Colorado Eviction Law Guide for Denver Landlords
A plain-English walkthrough of how the Colorado eviction process works — from notice to the sheriff’s lockout — so you understand the steps before you start.
Evicting a tenant in Colorado follows a specific legal path called a Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) action. This guide explains the Colorado eviction process in general terms so Denver landlords know what to expect at each stage. It is an overview, not legal advice — and the law has changed in recent years, so verify the current rules for your situation.
Where Colorado Eviction Law Lives
The eviction process in Colorado is governed by the Forcible Entry and Detainer statute — Title 13, Article 40 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. In recent years Colorado has also added significant tenant-protection rules: a 2024 “just cause” eviction law (HB 24-1098) generally requires landlords to have a legally recognized reason to end a residential tenancy. Because these rules continue to evolve, treat the descriptions below as a general framework and confirm specifics with an attorney.
For-cause reasons
Common grounds include nonpayment of rent and material lease violations. For these, Colorado generally requires giving the tenant a chance to cure (commonly a 10-day notice period) before you can move forward.
No-fault reasons
For terminations not caused by the tenant — such as certain owner-move-in, sale, or major-remodel situations — Colorado generally requires a much longer notice period. Verify the current requirement for your scenario.
Special cases
Some tenancies (for example, certain subsidized-housing situations) carry longer or different notice rules. Don’t assume the standard timeline applies to every tenant.
The General Steps of a Colorado Eviction
Serve the required notice
The process starts with a written notice — typically a demand for compliance or notice to quit — that states the issue and gives the tenant the legally required time to cure or move.
File the FED case in county court
If the tenant doesn’t cure or vacate, the landlord files a Forcible Entry and Detainer complaint and the court issues a summons for a hearing within a short, statutorily set window.
Court hearing & judgment
At the hearing the court decides the case. If the landlord prevails, the court can enter judgment for possession and issue a writ of restitution.
Sheriff executes the writ
The county sheriff — not the landlord — posts the writ, gives the tenant a final window to leave, and supervises the lockout. Self-help lockouts (changing locks, shutting off utilities) are not permitted.
What Landlords Get Wrong
Self-help eviction
Changing the locks, removing doors, or shutting off utilities to force a tenant out is illegal in Colorado. Possession must come through the court and the sheriff.
Defective notice
A notice with the wrong cure period or missing information can get a case dismissed and force you to start over. Precision matters.
Touching belongings too early
Don’t remove a tenant’s property until the eviction is fully executed and possession has legally returned to you.
Skipping documentation
Photograph the unit’s condition and contents before and after. Good records protect you if a dispute arises later.
After Possession: Clearing & Turning the Unit
Once the sheriff has restored possession to you, the practical work begins: hauling out whatever’s left, cleaning, and re-listing. That’s where Junk Same Day comes in. We’re a family-owned, licensed & insured Denver-metro junk removal company — 4.8 stars across 146+ reviews — and we don’t give legal advice. Once you have legal possession, we clear the unit, often same-day based on truck availability, and document the load. More than 60% of what we collect is donated or recycled. Pricing is by truck volume:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) action?
Can I just change the locks if a tenant won’t leave?
How long does the notice period have to be?
Who actually removes the tenant?
When can I clear out what’s left behind?
Do I need a lawyer?
Possession Back? We’ll Clear It Same-Day
Once the sheriff restores possession, we haul out everything left behind so you can turn the unit fast. Licensed & insured, 4.8 stars across 146+ reviews, serving Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Thornton, Westminster, Arvada & the metro.