Most of the time, rental properties run fairly smoothly. After all, nobody would want to be a landlord otherwise. But when problems do come up, whether you’re facing property damage or a nonpaying tenant, you’ll need to know your way around Colorado landlord-tenant law.
These regulations set the terms of the rental relationship and define landlord and renters’ rights and responsibilities in Colorado. In this guide, we’ll go over each aspect of these laws, statute by statute, so you know exactly where you and your renters stand.
Under Colorado landlord-tenant law, landlords must handle several duties related to maintenance, property access, security deposits, and more. Here’s what to know:
We’ll go into more detail on these requirements below, including deadlines, exceptions, and the Colorado landlord-tenant laws behind each one.
Learn more: Guide to Landlord-Tenant Relationships
As in all 50 states, Colorado renters have certain rights that limit landlords’ actions during a tenancy and provide remedies for unlawful behavior. Those protections include:
Later in this article, we’ll go into what each of these protections looks like in practice, including notice windows, other available remedies, and more.
Learn more: Guide to Tenant Rights & Responsibilities
Application fee limits: Colorado landlords cannot charge application fees that exceed actual or average processing costs. Landlords must also provide a receipt and make a good-faith effort to refund any unused portion within 20 calendar days (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-903).
Permissible screening criteria: When selecting tenants, landlords can consider an applicant’s credit, criminal, and rental history within the limits of Colorado landlord-tenant law (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-904).
Look-back limits on criminal and eviction records: During the application process, landlords cannot consider arrest records from any time or convictions that are older than 5 years (aside from certain serious offenses). Landlords can only consider credit and rental history within the past 7 years, and courts suppress eviction records until judgment (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-904, § 13-40-110.5).
Source-of-income and voucher protections: In addition to federally protected classes, landlords in Colorado cannot discriminate against tenants based on their source of income, though landlords with five or fewer single-family rentals and no more than five units total do not have to accept federal housing choice vouchers (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-502).
Adverse action notice obligations: When denying a rental application, landlords have to provide tenants with a written notice and reason.
If the denial is based on information in a consumer report, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act also requires landlords to provide an adverse action notice that includes the reporting agency’s contact information and the applicant’s rights (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-904, 15 U.S.C. § 1681m).
Free resources: Send Rental Applications & Screen Tenants Online
Federal protected classes: The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against tenants based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability (42 U.S.C. § 3604).
State-added protected classes: Colorado fair housing laws also protect tenants from discrimination based on creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran or military status, ancestry, and source of income (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-502).
Reasonable accommodations and modifications: Housing providers must be willing to make reasonable accommodations to a rental unit to allow tenants with disabilities to rent, and must also permit tenants with disabilities to make reasonable modifications to the dwelling.
Additionally, tenants with disabilities have the right to keep a service animal without paying an extra charge (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-803).
Discriminatory advertising language: Landlords are strictly prohibited from using discriminatory language in rental advertising, for instance, encouraging tenants of a certain religion to apply or discouraging families with children (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-502, 42 U.S.C. § 3604).
Complaint filing routes and deadlines: Tenants have 1 year to report fair housing violations to the Colorado Civil Rights Division. Federal complaints must also be made to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development within 1 year (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-34-504, 42 U.S.C. § 3610).
Learn more: How to Screen Applicants Fairly
Every tenancy should have a Colorado-specific lease agreement to put terms and tenant protections in writing and protect both parties in the event of a dispute.
Statute of frauds threshold: A lease agreement longer than 1 year must be in writing and signed by both parties (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-10-108).
Mandatory lease terms: The lease agreement must include the identities of the landlord and/or authorized agent, Colorado’s habitability notices in at least 12-point bold type, and, for nonexempt landlords, a source-of-income statement (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-801, § 38-12-505).
Void and unenforceable clauses: Colorado prohibits most jury-trial and class-action waivers. Landlords also cannot provide a lease agreement that relieves them of required responsibilities or waives the tenant’s rights (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-801, § 38-12-503).
Default rules absent a written lease: Without a written agreement, landlords must provide 21 days’ notice before terminating a lease that’s between 1 and 6 months in length (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107).
Renewal and holdover terms: After 12 months of tenancy, most landlords can only end or refuse to renew a lease if they have statutory cause (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-1302, § 38-12-1303).
Colorado-specific leases: Custom Online Lease Builder
Under federal and Colorado landlord-tenant law, landlords must make nine disclosures to tenants. Here’s everything they’ll have to provide:
Learn more: Online Lease Agreement Template
Maximum deposit amount: Colorado security deposit law caps residential deposits at 2 months’ worth of rent payments (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-102.5).
Fees and deposits counting toward the cap: Any advance payment that secures a lease agreement counts as a deposit. Refundable pet deposits are capped separately at $300 (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-102, § 38-12-106).
Account and interest requirements: Colorado doesn’t require a separate account or interest payments for standard residential deposits, though deposits for mobile home parks fall under trust-account rules (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-207).
