Can a landlord change the locks to force a tenant out in Colorado?
No. Only a sheriff executing a writ of restitution may remove a tenant in Colorado. In Colorado a tenant may be removed only through the court process, which is set by C.R.S. §§ 13-40-104, 13-40-107.5, 13-40-111, 13-40-122.
| What | Colorado |
|---|---|
| Changing the locks, cutting a utility or removing belongings | Unlawful |
| Who may remove a tenant | Only a court officer acting on a court order |
Notes
Colorado raised the nonpayment demand from three days to ten in 2019, and again requires a landlord with more than five units to give ten days.
Source
C.R.S. §§ 13-40-104, 13-40-107.5, 13-40-111, 13-40-122
Read the statute in the Colorado Revised Statutes (Colorado General Assembly): leg.colorado.gov.
The linked sections open Justia’s free copy of the code, because the state’s own site has no stable address for each section.
Checked against the statute on September 7, 2026.
This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.
Guides on this rule
- Can a Landlord Shut Off Utilities or Change the Locks? — Self-help eviction rules: utility shutoffs and lock changes in California, Florida, New York and Texas, the one narrow Texas exception, and the penalties.
Compare this rule in every state
More Colorado rules
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Colorado?
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Colorado?
- How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Colorado?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in Colorado?
- How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Colorado?
- How much can a landlord charge for a late rent fee in Colorado?
- Is there a grace period for paying rent in Colorado?
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee in Colorado?
- How long does a tenant have to respond to an eviction case in Colorado?
- What are the steps to evict a tenant for unpaid rent in Colorado?
- Is there rent control in Colorado?
- Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in Colorado?
- Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Colorado?
- Do contractors charge sales tax in Colorado?
- Every Colorado rule on one page
The same question in other states
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nevada