C.R.S. Section 38-12-904
Consideration of rental applications

  • limitations
  • portable tenant screening report
  • notice to prospective tenants
  • denial notice

(1)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

If a landlord uses rental history or credit history as criteria in consideration of an application, the landlord shall not consider any rental history or credit history beyond seven years immediately preceding the date of the application, and the landlord must comply with subsections (1)(c) and (1)(d) of this section.

(b)

If a landlord uses criminal history as a criterion in consideration of an application, the landlord shall not consider an arrest record of a prospective tenant from any time or any conviction of a prospective tenant that occurred more than five years before the date of the application; except that a landlord may consider any criminal conviction record or deferred judgment relating to:

(I)

The unlawful distribution, manufacturing, dispensing, or sale of a material, compound, mixture, or preparation that contains methamphetamine, as described in section 18-18-405;

(II)

The unlawful possession of materials to make methamphetamine and amphetamine, as described in section 18-18-412.5;

(III)

Any offense that required the prospective tenant to register as a sex offender pursuant to section 16-22-103; or

(IV)

Any offense described in part 1 or part 6 of article 3 of title 18.

(c)

If a landlord uses financial information, including rental history or credit history, as a criterion in consideration of a rental application from a prospective tenant who is seeking to rent with the assistance of a housing subsidy, the landlord shall not consider or inquire about the prospective tenant’s:

(I)

Amount of income, except for the purpose of determining that the prospective tenant’s annual amount of income equals or exceeds two hundred percent of the portion of the annual cost of rent that is to be paid by the prospective tenant; or

(II)

Credit score, adverse credit event, or lack of credit score unless the landlord is required by federal law to consider a credit score or a lack of a credit score.

(d)

If a landlord uses financial information, including rental history or credit history, as a criterion in consideration of a rental application from any prospective tenant who is seeking to rent without the assistance of a housing subsidy, the landlord shall not consider or inquire about the prospective tenant’s amount of income, except for the purpose of determining that the prospective tenant’s annual amount of income equals or exceeds two hundred percent of the annual cost of rent. A landlord shall not require a prospective tenant to have an annual amount of income that exceeds two hundred percent of the annual cost of rent.

(e)

Notwithstanding subsections (1)(c) and (1)(d) of this section, nothing in said subsections precludes a landlord who is receiving funding from a governmental entity, quasi-governmental entity, or nonprofit organization that requires landlords to income-qualify tenants for income-restricted rental units from gathering any financial information about a prospective tenant for the purpose of determining the prospective tenant’s eligibility for an income-restricted rental unit if the funding source requires the landlord to collect such information as a condition for the receipt of funding.

(1.5)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (1.5)(f) of this section, a landlord shall accept a portable tenant screening report from a prospective tenant.

(b)

A landlord receiving a portable tenant screening report may require:

(I)

That the screening report was completed within the previous thirty days;

(II)

That the screening report is made directly available to the landlord by the consumer reporting agency for use in the rental application process or provided through a third-party website that regularly engages in the business of providing consumer reports and complies with all state and federal laws pertaining to use and disclosure of information contained in a consumer report by a consumer reporting agency;

(III)

That the screening report is made available to the landlord at no cost to access or use in the rental application process; and

(IV)

A statement from the prospective tenant that there has not been a material change in the information in the screening report, including the prospective tenant’s name, address, bankruptcy status, criminal history, or eviction history, since the report was generated.

(c)

A landlord shall not charge a prospective tenant a fee to access or use the screening report.

(d)

Prior to taking any action relating to tenant screening for which a landlord would expect to collect an application fee, a landlord shall advise a prospective tenant of the following, using substantially similar language:
1.
The prospective tenant has the right to provide to the landlord a portable tenant screening report, as defined in section 38-12-902 (2.5), Colorado Revised Statutes; and
2.
If the prospective tenant provides the landlord with a portable tenant screening report, the landlord is prohibited from:
Charging the prospective tenant a rental application fee; or
Charging the prospective tenant a fee for the landlord to access or use the portable tenant screening report.

