How to Evict a Tenant in Colorado (2026)

The legal steps for landlords in Colorado — the notice, the court case, costs, timeline and the mistakes that get cases thrown out — with the statute or official page behind each step.

Short answer: In Colorado a landlord must give the required written notice, file an eviction case in court if the tenant doesn't pay or leave, win a judgment, and have a sheriff or other officer carry out the removal. Changing the locks or removing belongings yourself is not allowed.

Step 1: Have a legal reason and give the right notice

Unpaid rent	10-day written demand to pay rent or deliver possession. Exempt residential agreements get 5 days; employer-provided housing gets 3 days. The tenant may pay the full amount in the notice, plus any rent that has since come due, at any time until the judge enters a judgment for possession. Payment can go to the landlord or the court, and the case is then dismissed. Source: C.R.S. §§ 13-40-104(1)(d), 13-40-106, 13-40-115(4)
Lease violation	10-day written notice to comply with the violated condition or covenant, or deliver possession (5 days for exempt residential agreements, 3 days for employer-provided housing). A repeat violation of the same covenant after a prior notice allows termination 10 days after written notice, with no cure. Substantial violations, such as certain violent or drug-related criminal acts, are handled under § 13-40-107.5. Source: C.R.S. §§ 13-40-104(1)(e), (1)(e.5), 13-40-107.5
Ending a month-to-month tenancy (no fault)	For tenants covered by the for-cause eviction law (generally after 12 months of tenancy), the landlord may not end the tenancy without cause. No-fault grounds (demolition or conversion, substantial repairs, owner or family move-in, sale, refusal to sign a new lease with reasonable terms, or repeated late rent) require at least 90 days' written notice. For exempt tenancies, and for tenant-given notice, a month-to-month tenancy (at least one month but less than six) needs 21 days' notice. Tenancies of six months to under a year need 28 days, and tenancies of one year or longer need 91 days. Source: C.R.S. §§ 38-12-1301 to 38-12-1303; 13-40-107

Local rent-control or just-cause rules can limit evictions: Local rent control is preempted. No county or municipality may enact an ordinance or resolution controlling rent on private residential property, except voluntary agreements or deed restrictions with a permit applicant or owner for affordable housing. There is no statewide rent cap.

Step 2: Write and deliver the notice correctly

What the notice must say	A written demand giving the tenant 10 days either to pay the rent or to give up possession. Exempt residential agreements get 5 days, and employer-provided housing gets 3 days. A lease cannot waive the notice. The demand must: state the landlord's grounds for possession with a specific description of the violation; describe the premises; state the date and time the premises must be surrendered; and be signed by the landlord, agent, or attorney. It must also include: a statement that tenants receiving SSI, SSDI, or Colorado Works cash assistance have a right to mediation before an eviction is filed; and (since August 6, 2025) a statement that a tenant who missed rent because of domestic violence, domestic abuse, stalking, or unlawful sexual behavior may provide documentation and is entitled to a repayment plan of up to 9 months. The demand must be written in English, Spanish, or another language the landlord knows or should know is the tenant's primary language. Service: hand it to the tenant, or leave it with a household member over 15 or a person in charge of the premises. If no one is there after personal-service attempts on two separate days, post it in a conspicuous place. If the tenant has told the landlord they are a victim-survivor, the landlord must try personal service. After three failed attempts, the landlord must post the notice and also send it by certified mail or courier with proof of delivery. Source: C.R.S. §§ 13-40-104(1)(d), 13-40-106(1)-(4), 13-40-108 (as amended by HB 25-1168)
How it must be delivered	A written notice to vacate or demand (under §§ 13-40-104, 38-12-202, 38-12-204 or 38-12-1303) may be served by handing it to a known tenant at the premises, or by leaving it with a person older than 15 who lives at or is in charge of the premises. If no one is there after attempts at personal service on at least 2 separate days, it may be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises. Since August 6, 2025, if the tenant has told the landlord they are a survivor of domestic violence, domestic abuse, stalking or unlawful sexual behavior, the landlord must make reasonable efforts to serve that tenant personally. After 3 failed attempts, the landlord must post the notice and also send it by certified mail or commercial courier with proof of delivery. Email is allowed only for certain notices, such as tenant notices of habitability problems, sent to the contact the landlord named in the lease. Source: C.R.S. § 13-40-108 (as amended by HB 24-1098 and HB 25-1168); § 38-12-502(7)

