Colorado’s new tenant screening law takes effect January 1, 2027
Starting January 1, 2027, renters in Colorado will get more information about what happens when they submit a rental application.
Colorado’s HB26-1196 requires landlords to provide prospective tenants with more transparency about the information they plan to access and the factors they consider during tenant screening. Governor Jared Polis signed the bill into law on June 2, 2026, and it takes effect January 1, 2027.
Here’s what Colorado renters should know.
What will landlords have to tell you?
Beginning January 1, 2027, landlords must include three new pieces of information in all rental applications.
First, they must tell you what information and data they’ll attempt to access when screening you.
Second, they must provide a general description of the factors they’ll consider when evaluating your application. The law specifically identifies credit history, rental history, income and criminal background, where applicable.
Third, if the landlord uses a third-party tenant screening service, they must tell you that and provide the name of the service.
That means renters should have a clearer picture of what information a landlord plans to access and the types of factors they plan to consider before screening begins.
Does this mean landlords have to publish their exact requirements?
No.
The law specifically says landlords aren’t required to adopt or disclose fixed disqualifying criteria.
For example, a landlord might tell you that credit history and income are factors in their decision. The law doesn’t require them to say that applicants need a particular credit score or income multiple.
So the change gives renters more visibility into what is being considered, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you exactly what it takes to qualify.
Why does this matter for renters?
Tenant screening can sometimes feel like a black box. You submit personal and financial information, screening takes place and the landlord makes a decision.
HB26-1196 makes part of that process more transparent.
Knowing what information a landlord intends to access gives you a better opportunity to understand the screening process and review your own information before applying.
That matters because screening information isn’t always perfect. Credit reports and background checks can contain information you don’t recognize or believe is inaccurate. Understanding your own information before applying can give you time to investigate or dispute potential errors rather than discovering them after a rental decision has been made.
The new law doesn’t give renters a copy of the landlord’s screening results before a decision. But it does provide more information upfront about what the screening process will involve.
How does this relate to portable tenant screening reports?
Colorado already gives renters another way to get more visibility into tenant screening through portable tenant screening reports, or PTSRs.
Colorado’s existing PTSR law generally requires landlords to accept a qualifying portable tenant screening report, with a limited exception. That allows renters to reuse recent screening information across multiple applications instead of repeatedly paying for new screening reports.
HB26-1196 doesn’t replace Colorado’s PTSR rules or change what makes a PTSR valid. Instead, the two laws address transparency in different ways.
From January 2027, renters should have more information about the types of data a landlord plans to access and the factors they plan to consider. With a PTSR, renters can also have greater visibility into their own screening information before sharing it.
That principle is central to how Rentell works. With a Rentell Report, you can review your report before deciding to share it with a housing provider. For checks such as criminal background screening, you can review the information and challenge something you believe is inaccurate before accepting it into your report.
The goal is not to guarantee approval. Property managers still apply their own screening criteria and make their own rental decisions. It is to give renters more visibility into information that can affect those decisions.
Neither a PTSR nor the new disclosure requirements guarantee that a rental application will be approved.
The law also adds new privacy protections
HB26-1196 isn’t only about rental applications.
The law also requires landlords to follow applicable court rules protecting personal identifying information in eviction filings and to redact that information from supporting documents submitted to the court that may become publicly accessible.
The law identifies sensitive information including Social Security numbers, birth dates, driver’s license and state ID numbers, bank account numbers, and credit and debit card numbers.
The aim is to reduce the amount of sensitive personal information that can become publicly accessible through eviction court records.
What happens next?
HB26-1196 takes effect January 1, 2027.
For renters, the practical change should be straightforward. When you receive a
Colorado rental application, you should also receive more information about the screening process, including what information the landlord plans to access, the general factors they consider and the name of any third-party screening service they use.
It won’t tell you whether you’ll be approved. It won’t necessarily tell you the exact standards a landlord uses. But it should make the process less opaque before you hand over your information and apply.
Transparency gives renters more control
Colorado’s new law and its existing portable tenant screening rules approach the problem in different ways, but they share an important principle: renters should have more visibility into a process that can have a major impact on where they live.
That principle is also behind Rentell. We believe renters should be able to see and understand their own screening information, address potential problems and decide when they’re ready to share their report.
With a Rentell Report, Colorado renters can build a portable tenant screening report for $35, review it before sharing and reuse it for 30 days while applying for homes.
This content is provided for general informational purposes and shouldn’t be considered legal advice. Laws and requirements can change, so renters and housing providers should verify current requirements.
