Deposit laws by state · Colorado
Colorado security deposit laws.
Colorado gives landlords a default 30-day deadline (extendable to 60 days if specified in the lease) to refund the deposit with an itemized statement. Bad-faith withholding — failure to itemize, padded amounts — triggers triple damages.
Key rules
What Colorado landlords need to do.
- 1.
Default 30-day deadline; lease may specify up to 60 days, but no longer.
- 2.
Itemized statement must accompany any partial refund; missing the statement = bad faith.
- 3.
No statutory deposit cap.
- 4.
No requirement to escrow deposits or pay interest.
- 5.
Bad-faith withholding (statute defines this broadly): 3× damages plus attorney fees.
Common pitfalls
Where Colorado landlords lose deposit cases.
Specifying 90 days in the lease — anything over 60 is unenforceable.
Sending the refund without an itemized statement when claiming any deductions — automatic bad faith.
Padding 'cleaning fees' beyond actual cost — Colorado courts have repeatedly found this is bad faith.
Statute
Colorado Revised Statutes § 38-12-103 et seq.
Read the statute on the Colorado legislature site →This page is a landlord-oriented summary, not legal advice. Local ordinances may impose stricter rules than state law. Consult a Colorado attorney before acting on a contested deposit dispute.
Don’t miss the deadline
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Start your first report →Or use the free templateCommon questions
Colorado deposit FAQ.
- How long does a landlord have to return the security deposit in Colorado?
- 30 (or up to 60 if lease specifies) after move-out, per Colorado Revised Statutes § 38-12-103 et seq.. The clock typically starts when the tenant gives a forwarding address; check the statute for state-specific triggers.
- What's the maximum security deposit allowed in Colorado?
- No statutory limit. Courts can still strike down unconscionably high deposits, so reasonableness still matters.
- What's the penalty for wrongfully withholding a deposit in Colorado?
- Three times the wrongfully withheld amount plus reasonable attorney fees if landlord acts in bad faith.
- Does Colorado require an itemized deduction statement?
- Yes. Colorado requires an itemized written statement listing each deduction with its cost. Sending a refund without itemization (when claiming any deductions) commonly triggers the wrongful-withholding penalty.
- Does Colorado require a pre-move-out inspection?
- Colorado does not require a pre-move-out inspection. Offering one anyway is good practice — it reduces dispute risk by giving the tenant a chance to remedy issues.