DENVER — The deadline for landlords renting single-unit properties to apply for a license with the city is Jan. 1, 2024.
This is the last of two phases for landlord licensing requirements in Denver. The first deadline was Jan. 1, 2023, for multi-unit rentals. Denver has enforced this requirement with fines — the city issued 1,803 warning letters for unlicensed landlords renting multi-unit properties and collected $83,488 in fines as of Dec. 29.
“This is the largest expansion of required licensing in the history of Denver,” said Eric Escudero, the spokesperson for Denver's Department of Excise and Licenses. “It's been a huge rush of landlords.”
Landlords have had a year and a half to submit but, in December alone, 4,274 landlords have applied as of Dec. 29. That means more than half of all the applications were submitted within the last two months.
“Yes, our agency has been slammed,” Escudero said.
There has never been a licensing requirement for landlords like this. This started because tenants were complaining to the health department.
“There needed to be something done to take it to the next level,” Escudero said.
That's why the first part of the application process is a third-party inspection to check for the basics.
“A heater that's functioning, water that's running, making sure there is not black mold or pests,” Escudero said.
Then, landlords can apply online.
“It's only a $50 fee every four years to get the license, plus an application fee, a one-time application of $50," Escudero said.
The fee for not having a license is much heftier. For multi-unit properties, the city has issued 320 total $150 first-time fines, 47 total $500 second-time fines, and 12 total $999 third-time fines as of Dec. 29.
Making such a massive change — and the rush of processing thousands of applications — is worth it to the city.
“It’s going to change Denver, we think, for the better,” Escudero said.
To see how many residential rental property licenses are active in Denver right now, click here.
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