Hartsel, Colorado Short Term Rental Regulations Guide for Airbnb hosts

Overview: Are Short-Term Rentals Allowed in Hartsel, CO?

YES, short-term rentals are explicitly allowed in Hartsel, Colorado. Hartsel is a census-designated place located within unincorporated Park County, Colorado. Since Hartsel is not an official city or town, homeowners seeking to operate short-term rentals must comply with the regulations of unincorporated Park County. Unlike some municipalities that may restrict STR operations, unincorporated Park County does not impose limitations on the number of available short-term rental licenses or the number of rental nights, making it a relatively unrestricted market for STR investors.

What do Airbnb hosts actually earn in Hartsel?

Hartsel hosts earn a median $35,308/year with $192 ADR and 60% occupancy.

Top performers pull in $43,749+ per year.

See the full Hartsel market breakdown

How to Start a Short-Term Rental Business in Hartsel

Starting an STR business in Hartsel requires obtaining a Park County Short-Term Rental License. The process involves:

Complete Online Application: Submit your application through Park County's online portal at Application for an STR Permit
Gather Required Documentation: Collect all required documents (detailed below) and submit them electronically with your application
Pay Application Fee: Remit the non-refundable application fee of $605 at the time of submission
Submit Complete Application: Incomplete applications will be automatically rejected and require resubmission with full fees
Prepare for Safety Inspection: If your Certificate of Occupancy was issued more than 5 years ago, a safety inspection will be required
Advertising: Submit links to proposed advertisements after license issuance (for new applications)

Important: Failure to file a renewal application and fee less than 30 days prior to license expiration will result in revocation. If revoked, you must submit a full application packet with fees to reactivate.

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

Essential Documents for Application:

Parcel Information and Property Address:
- Property details using the Beacon - Park County Certificate of Occupancy Search
Copy of Recorded Deed:
- Obtain from Park County Clerk's Office through the Recorder Document Search
Property Tax Receipt:
- Zero balance statement from Park County Treasurer's Office (agree to statement and access as public user)
State Sales Tax License:
- Required from Colorado Department of Revenue with property address listed
Septic Documents and Certificate of Occupancy:
- Original septic documents with design information, or recent Transfer of Title
- Certificate of Occupancy from Building Department via Request for Public Documents
STR Floor Plans:
- Must include all floors (finished/unfinished), room uses, door/window locations, smoke and CO detector placements
Responsible Agent Form:
- Completed and signed Designation of Responsible Agent Form
STR Affidavit:
- Signed and available Short-Term Rental Affidavit
Statement of Authority (if LLC involved):
- Signed and notarized document available here
Operational Plans:
- Parking Plan: Site plan with parking locations - NO PARKING ON COUNTY ROADS
- Trash Removal Plan: Renters cannot pack garbage out
- Snow Removal Plan: Include removal schedule and contact information
Address Sign Photo:
- Must show road, green/white reflective sign visible from both directions, meeting Park County driveway requirements per Driveway Cut Information

Specific Regulations for Short-Term Rentals in Park County

Occupancy and Structural Requirements:

Maximum One STR Unit per Lot: Cannot operate both main dwelling and guest house simultaneously
Certificate of Occupancy Required: Must have CO consistent with proposed use
Septic System Compliance: Occupancy cannot exceed soil treatment area capacity
Life Safety Standards: Must meet current adopted ordinances including smoke/CO detectors, fire extinguishers, structural soundness

Operational Restrictions:

Prohibited Equipment: No portable outdoor charcoal grills, fireplaces, fire rings, or ember-producing equipment
No Camping: Temporary structures, RVs, or trailers cannot be used for overnight purposes
Firearm Restrictions: No recreational shooting on STR property
Vehicle Restrictions: No ATVs/OHVs on county roads or non-designated trails

Guest Information Requirements:

Posted Sign Required in Each STR Unit:

Emergency evacuation plan
STR license number
Maximum overnight occupancy
Physical address
Emergency contact information (law enforcement, fire, towing, ambulance)
Owner/responsible agent contact info (24-hour response)
Fire extinguisher/electrical panel/propane shut-off locations
Emergency egress map
Good neighbor guidelines (boundaries, noise, parking, etc.)

