Colorado Rental Junk Fees in 2026: All-In Pricing, Utility Markups & the 14-Day Demand Rule
Colorado HB25-1090 took effect January 1, 2026 and changed rental price transparency and landlord fee rules. Learn the all-in pricing requirement, utility-billing limits, prohibited-charge disputes, and the 14-day written-demand process.
The short answer
Colorado's HB25-1090 became law in 2025 and the Attorney General's implementation guidance identifies January 1, 2026 as its effective date. The act requires clearer total-price advertising and restricts certain landlord charges rather than simply declaring every charge beyond rent illegal.
For renters, the practical question is whether a mandatory amount was disclosed in the total housing price, whether the law permits the charge, and whether a utility or other line item is being marked up in a way the statute restricts. For landlords and managers, the safest workflow is to audit both advertising and the lease ledger instead of treating fee compliance as a checkout-page issue only.
Colorado requires clearer total-price advertising
The Colorado General Assembly's enacted-bill summary says a person advertising a good, service or property generally must clearly and conspicuously disclose the maximum total price of the amounts a consumer may pay, subject to statutory exceptions. Pricing information that is outside the total price must also have its nature and purpose clearly disclosed.
For rental housing, this directly addresses the pain point where a listing appears affordable at one monthly number and fixed mandatory charges appear only after the renter applies or receives the lease.
Utilities are treated differently from fixed mandatory fees
The enacted summary says a landlord or agent is not required to include the actual amount charged for utility services provided to a tenant's dwelling unit in the total-price disclosure. That exception makes sense for a charge that cannot be known in advance, but it does not erase the law's separate landlord-fee restrictions.
Colorado Attorney General guidance on HB25-1090 states that a landlord or agent may not require a tenant to pay a utility-related fee, charge or amount above what the utility provider charged for service to the tenant's dwelling unit, except as allowed by the referenced statutory exception. Anyone using RUBS, submetering or another allocation method should check the current statute and Attorney General guidance before assuming a markup is permitted.
Do not use 'junk fees are banned' as a shortcut
A widely shared Denver renter discussion summarized the new law as a junk-fee ban, but the enacted statute is more precise. Some amounts can remain lawful when properly disclosed or when an exception applies, while other charges are restricted or prohibited.
That distinction matters for valet trash, technology packages, common-area charges, renters-insurance products and payment fees. Identify the exact charge, the service behind it, whether it is mandatory, how it was advertised and what the lease says before reaching a conclusion.
The 14-day written-demand process can matter in a fee dispute
The Colorado General Assembly's enacted summary says a person aggrieved by a violation involving property may send a written demand seeking reimbursement of an unlawfully imposed amount and actual damages, or notify the alleged violator that the person refuses to pay a prohibited amount.
If the alleged violator does not make the required legal tender or stop charging the disputed amount within 14 days after receiving the demand, the statute provides a potential remedy of actual damages plus 18% interest compounded annually. A particular dispute can involve additional requirements, defenses and remedies, so use the current law rather than treating a demand letter as an automatic payout.
Recent Colorado enforcement shows why labels are not enough
Colorado's Attorney General announced a July 29, 2026 settlement with rent-payment processor Domuso after the state determined a 3.25% certified-funds fee on credit or debit rent payments was an illegal surcharge under Colorado law. The AG said Colorado generally limits a payment surcharge to 2% of the overall payment and requires disclosure.
The AG has also pursued rental cases involving hidden pricing and improper billing. Those actions reinforce a practical rule: a portal-generated line item or lease label does not by itself establish that a charge is lawful.
What renters should compare before applying or renewing
Save the listing and write down the advertised monthly price. Then request or identify every mandatory recurring fee, variable utility arrangement, parking charge, required insurance product and one-time move-in amount before paying an application fee or signing.
If you are choosing between apartments, compare the true monthly total instead of base rent alone. OpenHouseRentals.org can help organize the rental-search and touring decision; Max Rental Tools is the better place to evaluate the Colorado fee and lease-rule question once a particular charge appears.
What landlords and managers should audit
Compare the price shown in every listing feed with the mandatory amounts in the application, lease, resident-benefit package and ledger. Flag charges that are fixed and unavoidable, and separately document charges that genuinely vary or qualify for a statutory exception.
For utility billing, compare what is collected with the underlying provider bill and the current Colorado statutory exception being used. For payment methods, insurance products or third-party services, review both the amount and the disclosures rather than assuming a vendor's software is compliant by default.
Build a clean record before disputing or collecting a fee
Renters should preserve screenshots of the listing, fee disclosures, lease, amendments, invoices, utility statements, rent ledger and written communications. Landlords should preserve the same records plus vendor invoices and the basis for any allocation or pass-through.
If the dispute involves a potentially prohibited fee, a documented timeline makes the 14-day demand procedure easier to evaluate. Use current Colorado government guidance because HB25-1090 is new enough that older lease templates and online articles may not reflect the 2026 framework.
Common questions
Did Colorado ban every rental fee in 2026?
No. HB25-1090 imposes total-price disclosure requirements and prohibits certain landlord charges, but it also contains exceptions and special treatment for items such as variable utility service. Each fee should be classified under the current statute.
When did Colorado HB25-1090 take effect?
Colorado Attorney General implementation guidance identifies January 1, 2026 as the effective date of HB25-1090's deceptive-pricing provisions.
Do Colorado apartment listings have to show the real mandatory price?
The enacted law generally requires clear and conspicuous disclosure of the maximum total price of amounts a consumer may pay, subject to statutory exceptions. Rental utilities whose actual amount is not known have special treatment.
Can a Colorado landlord mark up a utility bill?
Colorado Attorney General guidance states that a landlord or agent generally may not require a tenant to pay a utility-related amount above what the utility provider charged for service to the tenant's dwelling unit, except under the referenced statutory exception. Allocation methods and the specific utility arrangement should be checked carefully.
What is the Colorado 14-day demand rule for prohibited fees?
The enacted HB25-1090 summary allows an aggrieved person in a property dispute to send a written demand for reimbursement or refusal to pay an allegedly prohibited amount. If the alleged violator does not make the required tender or cease the charge within 14 days, additional statutory liability may apply.
Official sources
Colorado General Assembly — HB25-1090 Protections Against Deceptive Pricing PracticesColorado Attorney General — HB25-1090 Utility Billing Enforcement GuidanceColorado Attorney General — July 29, 2026 Domuso Rent-Payment Fee SettlementContinue your check
Use the state directory for current jurisdiction-specific rules, calculate the proposed increase, then prepare the appropriate rental document only after the legal-rule checks are complete.