What the notice must say

A written demand giving the tenant 10 days either to pay the rent or to give up possession. Exempt residential agreements get 5 days, and employer-provided housing gets 3 days. A lease cannot waive the notice. The demand must: state the landlord's grounds for possession with a specific description of the violation; describe the premises; state the date and time the premises must be surrendered; and be signed by the landlord, agent, or attorney. It must also include: a statement that tenants receiving SSI, SSDI, or Colorado Works cash assistance have a right to mediation before an eviction is filed; and (since August 6, 2025) a statement that a tenant who missed rent because of domestic violence, domestic abuse, stalking, or unlawful sexual behavior may provide documentation and is entitled to a repayment plan of up to 9 months. The demand must be written in English, Spanish, or another language the landlord knows or should know is the tenant's primary language. Service: hand it to the tenant, or leave it with a household member over 15 or a person in charge of the premises. If no one is there after personal-service attempts on two separate days, post it in a conspicuous place. If the tenant has told the landlord they are a victim-survivor, the landlord must try personal service. After three failed attempts, the landlord must post the notice and also send it by certified mail or courier with proof of delivery.

Source: C.R.S. §§ 13-40-104(1)(d), 13-40-106(1)-(4), 13-40-108 (as amended by HB 25-1168)

How it must be delivered

A written notice to vacate or demand (under §§ 13-40-104, 38-12-202, 38-12-204 or 38-12-1303) may be served by handing it to a known tenant at the premises, or by leaving it with a person older than 15 who lives at or is in charge of the premises. If no one is there after attempts at personal service on at least 2 separate days, it may be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises. Since August 6, 2025, if the tenant has told the landlord they are a survivor of domestic violence, domestic abuse, stalking or unlawful sexual behavior, the landlord must make reasonable efforts to serve that tenant personally. After 3 failed attempts, the landlord must post the notice and also send it by certified mail or commercial courier with proof of delivery. Email is allowed only for certain notices, such as tenant notices of habitability problems, sent to the contact the landlord named in the lease.

Source: C.R.S. § 13-40-108 (as amended by HB 24-1098 and HB 25-1168); § 38-12-502(7)

Notice forms:

Step 3: File the eviction case and go to the hearing

Eviction cases in Colorado are heard in: County court (district courts also have jurisdiction) in the county where the property is located.

Landlord serves a written demand or notice: 10 days for nonpayment or curable violations, 90 days for no-fault grounds, or as otherwise required. Cause is required for covered tenancies.
Landlord files a forcible entry and detainer complaint; records are automatically suppressed unless and until possession is granted
Summons commands the tenant to appear 7 to 14 days after the summons is issued; the tenant files a written answer at or before the appearance date
Tenant may pay the full amount owed until judgment for possession, and the case is then dismissed
Trial and judgment for possession, rent, and damages
Writ of restitution issues no sooner than 48 hours after judgment and expires after 49 days
Sheriff executes the writ in daytime, no sooner than 10 days after judgment (30 days for tenants receiving SSI, SSDI, or Colorado Works, with exceptions)

Court timing: Appearance and answer due on the date in the summons, which is 7 to 14 days after issuance. No default judgment for possession before close of business on the appearance date. Either party may appear remotely in county court residential cases.

Source: C.R.S. §§ 13-40-109, 13-40-111, 13-40-113, 13-40-115, 13-40-122

How long it takes to evict a tenant in Colorado

For unpaid rent, the notice period is 10 days; after that comes the court process (filing, service, the tenant's answer and a hearing), then the final order and removal by an officer. Uncontested cases move fastest; a contested case, an appeal or a crowded court adds weeks. See how long evictions take in every state.

How much it costs to evict a tenant in Colorado

Court filing and service fees are set locally. Verified fees in the largest Colorado counties:

