Frisco vs. Dillon Short-Term Rental Rules: What Summit County Buyers Should Know

How do short-term rental rules in Frisco and Dillon compare?

In Summit County, Frisco caps short-term rental licenses at 900 and runs a waitlist, while Dillon lists no license cap but allows fewer guests per unit. Neither town lets a license transfer at sale.

For example, say you're comparing two two-bedroom condos a few miles apart, one in Frisco and one in Dillon. Under each town's posted rules, the Frisco unit can host up to 8 guests. The Dillon unit can host 6.

Then there's the license. In Frisco, a new owner who wants to rent usually starts on a waitlist that recent applicants spent twelve to fourteen months on. In Dillon, the Town's STR page lists no cap on the number of licenses, so a new owner applies directly.

Those two differences, guest count and license access, change the math on the same condo. This post puts Frisco and Dillon side by side and lists what to check on a specific address before you make an offer.

Frisco and Dillon at a Glance

Both towns' rules come from their official STR pages, reviewed October 26, 2026.

Frisco: A Hard Cap and a Waitlist

The Town of Frisco's short-term rental regulations cap licenses at 25% of the town's residential housing units. With 3,600 units, that's a maximum of 900 licenses. The cap comes from Ordinance 22-10, which took effect October 17, 2022.

Frisco reached that cap in February 2023. Since then, new licenses come off a waitlist.

How the Frisco Waitlist Works

The Town's license application and waitlist page lays out the process:

• You register with a non-refundable $25 waitlist fee, separate from the license fee.
• Entries are placed in the order received, and the Town posts an updated waitlist each month.
• When a license opens, Town staff email the next person, who has 14 days to submit a complete application.
• The owner name and property address on the waitlist registration must match the license application. Changing either one costs you your place.

The Town says applicants in 2023 and 2024 spent twelve to fourteen months on the waitlist, and it describes the future wait as unknown. Because the registration has to match the owner and address, plan on your place in line starting once you own the property.

Frisco licenses are not transferable. When a licensed property sells, the seller closes out the account, and the buyer's rental plan starts with that waitlist.

Frisco Fees, Occupancy, and Taxes

The annual license fee is $250, and the Town doesn't prorate it. Licenses expire April 30, with renewals open from February 20 through April 30.

Occupancy is limited to two people per bedroom plus four more. A two-bedroom unit allows 8.

Each booking carries a total tax of 15.725%, which the license holder collects and remits. Frisco also requires a parking plan shared with guests, prohibits parking on landscaping or public streets, and requires a responsible agent available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Dillon: Direct Licensing, Tighter Occupancy

The Town of Dillon's STR regulations page lists no cap on the number of licenses. For a buyer comparing the two towns, that's the biggest difference: a Dillon owner applies for a license rather than joining a line.

Dillon's licenses are also non-transferable, so a buyer still applies under their own name after closing.

The Dillon Occupancy Limit

Dillon limits occupancy to two guests per bedroom plus two more per property. A two-bedroom unit allows 6, two fewer than the same unit in Frisco. The rule comes from Ordinance 01-22, approved March 1, 2022.

Dillon Fees, Renewals, and Listing Rules

The license fee is a flat $700 a year, regardless of when you get the license, and there's no refund if you stop renting mid-year. Licenses expire May 31 each year and don't renew automatically, so the renewal is on your calendar, not the Town's.

The application requires a floor plan showing the fire extinguisher, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, the circuit breaker box, and an egress plan. Every listing you post has to show the property's occupancy limit and your STR license number. License holders remit sales, lodging, and excise taxes to the Town through its MUNIRevs online system.

How This Changes the Numbers on a Condo

Guest count and license access both feed your budget:

• Nightly rate. A unit licensed for 8 can price differently than one licensed for 6, even with the same bedroom count.
• Months without rental income. In Frisco, your budget should hold up while you wait for a license. In Dillon, the gap is the application and approval time.
• Fixed costs. The license fee is $250 in Frisco and $700 in Dillon, on top of HOA dues, insurance, and property tax.

If you're also weighing Breckenridge, its caps work by zone. The posts on the Breckenridge Zone 3 license math and what happens to a license when you sell a Breckenridge condo cover those rules. Keystone, Copper Mountain, and unincorporated Summit County fall under county rules, covered in this county STR post.

What to Check Before You Write an Offer

1. Confirm the town. A Frisco or Dillon mailing address doesn't always mean the property sits inside town limits. The jurisdiction decides which rules apply.
2. Assume the seller's license won't come with the property. In both towns, it's non-transferable.
3. Price in the wait. In Frisco, run your numbers without rental income for at least the time recent waitlist applicants spent in line.
4. Budget on the right guest count. Use 2 per bedroom plus 4 in Frisco, or 2 per bedroom plus 2 in Dillon.
5. Read the HOA documents. An HOA can restrict short-term rentals on its own, separate from what the town allows.

Jamie Bridges, a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty DTC, works with second-home and investor buyers across Summit County, from Frisco and Dillon to Breckenridge and Keystone. He holds the Resort & Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS) designation, and he checks the town's current license status and occupancy rules for the specific address before you commit to a property.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a Frisco short-term rental license right away? Not usually. Frisco has been at its 900-license cap since February 2023, so new licenses come from a waitlist. The Town says applicants in 2023 and 2024 waited twelve to fourteen months.

Does Dillon have a cap on short-term rental licenses? The Town of Dillon's STR regulations page lists no cap on the number of licenses. Occupancy is limited to two guests per bedroom plus two per property.

Do short-term rental licenses transfer when you buy in Frisco or Dillon? No. Both towns state that STR licenses are not transferable. The seller's license ends with the sale, and you apply for your own.

If you're weighing a Summit County second home in Frisco or Dillon, start with the address and its license path. Jamie Bridges is a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty DTC serving the Denver Metro Area and Summit County, Colorado. Call or text Jamie at 720-397-7555 to talk about your next move.

Sources: Town of Frisco, Short-Term Rental Regulations (page modified September 28, 2026) and Short-Term Rental License Application & Waitlist Registration; Town of Dillon, Short Term Rental (STR) Regulations, Ordinances 09-18 and 01-22. All reviewed October 26, 2026. Rules can change after publication, so confirm current requirements with each town before you buy. General information only. This isn't legal or tax advice.