(e)

A landlord shall provide the advisement required in subsection (1.5)(d) of this section in a location and using a method reasonably likely to reach prospective tenants, including:

(I)

In advertisements and other public notices of the dwelling unit’s availability, displayed in at least twelve-point, bold-faced type unless the size, format, or display requirements of the advertisement or other public notice make this requirement impracticable, in which case the font and size of the advisement must match the rest of the advertisement or other public notice;

(II)

On the home page of a website maintained by the landlord or the landlord’s agent, including a property management company, displayed in at least twelve-point, bold-faced type;

(III)

In a paper or an online rental application for the dwelling unit, displayed in at least twelve-point, bold-faced type; or

(IV)

Orally, directly to a prospective tenant, with a written confirmation of receipt by the prospective tenant of the advisement.

(f)

A landlord is exempt from the requirements set forth in subsections (1.5)(a) to (1.5)(e) of this section if the landlord:

(I)

Does not accept more than one application fee at a time for a dwelling unit or, if a dwelling unit is rented to more than one occupant, does not accept more than one application fee at a time from each prospective tenant or tenant group for the dwelling unit; and

(II)

Refunds the total amount of the application fee to each prospective tenant within twenty calendar days after written communication from either the landlord or landlord’s agent or the prospective tenant declining to enter into a lease agreement for the dwelling unit.

(1.8)

A violation of subsection (1)(c) or (1)(d) of this section constitutes unlawful discrimination against an individual on the basis of the individual’s amount of income in violation of section 24-34-502 (1)(q), for which violation enforcement, penalties, and other relief is provided pursuant to parts 3 and 5 of article 34 of title 24 in addition to any relief provided under this part 9.
(2)(a)(I)(A) If a landlord denies a rental application, the landlord shall provide to the prospective tenant a written notice of the denial that states the reasons for the denial.

(B)

If the prospective tenant submits an application that results in a landlord obtaining a consumer report relating to the prospective tenant, the landlord shall also provide a copy of the consumer report relating to the prospective tenant and an advisement of the prospective tenant’s right to dispute the accuracy of the consumer report with the consumer reporting agency pursuant to section 5-18-106.

(II)

If the specific screening criteria cannot be directly cited because of the use of a proprietary screening system, the landlord shall instead provide the prospective tenant a copy of the report from the screening company that uses the proprietary screening system, with only the proprietary information redacted.

(III)

A landlord may provide a prospective tenant an electronic version of the denial notice required in this subsection (2) unless the prospective tenant requests a paper denial notice, in which case the landlord shall provide the prospective tenant a paper denial notice.

(b)

A landlord who is required to provide a notice of denial to a prospective tenant as described in subsection (2)(a) of this section shall make a good-faith effort to do so not more than twenty calendar days after making the decision to deny the prospective tenant’s rental application.

Source: Section 38-12-904 — Consideration of rental applications - limitations - portable tenant screening report - notice to prospective tenants - denial notice, https://leg.­colorado.­gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2023-title-38.­pdf (accessed Oct. 20, 2023).

