Colorado Rental Agreement

Last Updated: May 13, 2025 by Roberto Valenzuela

A Colorado rental agreement is a legal contract between a landlord overseeing a rental property and a tenant using the property. Colorado landlord-tenant law governs and regulates these agreements.

Colorado Rental Agreement Types

10 pages
Residential Lease Agreement

A Colorado residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) is a legal contract for a tenant to rent a residential property from a landlord, subject to terms and conditions agreed by all parties.

8 pages
Month-to-Month Rental Agreement

A Colorado month-to-month lease agreement is a contract (not necessarily written) where a tenant rents property from a landlord. The full rental term is one month, renewable on a month-to-month basis.

3 pages
Rental Application Form

Colorado landlords may use a rental application form to screen prospective tenants. A rental application collects information relating to finances, rental history, and past evictions.

7 pages
Residential Sublease Agreement

A Colorado sublease agreement is a legal contract where a tenant ("sublessor") rents (“subleases”) property to a new tenant (“sublessee”), usually with the landlord’s permission.

9 pages
Roommate Agreement

A Colorado roommate agreement is a legal contract between two or more people (“co-tenants”) who share a rental property according to rules they set, including for things like splitting the rent. This agreement binds the co-tenants living together, and doesn’t include the landlord.

8 pages
Commercial Lease Agreement

A Colorado commercial lease agreement is a legal contract arranging the rental of commercial space between a landlord and a business.

Common Residential Rental Agreements in Colorado

  • Boulder, Colorado Model Lease Agreement – This city-provided template is in common use throughout the Boulder area. It has through coverage of local concerns, including considerations like bear-proof containers.

Colorado Required Residential Lease Disclosures

  • Landlord’s Name and Address (required for all leases) – All residential leases in the state of Colorado must contain the name and address of the landlord or authorized agent, for smooth communication of legal notice. (Most leases also have information like cell phone number and email address for the parties.) When contact information changes, the landlord must provide updated information within one business day.
  • Radon Gas Disclosure (required for all leases) – Colorado law requires a radon gas disclosure for all residential lease agreements. This must include a a formal statement about the dangers of radon gas, plus current information about radon testing and concentrations on the property. The disclosure is not valid unless signed by the tenant.
  • Income Non-Discrimination Disclosure (required for most leases) – Colorado requires a reminder in most rental agreements that discrimination based on source of income is illegal as long as ability to pay rent is verified. Small-scale landlords operating five or fewer total rental units are exempt from this disclosure requirement.
  • Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (required for some leases)Landlords must provide an EPA-approved disclosure and informational pamphlet to tenants renting any property built before 1978.

To learn more about required disclosures in Colorado, click here.

note
Some Colorado cities, like Denver and Colorado Springs, may require additional disclosures. Local laws may apply, not just state laws.

Colorado Landlord Tenant Laws

  • Warranty of Habitability – Colorado landlords can only rent out habitable property. This means providing certain basic health and safety features like heat, plumbing, electricity, and sound structural elements. Landlords must begin repairs within 24-72 hours after proper notice from the tenant, depending on the issue. Failure to repair lets a tenant sue the landlord or terminate the lease. Tenants usually aren’t allowed to repair and deduct, or withhold rent.
  • Evictions – Colorado landlords may evict for rent nonpayment, lease violations, or illegal acts, among other things. Before filing eviction, landlords must serve tenants with prior notice to pay, comply, or quit, depending on the eviction type. Evictions often can take a week to a little more than a month. This can be significantly extended for property covered by the federal CARES Act, which extends the minimum eviction notice to 30 days.
  • Security Deposits – Colorado caps most security deposits at two months’ rent. By default, a landlord has one month to return a tenant’s security deposit.
  • Lease Termination – Colorado lets either party end a month-to-month lease with 21 days of advance notice. Terminating a fixed-term lease early requires (in most cases) active military duty, landlord harassment, uninhabitable property, or domestic abuse.
  • Rent Increases and Fees – Colorado has no limit on the amount or frequency of a rent increase. The state caps late fees at $50 or 5% of the past due rent payment. The late fee may only be charged once per past due payment, and they must be be collected by the seventh calendar day after rent is late. Returned check fees are capped at $20.
  • Landlord Entry – Colorado landlords may enter rental property for reasonable business purposes like maintenance and inspections. A landlord can enter at reasonable times of day using reasonable advance notice (in general at least 48 hours), unless the lease agrees otherwise. Entry to fix an emergency doesn’t require advance notice.
  • Settling Legal Disputes – Colorado allows landlord-tenant disputes in its small claims courts, as long as the amount in controversy is under $7,500. Evictions are not allowed in small claims.

To learn more about landlord tenant laws in Colorado, click here.

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