Written Information Required:

Parking locations and maximum vehicles
Alternative parking options
Trash/recycling rules and locations
Snow removal instructions/contact
Noise policies
Pet/wildlife policies
HOA policies (if applicable)

Parking Requirements:

Driveway-Only Parking: All vehicles must park on approved driveway only
No County Road Parking: Violation of ordinance
Group Size Limit: No vehicles with 16+ passenger capacity allowed
Plan Compliance: Must match approved parking plan

Safety Inspections:

Required if CO issued more than 5 years ago
Required if renewal applications have 3+ complaints/emergency calls
Review Fire & Safety Inspection Checklist for preparation

License Types and Renewal:

Original License: Valid for 1 year from issuance
Standard Renewal: Valid for 1 year, requires renewal 30-45 days before expiration
Responsible Owner Renewal: Valid for 3 years if no violations for 24+ consecutive months

Violations and Penalties:

Graduated Fine Schedule:
- First/Second Offense: Up to $200/day
- Third Offense: Up to $300/day
- Subsequent Offenses: Up to $1,000/day
License Revocation: 1-year revocation for violations on 3+ occasions within last year
Non-Refundable Fees: Application fees not refunded upon denial/revocation

Contact Information

Primary Contact:

Park County Development Services - Short-Term Rental Department

Email: str@parkco.us
Phone: 719-836-2771
Fax: 719-836-3273
Address: 856 Castello Ave, P.O. Box 1598, Fairplay, CO 80440
Hours: Monday-Thursday, Lobby open 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Additional Resources:

Colorado Department of Revenue: For sales tax licensing
Park County Treasurer: For tax clearance documentation
Park County Clerk/Recorder: For deed documentation

Links to Source Pages

Primary Regulatory Documents:

Application Resources:

Supporting Resources:

Market Analysis Resources:

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. Regulations may change, and investors should contact Park County directly to verify current licensing requirements and compliance standards for any specific property in Hartsel. The revised ordinance posted in August 2025 indicates ongoing review and potential updates to regulations.

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Ask the AI Advisor about Hartsel

Hartsel is a tiny, wide-open unincorporated community in Park County, Colorado, often called "The Heart of South Park" for its location in the high-altitude South Park basin. With a resident population of only around 100 people, Hartsel is less a town than a historical crossroads ranching settlement, sitting where U.S. Highway 24 meets State Highway 9. The community has a quiet, frontier-era feel, with expansive mountain vistas, big skies, and a pace of life shaped by the surrounding cattle ranches and alpine wilderness. It serves as a natural gateway to some of central Colorado's most prized reservoirs, fishing waters, and high-country trails, and is roughly 60 to 70 miles southeast of the nearest major city, Colorado Springs, with Denver sitting about 90 miles or so to the northeast.

Just northeast of Hartsel, Eleven Mile State Park is one of the area's biggest draws, only about a 15-minute drive from town. The park wraps around a large reservoir popular for trout and kokanee salmon fishing, sailing, and windsurfing, and its shoreline is dotted with campgrounds and picnic spots that attract visitors year-round. Birders also come for the chance to spot bald eagles and other raptors around the lake's edges.

Even closer to Hartsel, just a few miles to the north along Highway 9, Spinney Mountain State Park offers another stretch of reservoir and Gold Medal trout waters set against the backdrop of the South Park hills. The park is prized for its quiet, less-crowded fishing, as well as for the wildlife that frequents its meadows and shoreline, and it provides a peaceful complement to busier destinations elsewhere in the Rockies.

About 20 miles north of Hartsel, the small town of Fairplay hosts South Park City, an open-air museum complex of more than forty preserved buildings recreating an 1880s-era Colorado mining town, complete with a schoolhouse, saloon, blacksmith shop, and assayer's office. The site is a popular stop for visitors exploring the region and offers a tangible sense of the boom-and-bust mining heritage that shaped Park County.

Roughly 30 to 40 miles north of Hartsel along Highway 9, Breckenridge opens up a completely different side of the mountains, with a historic Victorian-era downtown, summer hiking and mountain biking, and one of Colorado's most visited ski resorts in the winter. Together, the combination of reservoir recreation, ranching-country atmosphere, and easy access to both high-country quiet and busy resort amenities makes Hartsel a versatile base for travelers passing through or settling in for a longer stay. For short-term-rental owners, that mix of year-round outdoor appeal and proximity to well-known Front Range population centers gives the community a steady, varied visitor base without the bustle of the resort towns themselves.