Colorado Eviction Process: Notice Periods, Timeline & Tenant Defenses (2026)

How eviction works step by step, and what defenses you have at each stage

At a glance

• Notice required before filing: 10 or 91 days, depending on the grounds
• Court required: Yes — possession is recovered through court, not by self-help
• Governing statute: C.R.S. § 13-40-104

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers the eviction process in Colorado for a residential tenancy — the notices a landlord must serve, the timeline, and what you can do at each stage.

It does not cover commercial leases, or mobile home parks where a separate statute applies. Where a city has its own rules, those may differ from the state statute below.

What the statute actually says

C.R.S. § 13-40-104 — 驱逐须经 forcible entry and detainer（FED）法院程序，房东先送达法定 demand for compliance，再起诉，仅法院判决执行。

科罗拉多驱逐是司法驱逐。欠租须 10 天 pay-or-quit（13-40-104(1)(d)）；豁免小房东 5 天；雇主住房 3 天；月租无过错终止 91 天。租客不得经租约 waive 通知要求。

C.R.S. § 13-40-104 ↗

Notice periods by grounds

How the process runs, step by step

1. 房东送达 demand（欠租 10 天 / 违约 10 天 / 月租终止 91 天） (from 欠租/违约/租期). 欠租 10 天 pay-or-quit、违约 10 天 cure、月租无过错 91 天。
2. 房东向法院提起 forcible entry and detainer（FED） (from 通知期届满). 通知期届满未纠正，房东提起 FED 诉讼。
3. 法院判决 + writ of restitution 执行 (from 判决). 仅法院判决由 sheriff 执行；房东不得自行移除。

Can the landlord use self-help?

科罗拉多禁止自力救济：房东不得换锁、断水电或搬物；仅法院判决可移除租客。

驱逐只能经 FED 法院程序，房东自行收回占有构成非法驱逐。

C.R.S. § 13-40-104 ↗

Common landlord claims and how to answer them

Remedies for an illegal eviction

非法自力救济的租客可主张损害赔偿与禁令（FED 程序外的非法驱逐）。

C.R.S. § 13-40-104 ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
C.R.S. § 13-40-104	2026-10-16	official text ↗
C.R.S. § 13-40-104(1)(d)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
C.R.S. § 13-40-104(1)(e)	2026-10-16	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Colorado guides

Colorado Security Deposit Return · Colorado Security Deposit Rules · Colorado Rent Increase Rules · Colorado Repairs & Habitability · Colorado Landlord Retaliation

→ All Colorado tenant rights topics

Common questions