Return deadline and triggering event: Landlords have 30 days after the lease ends or the tenant moves out, whichever is later, to return the security deposit, unless the lease agreement specifies otherwise (no more than 60 days) (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103).
Itemized statement requirements: If a landlord uses or keeps any portion of the security deposit, they must provide an itemized statement detailing the reasons for withholding (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103).
Wear and tear versus tenant damage: Landlords cannot deduct money from the security deposit to cover normal wear and tear, like faded paint, minor scuffs, and worn-down carpet. However, substantial damages can justify a deduction (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-102, § 38-12-103).
Penalties for wrongful withholding: Landlords who fail to return security deposits as required by law can owe 3 times the amount withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103).
Learn more: How Security Deposits Work
Lawful payment methods: Colorado does not require landlords to accept cash payments. If a landlord accepts cash or a money order in person, they have to provide a receipt for the payment immediately (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-802).
Statutory grace period: Landlords in Colorado cannot charge a late rent fee until rent is at least 7 days overdue (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-105).
Late fee cap: A late fee can’t exceed the greater of $50 or 5% of the past-due rent, and the lease must state the late fee (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-105).
Partial payment consequences: During an eviction for nonpayment, tenants can still stop the case by paying in full. Landlords are legally required to accept full payment from tenants up until a judge enters a possession judgment (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-115).
Helpful tool: Collect Rent Online for Free
Notice periods by tenancy type: For a residential tenancy without a written agreement, landlords have to give at least 60 days’ written notice before raising rent (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-701).
Mid-lease increase restrictions: Unless the lease allows it, landlords cannot raise rent mid-lease. Even then, Colorado limits landlords to one increase during any 12-month period of consecutive occupancy (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-702).
Service and delivery requirements: Colorado landlord-tenant law does not require landlords to use a specific delivery method for rent increase notices (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-701).
Retaliatory and discriminatory increases: Landlords cannot retaliate against tenants for good-faith habitability complaints or tenant organizing. Colorado prohibits discriminatory, retaliatory, or unconscionable rent increases that circumvent its for-cause eviction rules (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-509, § 38-12-1307).
Learn more: Guide to Rent Increase Laws
Colorado does not have any rent control or rent stabilization laws. Landlords can raise rent by any amount they deem fit as long as their actions comply with all other Colorado landlord-tenant laws (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-301).
Learn more: How to Raise Rent Legally
The implied warranty of habitability: Landlords must maintain safe, habitable rental housing throughout the course of a tenancy (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-503).
Conditions constituting a violation: Under Colorado landlord-tenant law, problems like mold, pest infestations, unsafe floors, and more all qualify as breaches of the warranty of habitability (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-505).
Tenant notice requirements: Tenants must notify landlords of repair needs in writing, using a method the landlord already uses to communicate (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-503).
Landlord response deadlines: After receiving notice, landlords have 24 hours to start remedying serious conditions that materially affect life, health, or safety. They must begin work on all other uninhabitable conditions within 72 hours (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-503).
Repair-and-deduct, withholding, and escrow remedies: After giving the landlord notice and the required time to repair, tenants can hire a qualified professional and deduct the cost from future rent payments (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-507).
Helpful tool: Rental Property Maintenance Coordination
Advance notice requirements: Colorado does not require landlords to provide a certain amount of notice before entering a dwelling unit. Habitability repairs require at least 24 hours’ written notice (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-503).
Lawful reasons for entry: Entering for routine repairs, inspections, and showings depends on the terms of the lease agreement.
Emergency exception: Landlords do not have to notify tenants before entering a unit if there’s an imminent threat to life, health, or safety (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-503).
Remedies for unlawful entry and refused access: Colorado doesn’t provide a general statutory damages remedy for unauthorized entry. Unreasonable denial of access can affect a tenant’s habitability claim, and bed bug access disputes may lead to court-ordered landlord entry (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-508, § 38-12-1006).
Free form: 24-Hour Notice to Enter
No-cause termination notice periods: After 12 months, most Colorado landlords must provide statutory cause to end a lease, even if the lease is already expiring.
Exempt tenancies require 91 days’ notice at 1 year or longer, 28 days’ notice at 6 to 12 months, and 21 days’ notice at 1 to under 6 months (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107, § 38-12-1302, § 38-12-1303).
Statutory early termination rights: Tenants can terminate a lease early to begin active-duty military service or if they are a victim of certain crimes.
Tenants may also terminate a lease early if the landlord fails to provide safe, habitable housing (50 U.S.C. § 3955, Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-402, § 38-12-507).
No-fault grounds for eviction: Owner occupancy, sale, major renovation, demolition or conversion, refusal of a reasonable renewal, and qualifying late-payment history all support a no-fault filing, and holdover supports one for exempt tenancies (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-104, § 38-12-1303).
Notice periods by ground: Before filing for eviction, landlords must provide a 10-day notice for nonpayment of rent, lease agreement violations, and qualifying nuisance or negligent damage. Landlords only have to give 3 days’ notice for substantial violations.
Most statutory, no-fault lease terminations require landlords to give 90 days’ notice (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-104, § 13-40-107.5, § 38-12-1303).
