Colorado
Property Management Fees in Colorado: What Landlords Pay in 2026
Colorado property managers typically charge 7–10% of monthly rent. High Denver and Boulder rents keep percentages low but dollar amounts high; new 2024 tenant protections are adding compliance overhead across the state.
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Colorado Property Management Fees: The State Average
Colorado landlords pay an average of 7–10% of monthly rent in property management fees statewide. That positions Colorado at the lower-to-middle end of the national average — but for a different reason than most landlord-friendly states. In Colorado, it’s not low regulatory burden that compresses fees; it’s high rents. Denver and Boulder are among the most expensive rental markets in the Mountain West, which means a 7–9% fee on a $2,200 Denver unit generates $154–$198/month per unit — ample revenue for full-service professional management at a lower percentage than lower-rent markets require.
The BLS reports a median property manager wage of $71,340 per year in Colorado — well above the national median of $62,850 and among the highest in the country. This elevated wage floor reflects both the high cost of living in the Denver-Boulder corridor and the growing regulatory complexity of Colorado property management. SB 24-094, effective January 2025 in most of the state, introduced just-cause eviction protections for month-to-month tenancies in jurisdictions with populations over 25,000 — a meaningful shift from Colorado’s historically landlord-friendly posture. Property managers in these jurisdictions now face additional lease renewal documentation and eviction grounds requirements that add compliance overhead and upward pressure on wages and fees.
Colorado is at an inflection point. For most of its modern history, Colorado operated with no statewide rent control (preempted since 1981) and minimal tenant protections beyond the baseline Colorado Revised Statutes Title 38 framework. SB 24-094 changed that calculus for a significant portion of the state, signaling a legislative direction toward more tenant-protective law. Property managers are beginning to build this compliance burden into their fee structures, particularly in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and other cities subject to the new just-cause provisions.
Property Management Fees by Colorado City (2026)
Rates reflect residential single-family and small multifamily properties. Placement fees are charged separately on tenant placement and typically equal 50–100% of one month’s rent.
| City / Market | Monthly Fee % | Flat Fee Range | Placement Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 7–9% | $150–$250/unit | 75–100% of 1 month | High rents keep % low; SB 24-094 adding compliance overhead; rising wage costs |
| Boulder | 7–9% | $160–$270/unit | 75–100% of 1 month | CU Boulder; highest rents in CO; rental unit caps add inventory constraints |
| Colorado Springs | 8–10% | $105–$195/unit | 75% of 1 month | Fort Carson + NORAD; military + tech tenant base; strong SFR investor market |
| Fort Collins | 8–10% | $110–$200/unit | 75% of 1 month | CSU campus city; growing tech market; mix of student and professional tenants |
| Aurora | 8–10% | $110–$200/unit | 75% of 1 month | Denver suburb; Buckley Space Force Base; military + civilian tenant mix |
| Lakewood | 8–9% | $120–$220/unit | 75% of 1 month | West Denver metro; access to mountains; above-avg rents support lower % fees |
| Thornton | 8–9% | $115–$210/unit | 75% of 1 month | North Denver suburb; fast-growing family market; competitive PM landscape |
| Arvada | 8–9% | $115–$215/unit | 75% of 1 month | Northwest Denver suburb; growing tech corridor; stable professional tenant base |
| Westminster | 8–9% | $115–$210/unit | 75% of 1 month | Between Denver and Boulder; above-avg rents; low-turnover family market |
| Pueblo | 10–12% | $70–$140/unit | $350–$600 flat | Lower rents; highest CO fee % needed for profitability; smaller PM market |
What Drives Property Management Costs in Colorado
- ✓ High Denver and Boulder rents keep percentage fees low but dollar amounts high. Colorado has some of the highest median rents in the Mountain West. A 7% fee on a $2,400 Denver rental generates $168/month per unit — more absolute revenue than a 10% fee on a $1,200 Phoenix unit. This “high rent, lower percentage” dynamic is the dominant force behind Denver and Boulder fees sitting at 7–9%, well below the national average by percentage but at or above average by dollar amount per unit managed.
- ✓ SB 24-094 (2024) introduced just-cause eviction in major Colorado cities. Senate Bill 24-094, effective January 1, 2025, created just-cause eviction protections for month-to-month tenants in Colorado jurisdictions with populations over 25,000. Landlords in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Aurora, and other major cities must now cite a specific approved reason (non-payment, lease violation, owner move-in, etc.) to terminate a month-to-month tenancy or decline to renew. This materially increases documentation requirements for property managers and adds compliance overhead that is beginning to push fees upward in affected markets.
