New Laws in Colorado (2026): Your Complete Guide
Most people have no idea how many laws changed this year. Seriously. Colorado just rolled out about 24 new laws that affect everything from your rent to your phone repair. Let’s break down exactly what you need to know to stay legal and informed.
The laws we’re covering took effect on January 1, 2026. Some came from the 2025 legislative session. Others are parts of older bills just now kicking in.
What Are These New Laws About?
Colorado lawmakers passed laws covering tons of different areas. You’ve got consumer protection stuff. Housing rules. Gun regulations. Health insurance changes. Wildlife protection. Even your family leave benefits just got bigger.
Here’s the thing. These aren’t just random rules nobody cares about. They actually affect real people doing real things every day.
Consumer Protection Laws
Ban on Junk Fees
House Bill 1090 changed how businesses show you prices. Starting now, the price you see has to be the total price you pay. Pretty straightforward.
No more surprise fees at checkout. Restaurants can’t add mystery service charges. Online stores can’t hide extra costs until the last second.
Wondering if this applies to you? If you rent, it definitely does.
Landlords can’t charge certain bogus fees anymore. They can’t make you pay utility fees higher than the actual utility bill. They can’t charge you extra for paying online if that’s the only payment option they give you.
Sound too good to be true? It’s real. Break this law and businesses face penalties under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.
Cryptocurrency Kiosk Rules
Senate Bill 79 created the Colorado Vending of Digital Assets Act. Basically, those Bitcoin ATMs you see around? They have rules now.
Operators have to give you clear disclosures. You get an electronic receipt. And here’s the cool part. Your first crypto transaction gets a full refund if you’re sending money to a wallet outside the United States.
This one’s actually pretty smart. Lots of scams involve people buying crypto and sending it overseas.
Housing and Tenant Rights
Security Deposit Changes
House Bill 1249 gives renters more protection. Landlords now have to document damage beyond normal wear and tear. They have to do walk-through inspections.
You get additional rights when it comes to getting your deposit back. No more landlords keeping your money for fake reasons.
Credit Check Ban for Housing Subsidies
House Bill 1246 says landlords can’t ask for your credit history if you’re using a housing subsidy. They can’t require a credit score as part of screening.
This helps people who need housing assistance actually get housing. Makes sense, right?
Tenant Screening Changes
If you’re renting with a housing subsidy, credit history is off the table. Landlords have to find other ways to screen you.
Gun Law Updates
Gun Show Security Requirements
Hold on, this part is important.
House Bill 1238 puts new rules on gun shows. Promoters have to create security plans. They submit them to local law enforcement.
The security plan needs to include a vendor list, floor plan, info on video surveillance areas, and estimated attendance numbers.
Gun show operators also need liability insurance now. They have to make sure everyone follows Colorado’s background check rules and the three-day waiting period.
One more thing. People under 18 can’t attend unless they’re with a parent, grandparent, or guardian. Military members get an exception.
What’s Coming in August
Senate Bill 3 doesn’t take effect until August 2026. But you should know about it now.
It requires new training and certification for buying assault weapons. This one’s already causing debate across the state.
Healthcare and Insurance Laws
Mental Health Parity
House Bill 1002 is honestly one of the most important laws on this list. It requires health insurance to cover mental health the same way it covers physical health.
You can’t get less coverage for behavioral health, mental health, or substance use disorders than you get for a broken leg. Insurance companies have to use nationally recognized clinical criteria when making coverage decisions.
This takes effect January 1, 2026. If you’ve struggled getting mental health treatment covered, this could change things for you.
Healthcare Provider Identification
Senate Bill 152 starts June 1, 2026. Healthcare practitioners have to identify their credentials clearly.
If they advertise by name, the ad must say what license they hold. They wear name tags showing their license type. They verbally tell patients what kind of license they have.
This stops people from getting confused about who’s treating them. Pretty straightforward protection.
Auto Insurance Car Seat Coverage
House Bill 1179 requires auto insurance to cover replacing child car seats after accidents. If your car’s in a crash and there’s a car seat in it, insurance pays for a new one.
You’re gonna love this one if you have kids.
Electronic Health Communications
Senate Bill 10 lets insurance companies send you notices electronically. You have to consent first. But it makes things faster and easier for most people.