Curable versus unconditional notices: Landlords typically must allow tenants to cure issues surrounding nonpayment, a first-time lease violation, and qualifying nuisance or negligent damage. Landlords usually don’t have to allow tenants to cure repeat and substantial violations (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-104, § 13-40-107.5).
Court filing through judgment: Once notice expires, the landlord can file the Complaint and Summons, and service has to occur at least 7 days before the return date.
If the tenant contests, they file an answer by that date, and a trial normally follows 7 to 10 days later (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-112, § 13-40-113).
Writ of possession and execution: Colorado uses a Writ of Restitution to remove evicted tenants from rental properties.
A court can’t issue the Writ until 48 hours after judgment, and the sheriff can’t execute a residential Writ until at least 10 days later (though some benefit recipients and documented victim-survivors receive 30 days) (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-122).
Self-help eviction penalties: Landlords cannot attempt to remove tenants via lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removing doors, windows, or locks. Landlords who attempt self-help evictions may be on the hook for actual damages plus the greater of 3 times monthly rent or $5,000, with attorney fees and costs (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-510).
Learn more: Colorado Eviction Laws
Squatter, holdover tenant, and guest distinctions: Colorado’s expedited process allows removal of a qualifying unauthorized occupant. Holdover tenants, by contrast, can only be removed by forcible entry and detainer action (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40.1-101, § 13-40-104).
Adverse possession elements and statutory period: To qualify for adverse possession, Colorado requires actual, open, notorious, hostile, exclusive, and continuous possession under a claim of right for 18 years, plus a reasonable, good-faith belief of ownership (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-41-101).
Color of title and property tax payment: Color of title alone doesn’t shorten the 18-year period, but good-faith color of title, actual possession, and payment of all assessed taxes can reduce the period to 7 years (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-41-108).
Lawful removal routes: For qualifying unauthorized occupants of vacant residential property, owners can seek an expedited county court order. After receiving the court order, the sheriff must remove the occupant within 24 hours (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40.1-101).
Practical likelihood of a successful claim: Proving adverse possession is an uphill battle against a clear-and-convincing evidence standard, so property damage and legal costs pose the more immediate risks (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-41-101).
To prevent squatters from gaining ground, inspect vacant properties frequently, secure entry points, and take action against unauthorized occupants as soon as they’re discovered. Do not accept rent payments or make an informal occupancy agreement, as this can complicate removal.
Learn more: Colorado Squatter’s Rights
Abandoned property after move-out: After a court-ordered eviction, landlords don’t have to store removed belongings. A landlord using Colorado’s lien process must wait 30 days without owner contact, then give at least 15 days’ certified notice before disposal (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-122, § 38-20-116).
Local ordinances superseding Colorado landlord-tenant law: As of 2026, Boulder requires landlords to pay 2.08% interest on residential security deposits. Denver has additional rental licensing and tenant-rights notice requirements.
Smoke and carbon monoxide detector requirements: Colorado requires landlords to provide operational carbon monoxide alarms within 15 feet of bedroom entrances. Tenants are responsible for testing and maintaining carbon monoxide alarms (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-45-104).
Renters insurance requirements: Colorado doesn’t prohibit landlords from making coverage a lease condition, but they can’t require tenants to use renters insurance to cover habitability costs that the landlord is responsible for (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-503).
Utility billing and submetering: Colorado allows Ratio Utility Billing Systems if landlords disclose the allocation method, don’t bill above what the provider charges, and exclude common-area costs. Meters or submeters will apply to certain newly permitted properties starting July 1, 2027 (HB 26-1013).
Recent and pending statutory changes: New security-deposit documentation and inspection rules took effect on January 1, 2026, along with new rental pricing and fee restrictions (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103, § 6-1-737).
These state and nonprofit resources can help both landlords and tenants with court forms, rental-law guidance, and other legal assistance:
Colorado has a reputation as a more landlord-friendly state, since it doesn’t have statewide rent control. However, Colorado renters’ rights still include deposit caps, source-of-income protection, and application fee limits.
Colorado does not require landlords to give notice before entering, except for habitability repairs, which need 24 hours’ written notice.
Landlords have 30 days after the lease ends or the tenant surrenders, whichever comes later, to return the remaining security deposit (unless the lease agreement extends that period to 60 days).
For residential tenancies without a written agreement, landlords have to give at least 60 days’ written notice before increasing rent. Colorado allows for one rent increase during any 12 months of consecutive occupancy.
A Colorado eviction can take several weeks or longer, depending on the notice period, the court’s schedule, whether the tenant contests, and when the sheriff executes the Writ of Restitution.
Colorado renters have the right to safe, habitable housing; the right to receive returned security deposits in accordance with state regulations; the right to fair housing protections; and the right to court process before an eviction. Tenants also have the right to repair-and-deduct for qualifying breaches of the warranty of habitability.
Landlords may review rental, credit, eviction, and criminal history when selecting a tenant in Colorado. However, landlords cannot consider rental and credit history older than 7 years, convictions older than 5 years, and arrest records from any time.
