What Landautomate does with this page
This guide is the reading version of our Colorado rule base. In the app, the same rules become dated tasks on each of your Colorado properties, timed to your purchase date, lease dates, property age, and climate, with an email before each one is due. The free preview shows a sample of that schedule for Colorado in under a minute, no account needed.
Preview the Colorado schedule
Colorado compliance obligations
Colorado landlords commonly track 6 state and local compliance obligations, each listed below with its schedule, its sources, and the date we last verified it. Among them: file the Colorado Secretary of State periodic report for the ownership entity, if your rental is in Denver, confirm its rental license and renewal date, and pay first-half Colorado property tax installment.
File the Colorado Secretary of State periodic report for the ownership entity
If an LLC, corporation, or other entity registered with the Colorado Secretary of State holds the property, file its $25 periodic report online by the last day of the second month after its periodic report month (shown on the entity's summary page), because a late report costs a $50 penalty and takes the entity out of good standing, and 60 days later it turns delinquent and cannot sue in Colorado courts to collect its debts until it files a $100 statement curing the delinquency.
On a recurring schedule · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
If your rental is in Denver, confirm its rental license and renewal date
If your rental is in the City and County of Denver, it needs a residential rental license that lasts four years and must be renewed with a new inspection by a qualified third-party inspector, so checking the expiration date each year lets you apply up to 90 days early and avoid late penalties or fines of up to $5,000 for renting unlicensed.
On a recurring schedule · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Pay first-half Colorado property tax installment
Colorado property tax can be paid in two halves, due by the last day of February and by June 15, or in one payment by April 30, and missing the deadline for the option you use adds delinquent interest of 1% per month.
Each year around February 28 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Pay second-half Colorado property tax installment
If you pay Colorado property tax in two halves, the second half is due by June 15, and an unpaid second half accrues 1% interest per month from June 16.
Each year around June 15 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Return security deposit with itemized statement within 30 days of move-out
Colorado landlords must return the deposit, with a written statement listing the exact reason for any amount kept, within 30 days after the lease ends or the tenant surrenders the premises, whichever is later (a lease can extend this to no more than 60 days), and missing the deadline or leaving out exact reasons forfeits the right to keep any of it and can lead to treble damages plus attorney fees and court costs.
On a recurring schedule · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2
Test and service carbon monoxide alarms before each new tenancy
Colorado requires a working carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of each bedroom entrance in rentals with a fuel-fired heater or appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage, and checking before each new tenant moves in lets you replace any missing or dead alarm and provide the batteries it needs, as the law requires at every turnover.
On a recurring schedule · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Seasonal maintenance for Colorado
Landlords in Colorado plan upkeep around a cold climate: this guide lists 7 seasonal maintenance items for Colorado in calendar order, each with its timing and the date we last verified it. Among them: smoke and CO detector seasonal test, create defensible space and clear roof and gutter debris before fire season, and blow out sprinklers and winterize exterior plumbing.
Smoke and CO detector seasonal test
An annual full test of smoke and CO detectors (beyond battery swaps) confirms every alarm actually sounds.
Around March · Verified before August 2026
Inspect the roof and foundation and photograph the roof before hail season
A mid-April check catches roof and foundation damage from winter freeze and thaw, and dated roof photos taken before Colorado's hail threat climbs in mid-May help show which damage a later storm caused, since a hail claim covers storm damage rather than older wear.
Each year around April 15 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Create defensible space and clear roof and gutter debris before fire season
Wind-blown embers are the most common way homes catch fire in a wildfire, so a spring cleanup of pine needles and dry leaves on the roof, deck, and gutters and within 5 feet of the home removes the fuel they would ignite before the summer fire season.
Each year around May 1 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Blow out sprinklers and winterize exterior plumbing
Water left in sprinkler lines, backflow devices, and hose bibs freezes and cracks pipes, and with the first fall freeze averaging early October along the Front Range but arriving by mid-September in high mountain valleys, a mid-September blowout leaves a margin on the Front Range while higher-elevation properties should finish in early September.
