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Boulder Tops Short-Term Rental License Goal Before Sundance

The city has surpassed its target of 1,500 applicants for short-term rental licenses ahead of the January festival.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Apartments

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a brass house-shaped key resting centered on a warm cream field, suggesting home rentals.
Boulder surpassed its goal of 1,500 short-term rental license applicants, with 1,579 received as of Sept. 10 ahead of the January Sundance Film Festival. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should Boulder allow more short-term rentals during big festivals like Sundance?

Boulder reached 1,579 new applicants for the standard short-term rental license and Festival Lodging Rental License as of Sept. 10, exceeding its goal of 1,500. A city document shows 1,761 short-term and festival lodging licenses have been issued.

Why it matters

With the Sundance Film Festival arriving in late January, demand for short-term lodging in Boulder is expected to peak, and the licensing pace determines how many homes can legally host visitors. City staff may accelerate the licensing timeline to keep up with the festival.

Boulder's city document shows 1,761 short-term and festival lodging licenses issued, with a maximum license fee of $215. Processing for either license type can take up to six weeks, and the final number of licenses ready before Sundance remains unconfirmed.

The players

Boulder City Council

The elected governing body of Boulder, Colorado, which approved the Festival Lodging Rental License last year.

AirBNB

A global online marketplace for short-term lodging rentals that announced a $200 incentive for new Boulder listers during Sundance.

The details

Boulder's City Council approved the Festival Lodging Rental License last year, and the license was expanded to include tenants in April. AirBNB announced in August a $200 incentive for new Boulder listers during Sundance, and fees for some bus lines will be waived during the festival.

Timeline

  1. Sept. 10: City reached 1,579 new license applicants.

  2. April: Festival Lodging Rental License expanded to include tenants.

  3. August: AirBNB announced its $200 incentive for new Boulder listers.

  4. Jan. 21-22: First nights of Sundance, with listings ranging from $210 to thousands of dollars.

Market Landscape

Boulder's Festival Lodging Rental License, approved by City Council last year, is the mechanism the city is using to legalize festival-period rentals. Its April expansion to tenants and the current surge in applicants show the policy is being tested at scale as Sundance approaches.

Travelers booking Boulder lodging for Sundance should compare listings, since prices range from $210 to thousands of dollars per night. Hosts seeking to rent a home for the festival should factor in the license fee of up to $215 and a processing window of up to six weeks.

The takeaway

Short-term rental supply in Boulder depends heavily on how quickly licenses are processed, so both hosts and visitors should act early. Booking and licensing ahead of the festival's late-January start gives the best chance of securing a suitable place to stay.

What happens next

Boulder's licensing processing, which can take up to six weeks, will determine how many homes are ready for Sundance's first nights on Jan. 21-22.

Further reading

For more on how short-term rentals are changing housing options, see Apartments coverage.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Boulder Daily Camera.

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Should Boulder allow more short-term rentals during big festivals like Sundance?