How long does an eviction take in Colorado?
For unpaid rent, expect about 5.5 weeks from the first notice to the lockout in Colorado, and anywhere from 4 to 11.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Colorado eviction timeline, step by step
- Notice to pay or leave 10 dayssecondary source
10 days to pay or move (5 for certain exempt single-family rentals) (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-104) source - File the case and get a judgment about 7-28 days (typical 14)official source
Answer due by the return date on the summons, generally 7-14 days after filing; trial 7-10 days after an answer source - Judgment to lockout 10-21 daysofficial source
A residential writ cannot be executed until at least 10 days after judgment source - If the tenant appeals 14-day windowofficial source
14 days to appeal a county court judgment; bond required, and in nonpayment cases the tenant must deposit the rent source
Timeline model: notice + filing-to-judgment window + judgment-to-lockout window; the high case adds 21 days for a contested hearing. Methodology.
Can the tenant pay and stay?
Can pay in full during the notice period. secondary source source
Eviction costs in Colorado
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $85-$135 | Statewide: County court: $85 under $1,000; $105 for $1,000-$15,000; $135 for $15,000-$25,000 official source source |
| Serving the tenant | $30-$77 | Not verified for Colorado; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Sheriff/marshal lockout | $75-$180 | Not verified for Colorado; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Lawyer, uncontested | $500-$1,500 | National rough estimate, not state-specific estimate |
| Lawyer, contested | $2,000-$5,000+ | National rough estimate estimate |
| Median gross rent | $1,822/mo | Census ACS 2024 1-year (±$15) data file |
Tenant protections
| Statewide rent control | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Statewide just-cause rules | Yes | Cause required for most tenants after 12 months (HB24-1098) official source source |
| Right to counsel for tenants | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Seasonal or weather limits | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Required mediation / pre-filing program | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Local rules | Check | Denver and Boulder have local right-to-counsel programs; statewide rent control is preempted. |
Eviction cost calculator for Colorado
| What | Typical | Low to high |
|---|
Full timeline and sources · Total = rent × (months behind + months to evict + months to re-rent) + court fees + lawyer + turnover. How we calculate.
Tenant screening
Reserved for a tenant-screening partner (credit, eviction and background checks). No partner yet; nothing here is a recommendation.
Rent-guarantee insurance
Reserved for a rent-guarantee or landlord insurance partner that covers unpaid rent and eviction costs. No partner yet.
Landlord-friendliness score: 69/100
Timeline 35.4/50 · right to cure 14/20 · statewide protections 20/30. How the score works.
Colorado eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in Colorado?
A nonpayment eviction in Colorado typically takes about 5.5 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 4 to 11.5 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an EvictionMath estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked 2026-10-17.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Colorado?
10 days to pay or move (5 for certain exempt single-family rentals) (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-104).
Can a tenant stop an eviction in Colorado by paying the rent?
Can pay in full during the notice period.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Colorado?
The court filing fee is $85-$135 statewide. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
Is Colorado landlord-friendly for evictions?
Colorado scores 69 out of 100 on the EvictionMath landlord-friendliness score (timeline 35.4/50, right to cure 14/20, statewide tenant protections 20/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
| Field | Source type | Link | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice period | secondary source | www.nolo.com | 2026-10-17 |
| Court deadlines | official source | www.coloradojudicial.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Judgment to lockout | official source | www.coloradojudicial.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Appeal | official source | www.coloradojudicial.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Filing fee | official source | www.coloradojudicial.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Service fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Lockout fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Just cause | official source | leg.colorado.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Median rent | official source | census.gov (ACS B25064) | 2026-10-17 |
Not yet verified for Colorado: service fee, lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are left blank, never guessed. Found an error? Laws change; tell us via the newsletter reply.
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