Are Rental Application Fees Legal in Colorado?
What Colorado lets a landlord charge to apply — and how that compares to what screening actually costs.
actual cost only — Under the Rental Application Fairness Act, a landlord may charge no more than the actual cost of screening (or a documented average), must charge every applicant the same amount, must give a written receipt and disclosure, and must refund any amount collected above actual cost.
A full tenant screen costs a landlord about $30. Landlords typically charge applicants $55 — so any fee well above ~$30 is mostly markup, and in Colorado that overage is refundable or unlawful.
| Cap type | Actual cost only |
|---|---|
| The legal line | actual cost only |
| Refund rights | Any overage above actual cost must be refunded within 20 days; portable/reusable screening reports must be accepted. |
| Receipt required | Yes |
| Reusable screening report | Yes — you can supply your own |
| Statute | C.R.S. § 38-12-903 |
Check your Colorado application fee
We'll compare it to the law and the real cost of screening.
How Colorado compares
See every state's cap, the real cost of screening, and the markup landlords add — the full picture in one place.
Informational only, not legal advice — verify C.R.S. § 38-12-903 and current screening costs before acting.