Starting a business in Breckenridge, Colorado: a practical checklist

Updated

Breckenridge is a resort town, and most of what is different about starting a business here comes from the Town itself: it runs its own business licenses, collects its own sales tax, and has a separate licensing system for short-term rentals. Requirements, fees and rules change, so confirm each item with the linked offices before you act. This is a checklist, not legal or tax advice.

1. Start with the Town of Breckenridge, not just the state

Business licensing in Breckenridge runs through the Town's finance department. The Town business licenses page is where the Town sets out which license applies to your kind of business, what it costs and how renewal works, so read it before you open, including if you deliver goods into town or rent accommodations. The Town's finance pages also cover paying your license online.

2. Sales tax: the Town collects its own

Breckenridge is on the Colorado Department of Revenue's list of home-rule cities for which the State does not collect local sales tax, so the Town collects its own. The Town's sales tax page is where it explains how to remit. The Department also says its sales tax license covers state and state-collected jurisdictions only, and that in a home-rule city you contact the city for its license requirements. So plan on two separate accounts if you sell taxable goods or services:

For current rates, use the Town's tax rates page. County and special district taxes are not covered here, so ask the Town's finance office whether any apply to you.

3. Short-term rentals are licensed separately

If you plan to rent a property short term, a regular business license is not the whole story. The Town's short-term rental licensing page explains the separate licensing for rentals, including what counts as a short-term rental and when you need the license. Get that answer before you advertise a property.

Availability of short-term rental licenses can depend on where the property is and on what the Town has open, so check the license availability and waitlist page before you buy a property or sign a lease with rentals in mind. There is also a separate accommodations tax page for lodging.

4. Working from home: the in-home occupation permit

If your business address is a residence, ask the Town whether an in-home occupation permit applies and what it costs. The Town's Planning Department handles zoning questions for home businesses and signs; start from the Planning Department page, and see the business licenses page for how it ties to your license.

5. Form your entity with the state

If you want an LLC, you file Articles of Organization with the Colorado Secretary of State. The fee schedule lists $50 online for the filing and $25 online for the annual Periodic Report, and says it was revised July 1, 2024 and is subject to change. Form the entity first, since the Town and state accounts will ask for the business name.

6. Seasonal timing

Breckenridge business runs on seasons, so ask the Town's finance office about anything tied to one, such as when to apply before winter or summer staffing. Sales tax filing schedules and license renewals follow the dates the Town gives you, so put them on a calendar from day one.

7. Local help

  • Town business resources: the Town's Business Resources page collects tools, data and contacts for new and growing businesses.
  • Colorado SBDC: the Northwest Colorado SBDC lists Summit County among the counties it serves, with no-cost, confidential one-on-one advising. Its main office is in Eagle, by appointment, at 970-328-3414. You can also request a session through coloradosbdc.org.
  • Chamber: the Summit Chamber of Commerce is the local chamber for the county; check its site for what membership includes.

8. Setting up a business email address

You will need one for the state, the Town, your bank and your customers. Two common routes: your own domain plus Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, which you own and can grow with staff, or a short local address like [email protected] from us. Ours is $19 a month for a personal name, trade names like plumber@ cost more, there is no domain or DNS to handle, and setup takes about five minutes. You rent the address and do not own the domain, so your own domain is better for a brand with staff. See the real cost of a business email or the home page.

Check a name or try the email address ideas tool.