- ✓ Statewide rent control remains preempted — but the regulatory direction has shifted. Colorado’s 1981 preemption of local rent control (CRS §38-12-301) remains in effect, meaning Denver, Boulder, and every other Colorado city cannot enact rent caps or rent stabilization. However, the passage of SB 24-094 signals that Colorado’s legislature has shifted toward more tenant-protective policies. Property managers are watching further legislation carefully and building additional compliance capacity into their operations, which places upward pressure on fees.
- ✓ DORA broker license requirement anchors Colorado fee floors. The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) through the Division of Real Estate requires a broker license to manage residential property for compensation. This requirement, combined with Colorado’s high cost of living (the BLS median PM wage in Colorado is $71,340/year), establishes a high operating cost floor. The combination of broker licensing costs, E&O insurance, and Colorado wages prevents fees from dropping below 7% even in the most competitive Denver and Boulder markets.
- ✓ Military markets in Colorado Springs and Aurora add structural turnover costs. Colorado Springs (Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base) and Aurora (Buckley Space Force Base) have significant military tenant populations whose PCS moves create lease turnover at rates higher than civilian markets. This higher-turnover workload supports 8–10% rates in these markets — slightly higher than Denver proper — following the same military-market premium seen in Fayetteville, NC and Clarksville, TN.
- ✓ Pueblo’s lower rent levels require higher percentages for PM viability. Pueblo is an outlier within Colorado — its median rents are $800–$1,000/month, significantly below the Denver-Boulder corridor. At these rent levels, the same per-unit revenue math that forces higher percentages in Youngstown, OH and Jackson, TN applies: firms must charge 10–12% to cover minimum operating costs, even though this percentage is high by Colorado standards. Pueblo represents the lone lower-rent secondary market of significant size in the state.
Colorado Landlord-Tenant Law: What Property Managers Must Know
PM Licensing Requirement
The Colorado Division of Real Estate (under DORA) requires a broker license to manage residential property for compensation. Property managers must hold a Colorado broker license or work under a supervising employing broker. Owners managing their own properties are exempt from licensing. Colorado enforces this requirement strictly — unlicensed property management for compensation is a violation of CRS Title 12 (Professions and Occupations) and may result in civil penalties and injunctions.
Key Statute: CRS Title 38, Article 12
Colorado landlord-tenant law is governed primarily by CRS Title 38, Article 12 (Tenants and Landlords). The statute covers security deposits, habitability standards, notice requirements, and landlord remedies. Colorado has no statewide rent control, and CRS §38-12-301 explicitly preempts all local rent control ordinances — no Colorado municipality may enact rent caps. SB 24-094 (effective Jan. 1, 2025) added significant just-cause eviction protections for month-to-month tenants.
Security Deposit Rules
Colorado does not cap the security deposit amount by statute. Landlords must return deposits within 30 days of move-out, or within 60 days if the lease specifies a longer period (CRS §38-12-103). The return must include an itemized deduction statement. Failure to return the deposit within the statutory period forfeits the right to retain any portion and exposes the landlord to a penalty equal to three times the wrongfully withheld amount plus attorney’s fees — one of the stronger tenant-side penalties in the Mountain West.
SB 24-094: Just-Cause Eviction (2024)
Effective January 1, 2025, SB 24-094 requires landlords in Colorado municipalities with populations over 25,000 to have “just cause” to terminate a month-to-month tenancy or decline to renew a lease. Approved reasons include non-payment, material lease violations, owner move-in (with documentation), substantial renovation requiring vacancy, and property conversion or sale. Landlords must provide written notice of the specific cause. This applies to Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Aurora, Colorado Springs, and most other major cities — but not Pueblo or smaller communities.
Eviction Process
Colorado uses an unlawful detainer proceeding filed in County Court. For non-payment, a written demand for compliance or possession is required — a 10-day notice for non-payment (CRS §13-40-104). After the notice period, landlords file a complaint in county court. Hearings are typically set within 5–14 days of filing. Uncontested non-payment cases often result in a judgment within 2–5 weeks of the initial notice. Just-cause terminations under SB 24-094 require additional documentation at each step, adding to the timeline for non-payment-related proceedings.
