If you’ve ever applied for a rental and wondered what’s actually being reviewed behind the scenes, you’re not alone. Many renters assume property managers are looking for one perfect number or a single red flag that decides everything. That’s not how it usually works. In Colorado, tenant screening is made up of a few core checks that help property managers understand risk and fit. None of them tell the full story on their own. And none of them make decisions by themselves.

A portable tenant screening report (PTSR) in Colorado is valid for 30 days from the date it was completed by a consumer reporting agency. After 30 days, a property manager isn’t required to accept it under state law. 

Applying for a home in Colorado can get expensive fast. Every time you submit a new application, you’re usually asked to pay another screening fee. It adds up, especially if you’re applying to more than one place or moving in a competitive market.

Here’s a clear look at how these fees work, when they’re allowed, and how Colorado’s portable screening law changes what renters can be charged.

If you’ve rented in Colorado, you’ve probably paid an application fee more than once. Sometimes it’s forty dollars. Sometimes fifty. Sometimes more. And you rarely know what that fee actually covers.

Screening fees add up fast. Colorado’s portable screening law is designed to cut down on repeat costs and help you carry your verified information from one home to the next. The law lays out what a PTSR must include and when a property manager has to accept it.