Each year around September 15 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Check roof, gutters, and vents for hail damage at the end of hail season
Colorado's severe hail season is concentrated from May through August, so an end-of-season check of the roof, gutters, and vents catches bruised or cracked shingles and dented metal in time to report the damage to the insurer and repair it before winter snow and meltwater get in.
Each year around September 1 · Last verified September 2026 · source 1 · source 2 · source 3
Furnace inspection before heating season
A pre-season furnace inspection prevents mid-winter heating failures and carbon monoxide risk.
Around September · Verified before August 2026
Gutter cleaning after leaf fall
Clearing gutters after leaf drop prevents ice dams and roofline water damage in winter.
Around November · Verified before August 2026
Baseline upkeep for every rental
Every rental needs the same baseline care regardless of state: this guide tracks 16 recurring upkeep items, each with its schedule and the date we last verified it. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement.
CPA tax document preparation
Organized records make tax filing accurate and deductions defensible.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Gutter inspection
Clear gutters prevent water intrusion, foundation, and roof damage.
Within 90 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
HVAC filter replacement
Clean filters protect HVAC equipment and keep energy costs down.
Within 90 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Insurance renewal review
Confirms coverage limits and premiums still match the property risk.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
LLC annual filing prep
Keeps the ownership entity in good standing with state filings.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Lease renewal planning
Planning renewals ahead of time reduces vacancy and turnover costs.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Maintenance review
Keeps small maintenance issues from turning into expensive repairs.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Owner distribution check
Verifies owner cash distributions reconcile with rent and expenses.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Pest inspection
Early pest detection prevents structural damage and habitability complaints.
Within 90 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Property tax review
Reviewing assessments can surface appeal opportunities and budget changes.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Rent collection review
Confirms rent was received on time and surfaces collection issues early.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Rent increase review
Keeps rent aligned with market rates and local rent regulations.
Within 365 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Smoke detector battery check
Working smoke and CO detectors are a life-safety and legal requirement.
Within 90 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Utilities minimal-service verification
Confirms vacant-property utilities stay at minimal service so pipes, alarms, and sump pumps keep working.
Within 14 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Utility reconciliation
Catches billing errors and unexpected usage spikes on property utilities.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Vacant property security check
Regular walkthroughs of a vacant property deter break-ins, squatting, and unnoticed damage.
Within 30 days of the triggering event · Verified before August 2026
Common questions
What are the compliance requirements for Colorado landlords?
Our reviewed rule base currently lists 6 state and local compliance obligations that Colorado landlords commonly track. Among them: file the Colorado Secretary of State periodic report for the ownership entity, if your rental is in Denver, confirm its rental license and renewal date, and pay first-half Colorado property tax installment. Each obligation shows its schedule, the sources it was checked against, and the date we last verified it. This guide is general information for planning reminders, not legal advice.
What seasonal maintenance should Colorado landlords plan for?
The Colorado guide lists 7 seasonal maintenance items timed to a cold climate, in calendar order. Among them: smoke and CO detector seasonal test, create defensible space and clear roof and gutter debris before fire season, and blow out sprinklers and winterize exterior plumbing. Landautomate turns each item into a dated reminder on your property calendar so the work is planned before the season arrives.
What routine upkeep should every Colorado rental get?
Alongside state specific work, the Colorado guide tracks 16 baseline upkeep items that apply to nearly every rental. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement. These recur on a regular schedule, and Landautomate schedules each one automatically for every property you add.
How does Landautomate verify Colorado landlord rules?
Every rule in the Colorado guide goes through human review before it is published, and each rule shows the date we last verified it. Each compliance obligation links the primary sources it was checked against. Laws and deadlines change, so if you believe something here is outdated or incorrect, contact us at support@landautomate.com and we will review it promptly.