Short-term rentals in Vail and Avon

Vail and Avon, at the foot of Beaver Creek, line the I-70 corridor within reach of Denver and the Eagle County airport. Winter comes first, with one of the largest ski areas in North America, but mountain biking, golf, concerts and the valley's summer events have stretched the calendar. Most rentals are condos and townhomes in Vail Village, Lionshead and Avon's town core, with larger homes on the slopes above.

Vail: a license for every unit, no cap so far

Each unit rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days in the Town of Vail needs a short-term rental license. There are three license types, depending on whether the owner, a professional manager or on-site management runs the unit, and the fee is lower when management is on site. A local representative must live within an hour of the property, carry a text-enabled phone and be available at any hour. Since the ordinance that took effect in January 2023, units display the license number and the town complaint hotline, and a third violation can cost the license for three years. A May 2026 guide reported no cap on licenses, while noting that a per-bedroom annual fee had passed first reading before being put on hold. Keep an eye on it.

Avon and the rest of the valley

Avon allows short-term rentals only inside a zoning overlay. Within the town core, licenses are uncapped. Outside the core but within the overlay, a 2022 ordinance limits full-time licenses to a share of the units in each property, while resident-occupied and limited-use licenses sit outside that limit. Eagle County has long left unincorporated areas to metro districts and homeowners' associations and has been preparing a county licensing program, so check its status before buying in places such as Edwards or Eagle-Vail. Minturn, Eagle and Gypsum each have their own approach.

Taxes and associations

Guests pay state sales tax plus county, town and local lodging taxes. Platforms collect the state-administered taxes on their bookings; Vail and Avon administer their own taxes, and direct bookings are always your responsibility. Many condominium buildings have declarations that restrict or organize rentals, sometimes through a mandatory on-site rental desk.

Our advice

Map the jurisdiction and overlay before comparing prices: two condos a mile apart can fall under different regimes. Ask each association how it handles rentals and whether its front desk is compulsory. Budget for a possible bedroom-based fee in Vail. We study every request and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.