Rental Property Rules in Aurora, CO: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Aurora or are thinking about moving there, rental property rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Aurora has 10 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of rental property rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Rent Control

Rent control is preempted statewide under CRS 38-12-301; neither Aurora nor any Colorado municipality may cap residential rents as of 2026.

Key details: Preemption: CRS 38-12-301. Local Authority: None for market rate. Notice Required: 21 days MTM. Exception: Voluntary affordable.

Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact [Aurora code enforcement](https://leg.colorado.gov/) directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.

This is one of the stricter rules in Aurora's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Rental Registration

Aurora requires landlords of 1-4 unit residential rentals to obtain a Residential Rental Housing License and pass periodic inspections under a 2023 program.

Key details: Applies To: 1-4 unit rentals. Fee: ~50 per unit. Renewal: Every 4 years. Penalty: Up to 2,650.

Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact [Aurora code enforcement](https://www.auroragov.org/business_services/tax_licensing) directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.

Just Cause Eviction

Colorado HB 24-1098 requires just cause for most residential evictions and lease non-renewals effective April 2024, limiting landlord terminations to enumerated reasons.

Key details: Effective: April 19, 2024. Statute: HB 24-1098. No-Fault Notice: 90 days. Exemption: Owner-occupied <=4 units.

Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact [Aurora code enforcement](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1098) directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.

Compared to other cities, Aurora takes a harder line on just cause eviction. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Relocation Assistance

Aurora has not enacted a tenant relocation-assistance ordinance, so no city payment is owed when no-fault evictions, demolitions, or substantial renovations displace renters; tenants rely on Colorado's just-cause statute HB23-1171 and federal Uniform Relocation Act protections instead.

Key details: City relocation mandate: None. State no-fault notice: 90 days. Governing state law: CO HB23-1171. Federal backstop: Uniform Relocation Act.

There is no ordinance to violate. Landlords who fail the state-required 90-day no-fault notice under HB23-1171 face only state-court remedies, and tenants displaced by federally funded projects must invoke URA protections directly.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Aurora gives residents more flexibility on relocation assistance.

Tenant Anti-Harassment

Aurora has not enacted a tenant anti-harassment ordinance comparable to Los Angeles or Oakland; tenants experiencing landlord intimidation, lockouts, or utility shutoffs rely on Colorado's Warranty of Habitability statute and CRS 38-12-510 prohibitions on retaliatory eviction.

Key details: City harassment ordinance: None. State retaliation statute: CRS 38-12-510. Anti-lockout statute: CRS 38-12-510.5. Statutory damages: One month rent or 5K.

Landlords engaging in self-help eviction, lockouts, or utility shutoffs face state-court injunctions, statutory damages of one month's rent or 5,000 dollars (greater), plus attorney fees under CRS 38-12-510.5.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Aurora gives residents more flexibility on tenant anti-harassment.

Security Deposit Rules

Aurora has no city-specific security-deposit ordinance, so Colorado's statewide rules govern: deposits are capped indirectly through return-deadline statutes (CRS 38-12-103) and the 2023 cap on application fees, with treble damages available for wrongful retention.

Key details: City deposit cap: None. State return deadline: 30 to 60 days. Wrongful-retention remedy: Treble damages. Governing state law: CRS 38-12-103.

Wrongful deposit retention beyond 30 or 60 days triggers treble damages plus reasonable attorney fees under CRS 38-12-103. Aurora has no separate city penalty schedule; tenants enforce through county court.

Source-of-Income Discrimination

Colorado's HB20-1332 made source-of-income a protected class statewide, prohibiting Aurora landlords from refusing applicants who pay rent with Section 8 vouchers, VASH vouchers, Social Security, child support, or other lawful non-employment income, with enforcement through the Colorado Civil Rights Division.

Key details: Enacted: Colorado HB20-1332, 2020. Effective date: January 1, 2021. Enforcement agency: Colorado Civil Rights Division. Civil penalty cap: Up to 10K.

Refusing to accept Section 8 vouchers, advertising no-vouchers policies, or applying inflated minimum-income tests against voucher holders triggers CCRD investigation, fines up to 10,000 dollars, and tenant attorney-fee awards.

Compared to other cities, Aurora takes a harder line on source-of-income discrimination. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

No-Fault Evictions

Aurora landlords may end tenancies without tenant fault only on the narrow grounds Colorado's HB23-1171 just-cause statute permits: substantial renovation, demolition, conversion to non-residential use, withdrawal from rental market, or owner or family move-in, each requiring 90 days written notice.

Key details: Notice required: 90 days. Enacted: Colorado HB23-1171, 2023. Allowed grounds: Five enumerated. Tenancy minimum: 12 months.

Filing an eviction without one of the statutory no-fault grounds, or with deficient 90-day notice, results in dismissal of the FED action plus fee-shifting. Wrongful no-fault claims (e.g., sham renovation) expose landlords to civil damages.

Section 8 Voucher Acceptance

The Aurora Housing Authority administers Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers for Aurora residents, while landlords are required by Colorado HB20-1332 to accept vouchers as a protected source of income; voucher waiting lists typically span two to three years.

Key details: Administering agency: Aurora Housing Authority. Tenant rent share: 30 percent of income. Wait list length: 24 to 36 months. Voucher acceptance: Mandatory under HB20-1332.

Refusing to sign a HAP contract, demanding rent above the voucher payment standard plus tenant portion, or terminating tenancy for voucher use violates HB20-1332 and HUD HCV regulations, exposing landlords to penalties.

Cash-for-Keys Agreements

Aurora has not enacted a cash-for-keys ordinance, so any move-out incentive a landlord offers a tenant is purely contractual; tenants retain the right to reject the offer and remain through any state-court eviction process under HB23-1171 just-cause grounds.

Key details: City mandate: None. Minimum payment: Not set. Disclosure requirement: None. Enforcement: Contract claim, county court.

There is no Aurora ordinance to violate. Disputes over cash-for-keys agreements proceed as contract claims in Arapahoe, Adams, or Douglas County court depending on the property location.

Aurora is more permissive than most cities when it comes to cash-for-keys agreements. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Aurora's rental property rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Aurora is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Aurora's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.