through the process from start to finish.

The Landscape

Two Licenses, Different Purposes

The City of Boulder regulates short-term rentals closely. If you want to rent your home for money, even for a single weekend, you need a license. Operating without one puts you at risk of fines and can jeopardize future eligibility.

Boulder currently offers two relevant license types for those interested in renting during the Sundance Film Festival: the Festival Lodging Rental License, which was created specifically for event-driven rentals like the Sundance Film Festival, and the Short-Term Rental License, which covers year-round hosting for owner-occupied properties.

The Festival Lodging Rental License is the right path for most people—including homeowners, renters with landlord approval, and those who already hold a long-term rental license on their property. Here's what you need to know about both.

License Type 1

Festival Lodging Rental License

Created by Boulder City Council (Ordinance 8715, approved October 2025)

The Festival Lodging Rental License was created by Boulder City Council specifically to allow homeowners to participate in major, city-approved events like the Sundance Film Festival. It is newer, simpler, and designed with exactly this use case in mind.

Key Details

Max rental days29 days per year
License validity4 years
Application fee$190 + $25 business license
Annual renewalNot required
Rental tax7.5% short-term rental tax
Applications openDecember 1, 2025

Who Qualifies

Property owners of any type (primary, secondary, investment)
ADUs and accessory structures
No owner-occupancy requirement
One license per unit
Renters (tenants) with written homeowner approval
Homeowners with an existing long-term rental license (festival license can be added on top)

When You Can Rent

A Festival Lodging Rental License can only be activated during city-approved Special Festival Events. Boulder defines a qualifying festival as one that runs at least five consecutive days, draws more than 50,000 attendees, and exceeds Boulder's hotel capacity of roughly 2,900 rooms. Currently, the Sundance Film Festival is the primary event that meets this threshold.

License holders may rent during the festival period plus a buffer of up to 10 days before and 9 days after the official event dates, subject to the 29-day annual cap. The city notifies all license holders by email when approved event dates are confirmed.

The Festival Lodging Rental License cannot be used for CU graduation, football weekends, or other local events. Only city-approved Special Festival Events. It cannot be combined with a Short-Term Rental License on the same unit—if you already hold a Short-Term Rental License, you're already covered for the Sundance Film Festival and don't need a separate festival license.

You Rent Your Home (Tenant)

If you rent your Boulder home from a landlord, you can still apply for a Festival Lodging Rental License. You need written approval from your homeowner before applying—the landlord doesn't apply themselves, they simply authorize you to do so. This path was added under Ordinance 8715.

Already Have a Long-Term Rental License?

Homeowners who hold a long-term rental license on their property can now obtain a Festival Lodging Rental License on the same unit. The two licenses cover different use cases and can coexist. Apply for the festival license separately through the city portal.

License Type 2

Short-Term Rental License

Boulder's Short-Term Rental License is the city's established framework for short-term stays that happen at any point during the year. It is designed for homeowners who live in the property and want to rent it out regularly throughout the year—not just during a single event.

Key Details

Rental days allowedUnlimited (year-round)
License validity4 years, annual affidavit required
Application fee$190 + $25 business license
Annual renewal fee$20
Rental tax7.5% short-term rental tax

Requirements

Must be your principal residence (live there 6+ months/year)
Colorado driver's license or ID at the property address
Two local contacts within 60 minutes of the property
Self-certified smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Must provide a guest rental packet
Investment/vacation properties (non-owner-occupied)
LLCs, corporations, or limited partnerships as owners

Already Have a Short-Term Rental License?

If you already hold a Short-Term Rental License, you do not need to obtain a Festival Lodging Rental License. Your existing license covers you for Sundance Film Festival rentals. Simply list your property through Marquee as you would for any short-term rental engagement.

Decision Guide

Which License Is Right for You?

Festival Lodging License
Short-Term Rental License
Owner-occupancy required
No
Yes
Works for primary residence
Yes
Yes
Works for vacation/investment property
Yes
No
Max rental days
29 days/year
Unlimited
Valid for Sundance Film Festival
Yes
Yes
Year-round hosting
No
Yes
License fee
$190 every 4 years
$190 every 4 years
Business fee
$25 one time
$25 one time
Annual fee
None
$20 every year
Rental tax rate
7.5%
7.5%
Inspection required
No (self-certify)
No (self-certify)
ADUs eligible
Yes
Primary residence only

Renting Your Primary Home for the Sundance Film Festival Only

You live in your Boulder home full-time and want to earn rental income during the Sundance Film Festival, then return home when it's over.

Festival Lodging License

Second Home or Investment Property

You own a second property in Boulder that you don't live in and want to rent it out during the festival.

Festival Lodging License

Year-Round Hosting

You live in your home and want to host guests throughout the year, not just during the Sundance Film Festival.

Short-Term Rental License

You Rent Your Home (You're a Tenant)

You lease your Boulder home from a landlord and want to rent it out during the Sundance Film Festival. Your landlord's written approval is required, but you apply for the license yourself.

Festival Lodging License (with landlord approval)

You Hold a Long-Term Rental License

You own a Boulder property with an existing long-term rental license. You can now layer a Festival Lodging Rental License on top to rent during the Sundance Film Festival.

Festival Lodging License (stacks on existing license)

The Process

Applying for the Festival Lodging License

Applications for the Festival Lodging Rental License opened December 1, 2025. The process is straightforward, and Marquee walks every homeowner through it.

01

Apply to Marquee

Submit your property through Marquee. We review every application and confirm your eligibility before you spend any time on city paperwork.

02

Obtain a Business License

Boulder requires a business license as part of the rental license application. The one-time fee is $25. Marquee provides step-by-step guidance.

03

Submit City Application

Complete the Festival Lodging application on the City of Boulder's portal. You'll sign safety and ownership affidavits and pay the $190 license fee.

04

You're Ready to Rent

Once your license is issued, Marquee lists your property and begins matching it with qualified corporate guests for the festival.

Compliance

Taxes & Ongoing Obligations

Rental income in Boulder is subject to a short-term rental tax regardless of which license you hold. With a Festival Lodging Rental License, the city collects a 7.5% short-term rental tax on the total rental price. This is separate from any federal or state income tax obligations.

Marquee handles tax collection and remittance to the city on your behalf as part of the payment processing flow. You receive your net earnings after applicable taxes are collected. There are no manual calculations or filings required on your end for the city-level rental tax.

For federal and state income tax obligations, see our separate guide on handling taxes for festival rentals, which covers Section 280A(g) and what the 14-day rule means for your Sundance Film Festival income.

Your license number is required on any listing or advertisement (Marquee does this on our site automatically)
Respond promptly to any city inspection or compliance requests
Notify your homeowner's insurer that you are renting your property commercially
Ensure your home meets smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector requirements

We're With You

How Marquee Helps With Licensing

Licensing shouldn't be a barrier. Our team has navigated this process for homeowners across Boulder, and we provide hands-on guidance at every step.

Eligibility Check

We review your property and ownership structure upfront to confirm which license applies to you, so there are no surprises mid-application.

Application Guidance

We walk you through the city application step by step from business license registration to the Festival Lodging application itself.

Tax & Compliance Handling

Marquee collects and remits city rental taxes on your behalf and provides year-end 1099 documentation for your federal and state filings.

Ready to Get Licensed and Listed?

Start your Marquee application and we'll guide you through the licensing process. Most homeowners have their Festival Lodging License in hand within a week.

License requirements and fees are based on Boulder City Ordinance 8715 and the City of Boulder's published rental licensing information as of 2025. Always verify current requirements directly at bouldercolorado.gov before applying.