Late Fees and Entry Rules
Colorado caps late fees at $50 or 5% of the monthly rent, whichever is greater, and they may not be charged until rent is 7 days overdue (CRS §38-12-105). Landlords must provide 24 hours’ advance notice before entering a dwelling unit for non-emergency inspections or repairs, and entry must occur during normal business hours (CRS §38-12-109). Emergency entry without advance notice is permitted for immediate safety hazards. The 7-day late fee grace period is among the longer in the Mountain West.
Self-Managing in Colorado: What the Numbers Look Like
A Denver landlord with three SFR homes renting at $2,200/month each pays $462–$594/month in management fees at 7–9%. That’s $5,544–$7,128 per year. Colorado’s new SB 24-094 just-cause requirements add compliance overhead for managed properties — LeaseBase tracks lease renewal justifications, notice timelines, and tenant communication logs that document the just-cause grounds required under the new law, making self-management with software compliance support genuinely practical.
Colorado’s growing regulatory environment means the gap between managed and self-managed is widening — but it also means that software that handles the compliance layer (notice tracking, lease documentation, tenant communication logs) becomes more valuable. LeaseBase is designed specifically for landlords navigating this complexity without paying full-service PM fees.
30-day free trial. Assistant plan from $49/mo.
Frequently Asked Questions: Colorado Property Management Fees
What is the average property management fee in Colorado?
Colorado property managers typically charge 7–9% in Denver and Boulder (where high rents generate sufficient absolute revenue at lower percentages), 8–9% in suburban Denver (Lakewood, Thornton, Arvada, Westminster), 8–10% in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Aurora, and 10–12% in Pueblo. The statewide range of 7–10% is driven primarily by rent levels: higher-rent markets command lower percentages; lower-rent Pueblo requires higher percentages to maintain PM profitability.
What is SB 24-094 and how does it affect property management fees?
SB 24-094, effective January 1, 2025, requires landlords in Colorado cities with populations over 25,000 to have just cause (approved legal reason) to terminate a month-to-month tenancy or decline to renew a lease. This affects Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Aurora, Colorado Springs, and other major cities. Property managers in these jurisdictions must now document lease renewal decisions, maintain records of cause for any termination, and provide written notice of the specific just-cause grounds. This additional compliance overhead is beginning to push management fees upward in affected markets.
Does Colorado have rent control that affects property management complexity?
No active rent control exists in Colorado. CRS §38-12-301 explicitly preempts all local rent control ordinances — no Colorado city or county may enact rent caps or rent stabilization. However, the passage of SB 24-094 (just-cause eviction) signals a legislative direction toward greater tenant protections. Property managers currently have no rent cap tracking or stabilization disclosure requirements, but the broader compliance environment is growing more complex than it was five years ago.
Does a property manager in Colorado need a license?
Yes. The Colorado Division of Real Estate (DORA) requires a broker license to manage residential property for compensation. Property managers must hold a Colorado broker license or work under a supervising employing broker. Owners managing their own properties are fully exempt. Colorado enforces this requirement strictly and has taken action against unlicensed property managers. This requirement, combined with Colorado’s high cost of living, contributes to the highest median property manager wages in the Mountain West ($71,340/year by BLS).
What does a tenant placement fee cover in Colorado?
A tenant placement fee in Colorado typically equals 75–100% of one month’s rent in the Denver-Boulder metro and its suburbs, and 50–75% in Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. In Pueblo, flat fees of $350–$600 are more common due to lower rent levels. The placement fee covers advertising the vacancy, showings, applicant screening (background, credit, income verification), lease preparation, and move-in coordination. This fee is charged per vacancy and is separate from the ongoing monthly management fee.
Is self-managing in Colorado harder now with SB 24-094?
Yes, modestly so for landlords in cities with populations over 25,000. SB 24-094 requires documenting just-cause grounds for any month-to-month termination or non-renewal — a new compliance step that did not previously exist. However, the documentation requirement is manageable with proper record-keeping: maintaining lease files, tenant communication logs, and written notice records is sufficient compliance in most cases. Software like LeaseBase that centralizes lease management, tracks lease expiration dates, and documents all tenant communications reduces this compliance burden significantly compared to spreadsheet or paper-based systems.
Property Management Fees by State: Complete Guide
See what property managers charge in every major U.S. market — plus state law summaries and self-managing alternatives.