38‑12‑101
Legislative declaration 38‑12‑102
Definitions 38‑12‑102.5
Security deposits - maximum amount 38‑12‑103
Return of security deposit 38‑12‑104
Return of security deposit - hazardous condition - gas appliance 38‑12‑105
Late fees charged to tenants and mobile home owners - maximum late fee amounts - prohibited acts - penalties - period to cure violations - remedies - unfair or deceptive trade practice 38‑12‑106
Security deposits - limitation on pet security deposit and rent - definition 38‑12‑200.1
Short title 38‑12‑200.2
Legislative declaration 38‑12‑201
Application of part 2 38‑12‑201.3
Legislative declaration - increased availability of mobile home parks 38‑12‑201.5
Definitions 38‑12‑202
Tenancy - notice to quit 38‑12‑202.5
Action for termination 38‑12‑203
Reasons for termination 38‑12‑203.5
Change in use of the park - remedies for home owners - definitions 38‑12‑204
Nonpayment of rent - notice required for rent increase - limitation on rent increases 38‑12‑204.3
Notice required for termination 38‑12‑205
Termination prohibited 38‑12‑206
Home owner meetings - assembly in common areas - meeting hosted by landlord 38‑12‑207
Security deposits - legal process 38‑12‑208
Remedies 38‑12‑209
Entry fees prohibited 38‑12‑210
Closed parks prohibited 38‑12‑211
Selling and transfer fees prohibited - “for sale” signs permitted 38‑12‑212
Certain types of landlord-seller agreements prohibited 38‑12‑212.3
Responsibilities of landlord - acts prohibited 38‑12‑212.4
Required disclosure and notice of water usage and billing - responsibility for leaks 38‑12‑212.5
Prohibition on retaliation and harassment - definition 38‑12‑212.7
Landlord utilities account 38‑12‑213
Rental agreement - disclosure of terms in writing - prohibited provisions 38‑12‑214
Rules and regulations - amendments - notice - complaints 38‑12‑215
New developments and parks - rental of sites to dealers authorized 38‑12‑216
Mediation, when permitted - court actions 38‑12‑217
Notice of change of use - notice of sale or closure of park - opportunity for home owners to purchase - procedures - exemptions - enforcement - private right of action - definition 38‑12‑218
Mobile home owners - right to form a cooperative 38‑12‑219
Home owners’ and landlords’ rights 38‑12‑220
Private civil right of action 38‑12‑221
Access by counties and municipalities 38‑12‑222
Residents’ right to privacy 38‑12‑223
Tenancy and park sale records 38‑12‑301
Control of rents by counties and municipalities prohibited - legislative declaration 38‑12‑302
Definitions 38‑12‑401
Definitions 38‑12‑402
Protection for victims of unlawful sexual behavior, stalking, or domestic violence 38‑12‑501
Legislative declaration - matter of statewide concern - purposes and policies 38‑12‑502
Definitions 38‑12‑503
Warranty of habitability - notice - landlord obligations 38‑12‑504
Tenant’s maintenance of premises 38‑12‑505
Uninhabitable residential premises - habitability procedures - rules 38‑12‑506
Exception for certain single-family residences 38‑12‑507
Breach of warranty of habitability - tenant’s remedies 38‑12‑508
Landlord’s defenses to a claim of breach of warranty - limitations on claiming a breach 38‑12‑509
Prohibition on retaliation 38‑12‑510
Unlawful removal or exclusion 38‑12‑511
Application 38‑12‑601
Unreasonable restrictions on electric vehicle charging systems and electric vehicle parking - definitions 38‑12‑701
Notice of rent increase 38‑12‑702
Limit on frequency of residential rent increases 38‑12‑801
Written rental agreement - prohibited clauses - copy - tenant - applicability - definitions 38‑12‑802
Tenant payment - receipts 38‑12‑803
Disclosure - elevated radon - definition 38‑12‑901
Short title 38‑12‑902
Definitions 38‑12‑903
Rental application fee - limitations 38‑12‑904
Consideration of rental applications - limitations - portable tenant screening report - notice to prospective tenants - denial notice 38‑12‑905
Violations - liability - notice required - exceptions - no exhaustion of remedies required 38‑12‑1001
Definitions 38‑12‑1002
Bed bugs - notification to landlord - landlord duties 38‑12‑1003
Bed bugs - inspections - treatments - costs 38‑12‑1004
Bed bugs - access to dwelling unit and personal belongings - notice - costs 38‑12‑1005
Bed bugs - renting of dwelling units with bed bugs prohibited 38‑12‑1006
Remedies - liability 38‑12‑1007
Relationship to warranty of habitability 38‑12‑1101
Short title 38‑12‑1102
Legislative declaration 38‑12‑1103
Definitions 38‑12‑1104
Dispute resolution program - creation - division of housing - duties - report - rules 38‑12‑1105
Dispute resolution program - complaint process 38‑12‑1106
Registration of mobile home parks - process - fees 38‑12‑1107
Registration information database 38‑12‑1108
Mobile home park complaint and water issue database 38‑12‑1109
Mobile home park act dispute resolution and enforcement program annual report 38‑12‑1110
Mobile home park act dispute resolution and enforcement program fund 38‑12‑1201
Short title 38‑12‑1202
Definitions 38‑12‑1203
Prohibition on activities related to a tenant’s immigration or citizenship status 38‑12‑1204
Authorized conduct 38‑12‑1205
Remedies
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Current through Fall 2024

§ 38-12-904’s source at colorado​.gov