How much a Colorado landlord can charge for a security deposit, how long they have to return it, and what happens if they don't.
In Colorado, landlords must return a tenant's security deposit within 30 days (up to 60 if the lease allows) of move-out, with a maximum deposit of No statutory cap. Once a tenancy ends, the security deposit stops being the landlord's to sit on. State law sets a specific window to return it, and missing that window carries real consequences.
Lawful deductions cover unpaid rent and damage that goes beyond normal wear and tear. Everyday aging — scuffed floors, minor carpet wear, small picture-hanging holes — typically can't be charged back to the tenant.
If a Colorado landlord wrongfully withholds a deposit past the deadline, the penalty is 3× withheld amount plus attorney fees and costs. State law does not require interest to be paid on held deposits. This is one of the more consequential differences between states — in some places a late return costs the landlord nothing extra beyond the deposit itself; in others it can cost three times that amount plus attorney fees.
Governing statute: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103. Local ordinances in some cities layer additional requirements on top of state law, so confirm current rules with your local housing authority or a licensed attorney.
Timestamped photos or video of every room, taken the day you leave, are the single best protection against a disputed deduction later.
Several states don't start the return-deadline clock until the landlord has your new address in writing — send it promptly and keep proof you did.
The clock generally starts the day you vacate, not the date the lease says it ends. Mark the exact deadline your state allows.
A dated letter citing the statute, the amount owed, and a response deadline creates the paper trail you'll need if the dispute goes further.
Most deposit disputes fall comfortably within small claims limits, and many states add a penalty multiplier on top of the deposit itself for a landlord who ignored the deadline.
Generally unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear and tear — not the ordinary aging of a lived-in unit. Your lease and state statute define exactly what qualifies.
Consequences vary by state, but many impose a penalty on top of the deposit itself — commonly double or triple the wrongfully withheld amount — and some states make the landlord forfeit the right to deduct anything at all.
In Colorado, the return deadline is 30 days (up to 60 if the lease allows), under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103.
Colorado's maximum deposit is No statutory cap.