Colorado Ordinances (2026)

Colorado House Bill 24-1152 requires Tier 1 municipalities to permit at least one accessory dwelling unit on lots zoned for single-family use, preempting local bans starting June 30, 2025.

Colorado criminalizes animal hoarding under the cruelty statute when conditions cause suffering. The law applies uniformly statewide regardless of municipal animal limits.

Colorado requires apiary registration with the Department of Agriculture and follows state honeybee health standards under the Bee Inspection Act applied uniformly statewide to beekeepers.

Colorado initially preempted breed-specific bans but the Court of Appeals upheld home-rule authority. Currently, Colorado municipalities may enact or repeal breed restrictions independently.

Colorado's Right to Farm Act protects existing agricultural operations, including livestock and poultry, from nuisance claims when conducted on land zoned or used for agriculture statewide.

Colorado state law sets dangerous dog penalties and leash requirements on state lands. Local leash ordinances are otherwise determined by municipalities and counties throughout Colorado.

Colorado prohibits private possession of most native and exotic wildlife under Parks and Wildlife regulations. The statewide ban preempts local permission for restricted species across Colorado.

Colorado prohibits feeding big game wildlife including deer, elk, and bears under Parks and Wildlife regulations. The ban applies statewide and preempts permissive local practices.

Colorado constitutionally permits adults to grow marijuana at home but caps the total plants per residential property regardless of how many adults live there, preempting higher local limits.

Commercial drone operations in Colorado are governed almost entirely by FAA Part 107, with limited state additions covering wildlife, critical infrastructure, and privacy that apply uniformly statewide.

Recreational drone operation in Colorado is governed primarily by FAA rules with state restrictions on harassment of wildlife, hunting interference, and law enforcement use that apply uniformly statewide.

Colorado allows local governments to adopt minimum wages above the state rate under CRS 8-6-101, with statewide minimums adjusted annually for inflation.

Colorado requires paid sick leave under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act and offers paid family medical leave through the FAMLI program funded by payroll premiums.

Colorado has no statewide predictive scheduling law but permits local governments to adopt fair workweek and advance notice scheduling ordinances for employers.

Colorado administers stormwater discharge permits statewide through the Colorado Discharge Permit System, requiring construction sites and industrial activities to obtain coverage before discharging runoff to state waters.

Colorado defers residential swimming pool barrier standards to locally adopted International Codes, but state law requires public and semi-public pools to meet uniform CDPHE health and safety regulations statewide.

Colorado defines permissible fireworks under CRS 12-28-101 and bans all aerial and explosive consumer devices statewide, though local governments may further restrict or prohibit even permissible fireworks.

Colorado requires permits for most open burning under CRS 25-7-123 and Air Quality Control Commission Regulation 9, with universal restrictions during high pollution advisories statewide.

Colorado adopts NFPA 58 Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code by reference under CRS 8-20-232, applying uniform propane storage, container, and installation rules to all jurisdictions statewide.

Colorado HB23-1273 directs the state Wildland-Urban Interface Code Board to adopt minimum statewide WUI building and defensible space standards under CRS 24-33.5-1226 that local jurisdictions must meet or exceed.

Colorado requires a concealed handgun permit issued by the county sheriff to carry a concealed firearm in public, with training and background check requirements.

Colorado repealed firearms preemption in 2021, allowing cities and counties to enact local gun regulations stricter than state law in most circumstances.

Colorado generally permits open carry of firearms by adults without a license, though local jurisdictions may impose restrictions in specific areas after the 2021 preemption repeal.

Colorado allows adults legally able to possess a firearm to carry a handgun in a private vehicle for lawful protection without a permit under CRS 18-12-105.5.

Colorado requires all mobile food vendors to obtain Retail Food Establishment licenses through local public health agencies under uniform state Retail Food Establishment Rules.

The Colorado Cottage Foods Act lets home producers sell certain non-potentially-hazardous foods directly to consumers without commercial licensing, preempting most local health department permit requirements.

Colorado requires state licensing for any home caring for more than a small number of unrelated children, with uniform health, safety, and capacity rules that override local zoning prohibitions.

Colorado does not require private employers to use E-Verify and repealed the prior employment eligibility affirmation form in 2016 under HB 16-1114.

Colorado law limits state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement under HB 19-1124, restricting ICE detainers, courthouse arrests, and information sharing statewide.

