Colorado security deposit law: the 30-day deadline and your rights
30 days (HB25-1249 replaced 'one month' effective Jan 1, 2026) after lease termination or surrender and acceptance, whichever occurs last; the lease may extend the period up to 60 days.
What Colorado law says
- Return deadline
- 30 days
- Statute
- Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103 (as amended by HB25-1249, eff. Jan 1, 2026)
Willful retention makes the landlord liable for treble the portion wrongfully withheld plus attorney fees and costs (§ 38-12-103(3)(a)). The tenant MUST first send written notice of intent to sue at least 7 days before filing — the landlord's final cure window. The landlord bears the burden of proving the withholding was not wrongful; since Jan 2026 retaining 125%+ of actual damages is presumed bad faith.
Verification pending. Our attorney-reviewed deep-dive for Colorado — with the full case builder, damages calculator, and demand letter generator — isn't live yet. The summary above is drawn from the statute but hasn't completed our legal review; always confirm against the current text of Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103 (as amended by HB25-1249, eff. Jan 1, 2026).
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