Most City and County of Denver offices will be closed Monday, September 2 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.
Due to a high volume of submissions, application processing for residential rental properties can currently take up to 30 days. We appreciate your patience.
Online training videos are available for residential rental property applications.
Have any questions about the program or the application? See our FAQ page.
If you can't find what you're looking for, contact us.
Read the ordinance for this license under "Municipal Code" on the right side of the page to make sure this license is right for you.
Online training videos provide helpful and detailed overviews of the application process. They are on the Online Training Videos webpage. They show how to register for an account, how to complete licensed establishment and entity registration records, and how to apply for new business licenses or amendments.
Register for an account, if you haven't already, in Denver’s Permitting and Licensing Center. For help, navigate to the online training videos and watch the guide for how to register for a new account.
During the process, a package will be assembled from the following three applications. See below for specifics on each section.
Licensed establishment application
This captures information about the location of the residential rental property. You will need to provide:
Entity registration application
This captures ownership information about the person or entity that will hold the license. Please note that if you are applying for multiple licenses with the same entity, you can use the same entity registration, and only need to complete this application piece once. You must provide:
The entity registration only has to be completed once. If the same entity owns multiple properties and will apply for multiple licenses, you should re-use the entity registration number provided to you after your initial application.
Residential rental property license application
Inspection exemptions:
Fee and inspection exemption:
Important notes to keep in mind about your documents
In Denver's Online Permitting and Licensing Center:
This will begin the application process.
You can save and resume within 30 days any time during the process. After 30 days, you must start again.
Go to the Online Training Videos webpage to guide you.
After the online application is complete, you will be prompted to submit fees in the online portal. These can be paid with a bank account or a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card.
Application fee: $50
License fee: Based on the number of dwelling units
If applying for a fee exemption as a qualifying entity, see "Fee exemption" on the property owners and managers webpage.
Once you submit your application, you will not be able to make changes or corrections until your application is reviewed.
Excise and Licenses tries to conduct an initial review of a complete application within seven business days. The review process might take longer if it is incomplete or requires police review (if applicable).
License must be displayed
Excise and Licenses will email a professional license to all licensees. This license (or a clear picture of it) must always be displayed.
Advertising requirement
A residential rental property licensee must clearly display the license number within advertisements.
Requirement to keep contact information up to date
Email [email protected] to notify the Department of any contact information changes (place of business, onsite manager, etc.). These updates must be submitted within 72 hours of the change.
Requirement to renew
Residential Rental Property licenses are valid for four years. It is unlawful to operate with an expired license. A renewal application must be filed before the license expires.
Denver Revised Municipal Code
Definition 27-192
Requirements 27-195
Inspections 27-196
Required disclosures 27-215
Fees 32-105
Still have questions about applying for a residential rental license? We recommend checking our FAQ as well as our online training videos. If you still need help, you can schedule an appointment to discuss your questions.
For questions related to Americans with Disabilities Act standards and rental units, see more information on the ADA government website.
If you have a compliment, complaint or concern about a business in Denver, complete the form below. We will investigate any complaint about a business license issued for the City and County of Denver.
Compliment and complaint form