Colorado law universally permits residential rooftop rainwater collection up to two rain barrels totaling 110 gallons, overriding the state's strict prior-appropriation doctrine that historically forbade private capture.

The Colorado Noxious Weed Act requires every landowner, including municipalities and private property owners, to manage designated noxious weeds on their property under uniform state classifications and county enforcement.

Aircraft noise in Colorado is governed almost entirely by federal aviation law, and state and local governments cannot directly regulate flight operations, though airport proprietors have limited authority.

Colorado treats unreasonably loud amplified music as a public nuisance enforceable statewide under the Noise Abatement Act, while leaving venue licensing and event permits to local control.

Colorado state law expressly exempts construction activity from statutory noise limits during daytime hours, applying uniformly across municipalities though stricter local construction-hour rules remain enforceable.

Colorado fixes industrial noise ceilings at 80 decibels daytime and 75 decibels nighttime statewide under the Noise Abatement Act, with stricter local rules permitted but state minimums universal.

Colorado law establishes statewide maximum decibel levels by zone and time of day, providing a uniform noise floor that applies across all jurisdictions while permitting stricter local rules.

Colorado defines and regulates abandoned vehicles under a uniform statewide statute that controls tow authorization, owner notice, auction procedures, and lien recovery for towing operators.

Colorado law prohibits HOAs and common-interest communities from banning electric vehicle charging stations and protects owners' rights to install them on their property.

Colorado's Premises Liability Act sets statewide landowner duties regarding snow and ice. Specific clearing timelines remain a local ordinance matter under home rule across Colorado.

Colorado HB23-1171 created a statewide for-cause eviction standard requiring landlords to cite specific statutory grounds, such as nonpayment or lease violations, before terminating most residential tenancies.

Colorado statute prohibits counties and municipalities from enacting ordinances that control rent on private residential property, making rent control unenforceable statewide except where the legislature carves out specific exceptions.

Colorado counties zone agricultural lands under state planning laws while preserving farm operations through Right to Farm protections and local agricultural overlays.

Colorado's Right to Farm Act under CRS 35-3.5-102 shields agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits when they follow generally accepted practices and predate complaints.

Colorado requires short-term rental operators to collect 2.9 percent state sales tax plus any local lodging taxes, with marketplace facilitators like Airbnb collecting on behalf of hosts under CRS 39-26-102.

Colorado state law prohibits homeowner associations from banning political signs on member property during election periods, preempting any conflicting HOA covenants statewide.

Colorado banned single-use plastic carryout bags and polystyrene foam containers statewide under the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, fully effective in 2024.

Colorado prohibits retail food establishments from using expanded polystyrene foam containers for ready-to-eat food and beverages under the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act.

Colorado does not ban plastic straws statewide, but allows cities to restrict distribution and many require straws only upon customer request.

Colorado prohibits HOAs from banning solar energy devices and limits aesthetic restrictions. The protections apply to all common interest communities throughout Colorado uniformly.

Colorado caps solar permit fees and prohibits restrictions on solar access easements. The law preempts local efforts to block residential solar installations across all Colorado.

Colorado CRS 18-4-503 makes it second-degree criminal trespass to enter a residence after notice against trespass, giving posted no-soliciting signs statewide legal force regardless of local rules.

Colorado adopts International Residential Code pool barrier standards through state and local building codes. Public pool fencing is mandated under CDPHE rules statewide consistently.

Colorado requires state plan review and permits for public swimming pools through the Department of Public Health. Residential pools follow local building codes throughout Colorado.

Colorado mandates public pool safety equipment, lifeguards for certain facilities, and Virginia Graeme Baker drain compliance under CDPHE rules applied uniformly across pools.

Colorado prohibits the sale and furnishing of cigarettes, tobacco, and nicotine vapor products to anyone under age 21 statewide under CRS 18-13-121.

Colorado does not impose a statewide flavored tobacco ban, but home rule cities and counties may prohibit flavored vape and tobacco product sales locally.

Colorado requires retailers selling cigarettes, vapor products, and other tobacco items to obtain a state retail tobacco license and follow strict point-of-sale rules.

HB22-1355 created the Colorado Producer Responsibility Program under CRS 25-17-701 requiring producers of packaging and paper to fund universal curbside recycling access for residents statewide by 2026.