With 60 days to go until all landlords in Denver with a multiunit residential rental property are required by law to have a city license, Denver has reduced the number of required documents and information required to make the process easier. Denver took this action after taking input from applicants and reviewing the common issues holding up successful licensing.
“We knew implementing the largest expansion of required business licensing in Denver history was not going to be easy,” said Denver Department of Excise and Licenses Executive Director Molly Duplechian. “It’s important that we continue to look for ways to make the licensing process less complicated, so more landlords can demonstrate their properties meet minimal housing standards and get the required license. If you are a landlord or property manager, there is no reason for you to further delay starting the licensing process with the deadline approaching soon.”
The changes on the online application include allowing for married couples to enter both individuals’ names, removing required documents for possession of property, and removing the ID requirements for the on-site manager of rental properties.
A residential rental license is only required to be renewed once every four years. A private inspection of the property is required. The list of private inspectors available to conduct an inspection expanded to 20 this week, making it easier than ever to schedule an inspection to start the licensing process. There is a 50% discount on the application fee for those who apply before the Jan. 1 deadline for licensing. License costs depend on the number of units. Licensing fees range from $50 for a single-dwelling unit to $500 for a property with 251 units or more. The online application can be found at www.DenverGov.Org/ResidentialRentals. A list of frequently asked questions about the license can be found here.
A residential rental license is not required for single-unit properties for rent until Jan. 1, 2024, but Denver is already accepting and approving license applications for both types of residential rental licenses. Since May, Denver has received 717 residential rental license applications and have approved 534. Out of the 534 licensees, 297 are for multiunit rental properties and the rest are for single-unit rental properties. The city estimates there are approximately 25,000 multiunit residential rental properties that need to be licensed in Denver. Landlords and property managers are encouraged to begin the process soon because unlicensed properties starting in January are subject to enforcement, which includes citations and fines.
