Colorado Residential Lease Agreement
A free Colorado lease template, plus what Colorado law requires a lease to include, attach or leave out — each with the statute. Use it as a starting point; landlords with unusual situations should have a lawyer review the final lease.
Disclosures Colorado requires
| Landlord or agent name and address | A written lease must state the name and address of the landlord or the landlord's authorized agent. If the landlord or agent changes, the new landlord or agent must notify each tenant in writing or electronically, or post the new identity conspicuously on the premises, within one business day. Applies to: All written residential leases Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-801(2) |
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| Source-of-income discrimination statement | A written lease must include a statement that C.R.S. § 24-34-502(1) prohibits source-of-income discrimination and requires a non-exempt landlord to accept any lawful and verifiable source of money paid directly, indirectly, or on behalf of a person, including income from any lawful occupation and income or rent payments from any government or private assistance, grant, or loan program. Applies to: Written leases, except landlords with five or fewer single-family rental homes and no more than five rental units in total Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-801(2.5) |
| Radon disclosure | Before the lease is signed, the landlord must give the tenant a written disclosure, which the tenant signs to acknowledge receipt, containing: a bold-faced radon warning statement in substantially the statutory form; any information the landlord knows about radon at the property (whether it was tested, the most current test records and reports, radon levels found and any mitigation, and details of any mitigation system); and a copy of the state health department's current radon brochure. If the landlord fails to give the disclosure, or fails to make a reasonable effort to mitigate within 180 days after being told a professional measured 4 picocuries per liter or more, the tenant may void the lease and move out; since January 1, 2026, this remedy does not apply to leases of one year or less. Applies to: All residential leases (single-family homes, apartments, condos, townhomes, duplexes, manufactured and mobile homes) Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-803 |
| Bed bug history on request | A landlord may not offer for rent a unit it knows or reasonably suspects has bed bugs. If a prospective tenant asks, the landlord must disclose whether, to its knowledge, the unit had bed bugs in the previous eight months, and, if a tenant or prospective tenant asks, the last date the unit was inspected and found free of bed bugs. Applies to: All residential rentals (on request) Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-1005 |
| Fees: total price and optional charges | Since January 1, 2026, when a landlord advertises or offers a rental, it must clearly and conspicuously disclose the total price including all mandatory fees, and for any charge that is not part of the total price, its nature, refundability, and recipient. Applies to: Residential rental offers and advertisements Source: C.R.S. § 6-1-737 (HB 25-1090) |
Terms Colorado law requires or controls
| Late fees must be in the lease | A landlord may not require payment of a late fee unless the fee is disclosed in the rental agreement. No late fee may be charged until rent is at least 7 calendar days late, and it may not exceed the greater of $50 or 5% of the past-due rent. A late fee may not be called rent, and lease terms that break these rules are void. Applies to: All residential leases |
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| Prevailing-party attorney fees only | Any fee-shifting clause must award attorney fees to the prevailing party in a court dispute about the lease or unit, after the court finds the party prevailed and the fee is reasonable. One-way clauses are void. Applies to: All written residential leases |
| Deposit return period | The security deposit must be returned within 30 days after the lease ends or the tenant surrenders the unit, whichever is later, unless the lease sets a longer period of no more than 60 days. Applies to: All residential leases |
| Pet deposit and pet rent limits | A pet security deposit may not exceed $300 and must be refundable. Monthly pet rent may not exceed the greater of $35 or 1.5% of the monthly rent. Applies to: Residential leases that allow pets Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-106 |
Clauses that are void in Colorado
| Penalties tied to eviction notices | A written lease may not include a clause that assigns a penalty to a party because of an eviction notice or eviction action resulting from a lease violation. Applies to: All written residential leases Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-801(3)(a)(I) |
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| Waiver of jury trial, class actions, good faith, quiet enjoyment or mediation | A written lease may not waive: the right to a jury trial (except in a hearing to determine possession); the right to bring or join a class, joint or collective claim; the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; the implied covenant of quiet enjoyment (the lease may say the landlord is not responsible for third parties beyond its reasonable control); or mandatory pre-eviction mediation. It also may not let the landlord recoup mandatory mediation costs. Applies to: All written residential leases |
| Nonrenewal-notice penalties | A written lease may not impose a fee, damages, or penalty for failing to give notice of nonrenewal before the lease ends, except the landlord's actual losses from the missing notice. Applies to: All written residential leases Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-801(3)(a)(IV) |
| Calling fees or utilities "rent" | A written lease may not classify any amount other than the set monthly payment for occupancy (such as utility or service fees) as "rent" to make eviction and other rent remedies available for it. Applies to: All written residential leases Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-801(3)(a)(V) |
| Markups on third-party bills and junk fees | A written lease may not require a tenant to pay a markup or fee on a service the landlord is billed for by a third party, except one of: up to 2% of the bill, or up to $10 per month in total. Since January 1, 2026, it also may not require a fee that violates C.R.S. § 6-1-737, which bars charging tenants for: utilities above the provider's charge; fees that rise more than 2% during a lease of a year or less (utilities excepted); property taxes; payment processing when no free payment method is reasonably available; late fees on anything other than rent; items needed to meet the landlord's own duties, including habitability; goods or services not actually provided; or common-area maintenance. Applies to: All written residential leases |
