How Probate Works in Colorado

File in the district court of the county where the decedent lived (Denver Probate Court in Denver), no sooner than 120 hours after death; most proceedings must start within three years of death. Choose informal or formal probate, with or without a will (for example, Application for Informal Probate JDF 910, or Petition for Formal Probate JDF 920). After appointment, the personal representative files an acceptance (JDF 911), receives letters (JDF 915), sends an Information of Appointment (JDF 940) to interested persons within 30 days, publishes notice to creditors, prepares an inventory (JDF 941) within three months (sent to interested persons on request rather than filed with the court), pays claims, distributes the estate, and may close by sworn statement no earlier than six months after appointment or one year after death, whichever comes first.

Colorado offers informal probate (no hearing; a probate registrar reviews the application) as well as formal probate. If the inventory shows the estate is worth no more than the exempt property and family allowances, administration costs, reasonable funeral expenses and last-illness medical bills, the personal representative may distribute immediately without notice to creditors and close the estate with a sworn statement.

The personal representative publishes a notice to creditors once a week for three weeks. Claims that arose before death are barred unless presented by the date in the notice (no earlier than four months after first publication), by the date in any written notice sent to a creditor, and in any case within one year after death.

Priority for appointment: the person named in the will, then a surviving spouse (or civil union partner) who inherits under the will, other will beneficiaries, the surviving spouse or partner, other heirs, and after 45 days any creditor. A personal representative must be at least 21 and not found unsuitable by the court. A personal representative who does not live in Colorado files an Irrevocable Power of Attorney (JDF 721). No bond is required in informal proceedings unless the will requires it or an interested person asks; in formal proceedings the court may require bond.

A successor can collect the decedent's personal property (bank accounts, safe deposit box contents, vehicles, stocks, money owed) by presenting an affidavit (form JDF 999) to whoever holds it, if at least 10 days have passed since death, no personal representative has been appointed or applied for anywhere, and the estate's value less liens is no more than the inflation-adjusted limit for the year of death: $88,000 for 2026 deaths, $86,000 for 2025, $82,000 for 2024. The affidavit is not filed with the court and cannot be used to transfer real estate.

Probate is handled by the district court in the county where the person who died lived; in Denver County, estates are filed in the Denver Probate Court. If the person lived in another state, you can file in any Colorado county where they owned property.