Colorado Residential Lease Agreement
Fill out a Colorado lease below and download a print-ready PDF — for a house, apartment, or room. Free, no signup. The lease preview updates as you type.
Maintained by the SealForms editorial team · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
Other Colorado rules your lease has to live with
Beyond the deposit, Colorado law sets rules on entry, late fees, and repairs that apply whether or not the lease mentions them.
- Late fees. Late fee only if rent is at least 7 calendar days late; capped at the greater of $50 or 5% of the past-due rent; must be disclosed in the rental agreement (C.R.S. 38-12-105, SB21-173). — C.R.S. § 38-12-105 (current as of Jan. 1, 2025) ↗
- Rent increases. At least 60 days' written notice for residential tenancies without a written agreement (C.R.S. 38-12-701). — C.R.S. § 38-12-701 (current as of Jan. 1, 2025) ↗
- Repair and deduct. Allowed: after 10 days' written notice (48 hours if life/health/safety) and landlord's failure to repair, tenant may hire a non-relative professional and deduct cost with receipts (C.R.S. 38-12-507). — C.R.S. § 38-12-507 (current as of Jan. 1, 2025) ↗
- Habitability. Colorado law implies a warranty of habitability into every residential lease; a clause waiving it is unenforceable. — C.R.S. § 38-12-503(1) (current as of Jan. 1, 2025) ↗
Each point links to the Colorado source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
What Colorado law requires · as of 2026
- Max security deposit
- 2 months' rent
- Deposit return deadline
- 30 days after move-out
- Notice to end month-to-month
- 21 days
Source: C.R.S. §38-12-102.5 · verify ↗. Laws change — confirm the current rule before you rely on it.
Live preview · updates as you type
Residential Lease Agreement
State of Colorado
This Lease Agreement is made on __________ between __________ ("Landlord") and __________ ("Tenant") for the property located at __________ (the "Premises").
Term. The lease runs from __________ to __________. Rent. Tenant shall pay $______/month, due on the __________ . Late payments incur a late fee as noted.
Security deposit. Tenant pays a deposit of $______, refundable per Colorado law less lawful deductions. Utilities. Tenant is responsible for: __________ . Pets. As agreed by the parties.
Tenant shall keep the Premises in good condition and comply with the lease and applicable law. This lease is subject to the landlord-tenant laws of the State of Colorado, which control over any conflicting term.
Generated with SealFormsReflects Colorado law · verified 2026
What a Colorado lease should cover
- Names of the landlord and every adult tenant, and the property address
- The lease term (start and end) and the monthly rent and due date
- The security deposit amount (within Colorado’s legal cap)
- Late fees, utilities, pets, and maintenance responsibilities
- Signatures of the landlord and each tenant
- Built before 1978? Federal law requires a lead-based paint disclosure before the lease takes effect — tick the “Lead-based paint disclosure” clause in the form above and give the tenant the EPA pamphlet “Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home” ↗
Know your Colorado rules
State law — not the lease — controls things like the maximum security deposit, how fast it must be returned, how much notice is required to enter or to end a month-to-month tenancy, and required disclosures. Check the current Colorado landlord-tenant rules so your lease lines up with them.
Frequently asked questions
Is this lease valid in Colorado?
A written lease that clearly identifies the parties, the property, the term, and the rent is generally enforceable in Colorado when both sides sign. This template covers those essentials. Colorado, like every state, has landlord-tenant rules (on deposits, entry, and notice) that override anything conflicting in a lease — so review your state’s rules and, for complex situations, have an attorney check it.
How much security deposit can a landlord charge in Colorado?
In Colorado, the security deposit is limited to 2 months' rent, and it must be returned within 30 days after move-out (as of 2026). Source: C.R.S. §38-12-102.5. Confirm the current rule before you sign.
Do I need to notarize a lease in Colorado?
Most residential leases do not need to be notarized to be valid. Signatures from the landlord and each tenant are what matter. Longer leases (often over one year) can have extra formality requirements in some states — check Colorado’s rules if your term is long.
How do I fill it out?
Enter the landlord, tenant, property, term, rent, and deposit above — the lease preview updates as you type. Click “Download / Print PDF,” then landlord and tenant sign. Give the tenant a copy.
Can a landlord charge late fees in Colorado?
Late fee only if rent is at least 7 calendar days late; capped at the greater of $50 or 5% of the past-due rent; must be disclosed in the rental agreement (C.R.S. 38-12-105, SB21-173). Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-105 (current as of Jan. 1, 2025).
Can a tenant repair and deduct rent in Colorado?
Allowed: after 10 days' written notice (48 hours if life/health/safety) and landlord's failure to repair, tenant may hire a non-relative professional and deduct cost with receipts (C.R.S. 38-12-507). Source: C.R.S. § 38-12-507 (current as of Jan. 1, 2025).
How does Colorado compare? See the security deposit limits in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute.
How Colorado compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Colorado: C.R.S. §38-12-102.5 ↗.
- Colorado is one of 29 of 51 jurisdictions that cap the deposit by statute (22 set no statutory cap on the security deposit).
- Deposit return deadline
Deposit return deadline: 30 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 26 other states.
Deposit return deadline in neighboring states — Arizona (14 days), Kansas (30 days), Nebraska (14 days), New Mexico (30 days), Oklahoma (45 days), Utah (30 days), Wyoming (30 days).
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 21 days — below the national median of 30 days across the 49 states with a statutory rule.
Ranked #43 of 49 states — higher means a longer notice period.
No other state uses exactly this figure.
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Arizona (30 days), Kansas (30 days), Nebraska (30 days), New Mexico (30 days), Oklahoma (30 days), Utah (15 days), Wyoming (no statutory rule).
Lease agreement in other states
More Colorado legal forms
Different state? See lease agreements by state →