County	Filing and service fees
El Paso County (Colorado Springs)	Landlord (plaintiff) county civil filing fee by claim amount: $95 ($0-$999.99), $115 ($1,000-$14,999.99), $145 ($15,000-$25,000); tenants pay $0 to answer or counterclaim in eviction (FED) cases
Arapahoe County (Aurora / Centennial / Littleton)	Landlord (plaintiff) county civil filing fee by claim amount: $95 ($0-$999.99), $115 ($1,000-$14,999.99), $145 ($15,000-$25,000); tenants pay $0 to answer or counterclaim in eviction (FED) cases
Jefferson County (Lakewood / Golden / Arvada)	Landlord (plaintiff) county civil filing fee by claim amount: $95 ($0-$999.99), $115 ($1,000-$14,999.99), $145 ($15,000-$25,000); tenants pay $0 to answer or counterclaim in eviction (FED) cases
Adams County (Brighton / Thornton / Westminster)	Landlord (plaintiff) county civil filing fee by claim amount: $95 ($0-$999.99), $115 ($1,000-$14,999.99), $145 ($15,000-$25,000); tenants pay $0 to answer or counterclaim in eviction (FED) cases
Larimer County (Fort Collins / Loveland)	Landlord (plaintiff) county civil filing fee by claim amount: $95 ($0-$999.99), $115 ($1,000-$14,999.99), $145 ($15,000-$25,000); tenants pay $0 to answer or counterclaim in eviction (FED) cases
Boulder County (Boulder / Longmont)	Landlord (plaintiff) county civil filing fee by claim amount: $95 ($0-$999.99), $115 ($1,000-$14,999.99), $145 ($15,000-$25,000); tenants pay $0 to answer or counterclaim in eviction (FED) cases
Douglas County (Castle Rock / Highlands Ranch / Parker)	Landlord (plaintiff) county civil filing fee by claim amount: $95 ($0-$999.99), $115 ($1,000-$14,999.99), $145 ($15,000-$25,000); tenants pay $0 to answer or counterclaim in eviction (FED) cases
Weld County (Greeley)	Landlord (plaintiff) county civil filing fee by claim amount: $95 ($0-$999.99), $115 ($1,000-$14,999.99), $145 ($15,000-$25,000); tenants pay $0 to answer or counterclaim in eviction (FED) cases

Add the cost of a lawyer if you hire one, lost rent during the case, and any writ or officer fee to remove the tenant.

Evicting someone without a lease (family member, roommate, guest or squatter)

Someone with no written lease who pays rent (month-to-month / at will)	For tenants covered by the for-cause eviction law (generally after 12 months of tenancy), the landlord may not end the tenancy without cause. No-fault grounds (demolition or conversion, substantial repairs, owner or family move-in, sale, refusal to sign a new lease with reasonable terms, or repeated late rent) require at least 90 days' written notice. For exempt tenancies, and for tenant-given notice, a month-to-month tenancy (at least one month but less than six) needs 21 days' notice. Tenancies of six months to under a year need 28 days, and tenancies of one year or longer need 91 days. Source: C.R.S. §§ 38-12-1301 to 38-12-1303; 13-40-107
Someone who was never a tenant (squatter / unauthorized occupant)	Colorado has a fast court process for removing an "unauthorized person": someone occupying a vacant or uninhabited home who never had any agreement with or consent from the owner, is not the owner's relative, never paid the owner anything, and was never given permission to be there. The owner (or authorized agent) first demands that the occupants leave, then files a complaint and a sworn "Verified Motion for Order to Remove Unauthorized Persons" in county court. The motion must be served (in person or by posting) at least 24 hours before the hearing, and the court must hold the hearing by the next court day. If the court finds the occupants are unauthorized, it issues a temporary mandatory injunction and writ of restitution, and the sheriff must remove them within 24 hours of receiving the order and order them to stay off the property or face arrest for criminal trespass. Anyone who falsely swears on the motion can be sanctioned, held in contempt, or prosecuted for perjury or false swearing. If the motion is denied, the owner can still bring a regular eviction (forcible entry and detainer). Source: C.R.S. §§ 13-40.1-101, 13-40.1-102; § 13-40-104(1)(a)

Someone with no written lease who pays rent (month-to-month / at will)

For tenants covered by the for-cause eviction law (generally after 12 months of tenancy), the landlord may not end the tenancy without cause. No-fault grounds (demolition or conversion, substantial repairs, owner or family move-in, sale, refusal to sign a new lease with reasonable terms, or repeated late rent) require at least 90 days' written notice. For exempt tenancies, and for tenant-given notice, a month-to-month tenancy (at least one month but less than six) needs 21 days' notice. Tenancies of six months to under a year need 28 days, and tenancies of one year or longer need 91 days.

Source: C.R.S. §§ 38-12-1301 to 38-12-1303; 13-40-107

Someone who was never a tenant (squatter / unauthorized occupant)

Colorado has a fast court process for removing an "unauthorized person": someone occupying a vacant or uninhabited home who never had any agreement with or consent from the owner, is not the owner's relative, never paid the owner anything, and was never given permission to be there. The owner (or authorized agent) first demands that the occupants leave, then files a complaint and a sworn "Verified Motion for Order to Remove Unauthorized Persons" in county court. The motion must be served (in person or by posting) at least 24 hours before the hearing, and the court must hold the hearing by the next court day. If the court finds the occupants are unauthorized, it issues a temporary mandatory injunction and writ of restitution, and the sheriff must remove them within 24 hours of receiving the order and order them to stay off the property or face arrest for criminal trespass. Anyone who falsely swears on the motion can be sanctioned, held in contempt, or prosecuted for perjury or false swearing. If the motion is denied, the owner can still bring a regular eviction (forcible entry and detainer).