| Voucher evictions for utilities only | A written lease may not let a voucher or subsidy program provider bring a possession action based only on unpaid utilities. Applies to: Written leases for voucher or subsidized tenancies Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-801(3)(a)(VII) |
| Waiver of deposit rights; charges for normal wear | Any lease provision that waives or modifies a tenant-protective provision of the security-deposit law is void. Since January 1, 2026, a provision charging the tenant for repairs, cleaning or other work due to normal wear and tear, or for damage or defects that existed before the tenancy, is also void. Applies to: All residential leases |
| Waiver of habitability rights | Any agreement waiving or modifying a right, remedy, obligation, or prohibition in the warranty-of-habitability law is void, including a lease clause that charges the tenant a cost, fee, or penalty for using those remedies. Applies to: All residential leases |
| Waiver of just-cause eviction protections | A lease provision that tries to waive or modify the for-cause eviction law is void. Applies to: Residential premises covered by the for-cause eviction law Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-1305 |
| Waiver of immigrant tenant protections | Any waiver by a tenant of the rights in the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act is void. Applies to: All residential tenancies Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-1204(4) |
Format and delivery rules
| Signed copy to the tenant within 7 days | If there is a written lease, the landlord must give the tenant a copy signed by both landlord and tenant no later than the seventh day after the tenant signs. An electronic copy is allowed unless the tenant asks for paper. Applies to: All written residential leases Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-801(1) |
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| Radon warning in bold | The radon warning statement must be in bold-faced, clearly legible type, and the tenant must sign the disclosure to acknowledge receipt. Applies to: All residential leases Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-803(2) |
| Rent receipts | A landlord must give a receipt at the time of any in-person cash or money-order payment, and for other payments within 7 days if the tenant asks (unless another record already shows the amount, recipient and date). Receipts may be electronic unless the tenant asks for paper. Applies to: All residential tenancies Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-802 |
Fill in the lease
Nothing you type leaves your browser. Bracketed items are yours to complete; clauses marked as required by Colorado law must be written to meet the rule shown above.
1. Parties. This lease is between [landlord name] ("Landlord") and [tenant name(s)] ("Tenant"). Landlord's address for notices: [landlord notice address].
2. Property. Landlord rents to Tenant the home at [rental address], including [parking, storage, appliances included].
3. Term. The lease begins on [start date] and ends on [end date]. [If month-to-month instead: the tenancy continues month to month until either side gives the written notice Colorado law requires.]
4. Rent. Rent is $[monthly rent] per month, due on the [due day] day of each month, paid by [payment method] to [where to pay].
5. Late fee. If rent is not received by [late day], a late fee of $[late fee] is due. This fee must comply with Colorado law (C.R.S. § 38-12-105).
6. Security deposit. Tenant pays a security deposit of $[deposit amount], within the Colorado limit (C.R.S. §§ 38-12-102.5, 38-12-106). Landlord will return it, minus lawful deductions with any required itemized list, within the time Colorado law sets (C.R.S. § 38-12-103(1) (as amended by HB 25-1249)).
7. Utilities. Tenant pays: [utilities tenant pays]. Landlord pays: [utilities landlord pays].
8. Occupants and guests. Only these people may live in the home: [names of all occupants]. Guests may stay up to [guest limit] unless Landlord agrees in writing.
9. Pets. [No pets allowed / Pets allowed: describe, plus any pet deposit or fee]. Assistance animals for people with disabilities are not pets and are handled under fair housing law.
10. Repairs and maintenance. Landlord keeps the home safe and fit to live in and makes repairs required by law. Tenant keeps the home clean, reports problems promptly in writing, and pays for damage beyond normal wear and tear.
11. Landlord entry. Landlord may enter for repairs, inspections or showings after giving the notice Colorado law requires (C.R.S. § 38-12-503(6)), except in an emergency.
12. Subletting. Tenant may not sublet or assign this lease without Landlord's written consent, which [will / will not] be unreasonably withheld.
13. Ending the lease. At the end of the term, [the lease ends / the lease renews month to month] unless either side gives written notice at least [notice days] days before the end date, and never less than Colorado law requires.
14. Late fees must be in the lease. (Write this clause to meet Colorado law: see "Late fees must be in the lease" above (C.R.S. § 38-12-105(1)(a)-(c), (2), (7)).)
15. Prevailing-party attorney fees only. (Write this clause to meet Colorado law: see "Prevailing-party attorney fees only" above (C.R.S. § 38-12-801(3)(a)(II), (3)(b)).)
16. Deposit return period. (Write this clause to meet Colorado law: see "Deposit return period" above (C.R.S. § 38-12-103(1)(a) (as amended by HB 25-1249, effective January 1, 2026)).)
17. Pet deposit and pet rent limits. (Write this clause to meet Colorado law: see "Pet deposit and pet rent limits" above (C.R.S. § 38-12-106).)
18. Disclosures attached. Landlord has given Tenant these disclosures required by Colorado law: Landlord or agent name and address; Source-of-income discrimination statement; Radon disclosure; Bed bug history on request; Fees: total price and optional charges. [Attach each one.]
19. Lead paint (homes built before 1978). If the home was built before 1978, Landlord has given Tenant the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home."
20. Whole agreement. This lease and its attachments are the whole agreement. If any part is not allowed by law, the rest still applies. Changes must be in writing and signed by both sides.
Landlord: [landlord name] Signature: ____________ Date: [date signed]
Tenant: [tenant name(s)] Signature: ____________ Date: [date signed]
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.