Colorado Notice to Vacate: Notice Periods and Rules
In Colorado, tenants give at least 21 days written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and landlords give at least 21 days and usually need a legal reason. For unpaid rent, the notice period is 10 days. The details, exceptions and statute citations are below.
Colorado notice periods at a glance
| Tenant ending a month-to-month tenancy | 21 days Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107(1) |
|---|---|
| Landlord ending a month-to-month tenancy | 21 days (a legal reason is usually required) Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107(1); § 38-12-1302 |
| Longer tenancies and special cases | No-cause termination with 21 days' notice is available only for tenancies exempt from the 2024 for-cause law, mainly tenants with less than 12 months of tenancy and owner-occupied single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-1302). For covered tenants, no-fault grounds (demolition or conversion, substantial renovation, owner or family move-in, sale of a single-family home or condo, refusal of a new lease on reasonable terms) need at least 90 days' written notice (§ 38-12-1303). Under the general table, tenancies of 1 year or more need 91 days and 6-12 months need 28 days (§ 13-40-107(1)). |
| Notice for unpaid rent | 10 days Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-104(1)(d) |
| End of a fixed-term lease | A tenant with a lease that ends on a fixed date does not have to give notice (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107(4)), but after 12 months a covered tenant can only be refused renewal for a cause listed in § 38-12-1303, such as declining a new lease on reasonable terms (with 90 days' notice). |
| How notice can be delivered | Deliver a copy to the tenant, or leave it with a family member over 15 residing on or in charge of the premises; if no one is there after personal-service attempts on two separate days, post it conspicuously on the premises (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-108). |
HB24-1098 (signed 19 Apr 2024, Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 38-12-1301 to -1304) bars evicting a residential tenant without cause once the tenant has been a tenant for at least 12 months, unless the premises are exempt (owner-occupied 1-3 unit property, short-term rental, employer housing, mobile home space, etc.).
The 10-day pay-or-quit notice applies to most residential tenancies; exempt residential premises use 5 days. Active-duty military tenants get a 45-day minimum on some no-fault notices. Notices must be signed by the landlord, agent or attorney.
What a Colorado notice to vacate should include
- The names of every tenant on the lease and the full address, including unit number
- The date you are giving the notice and the date the tenancy ends
- A move-out date that gives at least the minimum notice above, counted from the day the notice is delivered
- For unpaid rent: the exact amount owed and how to pay it
- Your name, signature and contact details
- A record of how and when you delivered it (keep a copy)
Many month-to-month notices must also end on the last day of a rental period, so if rent is due on the 1st, the safest move-out date is the end of a month. Giving more notice than the minimum is fine; giving less usually makes the notice invalid.
Colorado notice to vacate FAQ
How much notice does a tenant have to give in Colorado?
For a month-to-month tenancy, at least 21 days in writing (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107(1)). If you have a fixed-term lease, check the lease: it may require notice before the end date or renew automatically.
How much notice does a landlord have to give in Colorado?
To end a month-to-month tenancy without a specific reason, at least 21 days (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107(1); § 38-12-1302). No-cause termination with 21 days' notice is available only for tenancies exempt from the 2024 for-cause law, mainly tenants with less than 12 months of tenancy and owner-occupied single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-1302). For covered tenants, no-fault grounds (demolition or conversion, substantial renovation, owner or family move-in, sale of a single-family home or condo, refusal of a new lease on reasonable terms) need at least 90 days' written notice (§ 38-12-1303). Under the general table, tenancies of 1 year or more need 91 days and 6-12 months need 28 days (§ 13-40-107(1)). HB24-1098 (signed 19 Apr 2024, Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 38-12-1301 to -1304) bars evicting a residential tenant without cause once the tenant has been a tenant for at least 12 months, unless the premises are exempt (owner-occupied 1-3 unit property, short-term rental, employer housing, mobile home space, etc.).
What is the notice period for unpaid rent in Colorado?
The tenant gets 10 days to pay or move out (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-104(1)(d)). If the tenant does neither, the landlord can file an eviction case; only a court can order the tenant out.
How do you deliver a notice to vacate in Colorado?
Deliver a copy to the tenant, or leave it with a family member over 15 residing on or in charge of the premises; if no one is there after personal-service attempts on two separate days, post it conspicuously on the premises (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-108).
Do I need to give notice at the end of a fixed-term lease in Colorado?
A tenant with a lease that ends on a fixed date does not have to give notice (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-40-107(4)), but after 12 months a covered tenant can only be refused renewal for a cause listed in § 38-12-1303, such as declining a new lease on reasonable terms (with 90 days' notice).
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Checked October 2026. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules. This page is general information, not legal advice.
- https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-13-courts-and-court-procedure/co-rev-st-sect-13-40-107/
- https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-13-courts-and-court-procedure/co-rev-st-sect-13-40-104.html
- https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-13-courts-and-court-procedure/co-rev-st-sect-13-40-108/
- https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-38-property-real-and-personal/co-rev-st-sect-38-12-1302/
- https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-38-property-real-and-personal/co-rev-st-sect-38-12-1303/
- https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-38-property-real-and-personal/co-rev-st-sect-38-12-1304/
- https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1098
Guides
- 30-Day Notice to Vacate: Sample Letter and Rules
- 30-Day Notice to Landlord: Intent to Vacate Letter
- Lease Termination Letter: End-of-Term and Early Termination
- Notice to Vacate Template and Sample Letter
- Notice to Pay Rent or Quit
- 60-Day Notice to Vacate
- Lease Non-Renewal Letter