It is the law in Denver for any property offered for rent for 30 days or more to have applied for or received a residential rental license. The licensing program is part of Denver’s drive to achieve minimum residential rental housing standards.

This is a reminder that the transfer of residential rental property licenses upon the sale of a property is not allowed. If a property with the residential rental property license is sold and it will continue to be a rental property, the new owner is required to apply for a new license and complete all of the necessary tasks, including a third-party inspection.

Landlords who do not get a license cannot legally rent units and are eligible to fines and citations. Unlicensed landlords found by the city receive a notice of violation warning letter, followed by fines of $150, $500, and $999 if a landlord does not get the required license.

New owners can submit this form so our agency can confirm new owners ship and expire the old license. This will allow the new owner to submit an application for approval.

Be sure to review the inspector checklist, inspector list and application requirements for general information. There is also a substantial frequently asked questions section on our website.

Share this message with any other stakeholders and encourage them to sign up for the residential rental property informational bulletin to receive news and updates as they become available.

The Department of Excise and Licenses is now on LinkedIn. This platform enhances the Department’s ability to reach more Denver businesses, consumers and stakeholders that are impacted by license regulations. The page provides newsworthy Denver business information, including licensing trends, updates about changes to regulations, alerts about new programs to support businesses and opportunities for the community to participate in the licensing approval process.