Family Leave Expansion
Wait, it gets better.
Senate Bill 144 expanded Colorado’s FAMLI program. FAMLI already lets workers take 12 weeks of paid leave for family or medical reasons.
Now, if your baby ends up in the NICU, you get an additional 12 weeks. That’s 24 weeks total.
Confused about the difference? Let me break it down.
Regular bonding leave is 12 weeks. NICU care leave is an extra 12 weeks on top of that. If the birthing parent has pregnancy complications, add another 4 weeks. You could potentially get 28 weeks of paid leave.
This law came from Senator Jeff Bridges. His own son was in the NICU. He saw how terrifying it was. He didn’t want other parents choosing between their job and their baby.
The FAMLI premium also dropped. It went from 0.9% to 0.88% of wages. Small change, but it adds up.
Wildlife Protection
Wild Bison Protection
Senate Bill 53 classifies wild bison as big game wildlife. Used to be they were only considered livestock.
What does this mean? You can’t hunt them. You can’t poach them. It’s illegal unless Colorado Parks and Wildlife specifically authorizes it.
Colorado doesn’t have confirmed wild bison herds right now. But sometimes bison from Utah’s Book Cliffs herd wander over. Now they’re protected.
Tribal communities requested this law. The last wild bison in Colorado were killed in 1897. This helps make sure that doesn’t happen again.
The law doesn’t apply to privately owned bison or bison owned by tribes.
Right to Repair Laws
Electronics Repair
House Bill 1121 expands your right to repair electronics. Manufacturers like Apple and Samsung now have to provide documentation, software, data, and tools to help you fix your own stuff.
Want to repair your phone yourself? Now the manufacturer has to help you do it. Want to take it to an independent repair shop? They get the same access to parts and info.
This saves you money. Gets repairs done faster. Cuts down on electronic waste.
Video game consoles are exempt because of piracy concerns. But pretty much everything else is covered.
Quantum Computing Exception
House Bill 1330 exempts quantum computing equipment from right-to-repair requirements. This stuff is so specialized that regular repair rules don’t make sense.
Veterinary Medicine Changes
Veterinary Professional Associates
Proposition 129 passed in November 2024. It created the role of Veterinary Professional Associate.
House Bill 1285 specifies how someone registers as a VPA in Colorado. It clarifies when VPAs can practice veterinary medicine.
This helps address the veterinary workforce shortage.
Child Care Regulations
Fee Refund Requirements
Senate Bill 4 makes child care centers refund certain fees. Application fees, deposit fees, and waitlist fees all get refunded if your child isn’t enrolled after six months.
You have to submit a written request. If the center offers you a spot and you refuse it, no refund.
This stops child care centers from collecting money and then never providing care.
Accessibility and Building Codes
House Bill 1030 requires local building codes to meet international accessibility standards. They can’t provide less protection than the Americans with Disabilities Act requires.
This affects new construction going forward.
Food Truck Operations
House Bill 1295 creates a clear definition of “mobile food establishment.” It sets up reciprocity between Denver licenses and state licenses.
Food truck operators in Denver couldn’t get state licenses before. Now either license works in both jurisdictions.
Telecommunications Permits
House Bill 1056 requires local governments to approve permits for wireless telecommunications facilities if companies provide proper notice and follow all public notice requirements.
This speeds up the process for expanding phone and internet coverage.
Services for People with Disabilities
House Bill 1154 creates the Communication Services for People with Disabilities Enterprise. It establishes the Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind within the Department of Human Services.
A new cash fund provides services and resources for these communities.
Healthcare Profession Updates
Background Checks
Senate Bill 146 allows regulators to require fingerprint-based criminal background checks for certain healthcare professions. The list includes speech-language pathologists and several others.
Applicants pay for the background checks. They get fingerprints taken by local law enforcement or an approved third party.
Medical-Aesthetic Services
House Bill 1024 requires healthcare providers to disclose certain information to patients before providing medical-aesthetic services. If they’re delegating the work to someone else, patients need to know.
Marijuana Regulation
Colorado streamlined some marijuana regulations. The details vary by locality, but the overall goal is making the system work better.
State Procurement Rules
Senate Bill 158 creates procurement policies for state agencies buying firearms and items regulated under the National Firearms Act. Bidders have to provide licensing info, safety documents, and theft histories.