Source: C.R.S. §§ 13-40.1-101, 13-40.1-102; § 13-40-104(1)(a)

Mistakes that get eviction cases dismissed — or get landlords sued

Changing locks / shutting off utilities	Unlawful for a landlord to remove or exclude a tenant without court process, including by willfully cutting utilities or removing doors, windows, or locks. Exceptions are abandonment, mutual consent, and meth-lab cleanup rules. The tenant is awarded statutory damages equal to actual damages plus the higher of three times monthly rent or $5,000, plus attorney fees and costs, and the court may restore possession. Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-510
Retaliation	A landlord may not retaliate (raise rent, cut services, end or not renew the lease, bring or threaten eviction, harass, or charge fees) because the tenant made a good-faith complaint about a habitability condition to the landlord, a nonprofit, or a government agency; joined or organized a tenants' association; or used habitability remedies. The tenant need only show that the protected activity was a motivating factor. Remedies: the greater of three months' rent or three times actual damages, plus attorney fees. The tenant may also terminate the lease and raise retaliation as a defense to eviction. Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-509
Accepting rent after the notice	No general statute. Colorado's residential landlord-tenant and eviction statutes have no general rule on whether accepting rent after a notice waives the eviction, so the question is left to case law. The only statutory rule is for mobile home parks: accepting rent during the 90-day cure or sale period after a termination notice does not waive the landlord's right to terminate. Source: C.R.S. Title 13, Art. 40 and Title 38, Art. 12 (checked); § 38-12-202 (mobile home parks)

Federal rules that can change the process

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act: eviction protection: A landlord may not evict a covered servicemember or their family during military service without a court order. When the servicemember's ability to pay is materially affected by service, the court must on request stay the case for 90 days or adjust the lease. Knowingly evicting without a court order is a federal misdemeanor. More
VAWA housing protections: An applicant or tenant cannot be denied, evicted or cut off from assistance because they are or were a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. The abuse cannot be treated as a serious lease violation by the victim. The landlord may 'bifurcate' (split) the lease to evict the abuser and keep the victim housed. Covered programs must also have an emergency transfer plan. A transfer is available on request if the tenant reasonably fears imminent harm, or if a sexual assault happened on the premises within the prior 90 days. More
CARES Act 30-day notice to vacate (covered dwellings): The landlord of a covered dwelling may not require the tenant to leave until 30 days after giving a notice to vacate. The 120-day filing moratorium in the same section expired in July 2020, but the 30-day notice subsection has no expiration date in its text. More
HUD 30-day nonpayment notice (public housing and project-based Section 8): Before filing an eviction for nonpayment, the landlord must give written notice at least 30 days in advance. The notice must itemize the rent owed by month, explain how to pay it off and by what date, and explain how to recertify income or request a hardship exemption. The notice cannot be served before the day after rent is due. If the tenant pays the amount owed within the 30 days, the landlord may not file the eviction. More

Colorado eviction FAQ for landlords

How much notice does a landlord have to give to evict for unpaid rent in Colorado?

10-day written demand to pay rent or deliver possession. Exempt residential agreements get 5 days; employer-provided housing gets 3 days. The tenant may pay the full amount in the notice, plus any rent that has since come due, at any time until the judge enters a judgment for possession. Payment can go to the landlord or the court, and the case is then dismissed.

How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Colorado?

Court fees are set locally — for example, El Paso County (Colorado Springs): Landlord (plaintiff) county civil filing fee by claim amount: $95 ($0-$999.99), $115 ($1,000-$14,999.99), $145 ($15,000-$25,000); tenants pay $0 to answer or counterclaim in eviction (FED) cases.

Can a landlord change the locks to evict a tenant in Colorado?

Unlawful for a landlord to remove or exclude a tenant without court process, including by willfully cutting utilities or removing doors, windows, or locks. Exceptions are abandonment, mutual consent, and meth-lab cleanup rules. The tenant is awarded statutory damages equal to actual damages plus the higher of three times monthly rent or $5,000, plus attorney fees and costs, and the court may restore possession.

How do you evict a tenant without a lease in Colorado?

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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.