Pregnancy-Related Services
Senate Bill 183 reflects changes from Amendment 79, which passed in the 2024 election. It expands the definition of family-planning services to include abortion care.
It also prohibits Colorado residents and businesses from complying with out-of-state inquiries about people involved in reproductive healthcare.
Long-Term Care Changes
Parts of House Bill 1229 from 2024 take effect now. People needing long-term care become presumptively eligible for Medicaid.
This speeds up the process of getting care when you need it.
Tax Adjustments
House Bill 1296 adjusts several state tax expenditures. The details are technical, but it affects how certain tax benefits work.
Graywater Use
Parts of House Bill 1362 from 2024 encourage using graywater. This is water from sinks, showers, and washing machines that can be reused for things like watering plants.
Small Employer Definition
Parts of Senate Bill 73 from 2024 change the maximum number of employees that qualify as a small employer for certain purposes.
Penalties and Consequences
Breaking these laws has different consequences depending on which one you violate.
Consumer protection violations can lead to civil action under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act. You might owe actual damages plus 18% interest.
Gun show violations? You could lose your ability to operate shows. You might face criminal charges.
Insurance companies that violate mental health parity rules face regulatory penalties.
Landlords who charge illegal fees get sued by tenants. They pay back the fees plus damages.
Hunting wild bison illegally brings wildlife violation penalties. These can include fines and loss of hunting privileges.
How to Stay Compliant
Okay, pause. Read this carefully.
If you’re a business owner, review your pricing and fee structures now. Make sure you’re showing total prices. Cut out any junk fees.
If you’re a landlord, update your rental agreements. Remove prohibited fees. Stop asking for credit checks on subsidized housing applicants.
Gun show operators need to create security plans and get liability insurance before hosting any shows.
Healthcare providers should prepare for the identification requirements starting June 1.
Employers need to understand the expanded FAMLI benefits. You might have employees taking longer leave for NICU care.
Resources for Help
The Colorado General Assembly website has full text of all these bills. Each law has a bill number you can search.
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment handles FAMLI questions. Their website has detailed guidance.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife answers questions about bison hunting regulations.
The Division of Real Estate can help with landlord-tenant questions.
Your local law enforcement agency can answer gun show security plan questions.
What Happens Next
The Colorado Legislature is in session right now. The 75th General Assembly started January 14, 2026. They’re scheduled to adjourn May 13, 2026.
More laws are coming. Some will take effect immediately. Others won’t kick in until August or later.
Senate Bill 4, about expanding who can petition for extreme risk protection orders, is already moving through the legislature. It passed the Senate and heads to the House.
This red flag law expansion would let behavioral health professionals and institutions petition courts to temporarily remove firearms from people who are a danger to themselves or others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the junk fee rules apply to all businesses? Yes, if you advertise or display prices, you have to show the total price. This includes retail stores, restaurants, online businesses, and landlords. Some exceptions exist for government fees and shipping charges.
Can I still hunt bison on private land? The wild bison protection law doesn’t apply to privately owned bison in captivity. If you own bison or they’re owned by a tribe, different rules apply. Wild bison that wander into Colorado are protected.
How much FAMLI leave can new parents actually take? It depends on the situation. Regular bonding leave is 12 weeks. If your baby is in the NICU, you get an additional 12 weeks for 24 total. If the birthing parent has complications, add 4 more weeks for a possible 28 weeks total.
Do gun show security plans need to be approved before the show? You have to submit the plan to local law enforcement, but the law doesn’t require formal approval. You do need to have the plan ready and submitted. You also need liability insurance in place.
When does the healthcare provider identification requirement start? June 1, 2026. Healthcare practitioners have until then to update their advertising, get proper name tags, and train staff on the verbal disclosure requirements.
Final Thoughts
Colorado just changed a lot of laws. Some help consumers. Some protect tenants. Others expand family leave or protect wildlife.
The key is knowing which ones affect you. Business owners need to adjust pricing and policies. Renters get more protection. Parents get more time off for NICU babies. Gun show operators have new responsibilities.
Stay informed, stay compliant, and when in doubt, look it up or ask a lawyer.
These laws are real. They’re in effect now. And they change how things work in Colorado.
