Renting in Denver, Colorado: how do I check the license and protect my deposit?

Search the property address in the official system

Denver's residential rental FAQ directs tenants to the city's online permitting center. Select Business Licenses in the top menu and search the property address. Match the result to the unit or complex, owner or operator and current license information. Ask the city about unclear results before interpreting a missing match as proof of wrongdoing. A multifamily license may cover several addresses on qualifying contiguous parcels under the same ownership.

The general program applies to a residence offered for 30 days or more. The city identifies exceptions, including an owner who lives on-site and rents a room without its own kitchen and bathroom, and on-campus college housing. A basement apartment or accessory dwelling with its own entrance, kitchen and full bathroom falls within the licensing requirement. Hotels and short-term rentals can need a different license; a different regime is not the same as no regulation.

Denver states that properties are unlicensed until a license is issued. Ask for the issued record rather than accepting an application screenshot as a completed license. The official FAQ also says ownership changes require a new license, so an old certificate should be checked against the present ownership situation. The inspection behind licensing establishes minimum standards, not a comprehensive guarantee about every condition inside a home.

Keep the lease and a record of what you found

The city identifies a written lease and its Tenant Rights and Resources document as required rental documentation. Read the agreed rent, payment dates, deposit terms, recurring charges, repair-reporting procedure and move-out obligations before paying. Keep a copy of the signed agreement and receipts. Confirm the exact address and unit number throughout the paperwork.

At move-in, make dated photographs and a written condition record, particularly for existing carpet damage, paint marks, leaks or broken fixtures. Send the record through a documented channel and retain the acknowledgment if one is provided. This does not turn every future dispute into an automatic refund, but it helps distinguish an existing defect from damage arising during the tenancy.

Colorado's enacted HB25-1249 took effect January 1, 2026. Among its deposit protections, a landlord may not keep a deposit for a defect that predated the tenancy, and ordinary wear remains distinct from compensable damage. The act also addresses documentation and limits deductions for carpet replacement and repainting. Ask for the written reasons for a deduction and keep the supporting correspondence; do not assume that an entire replacement cost is justified simply because a tenant moved out.

Use the right complaint route

Denver accepts complaints about an unlicensed rental or missing required documents, including anonymous complaints through the city's process. For housing-condition concerns, the city directs residents to 311 or 720-913-1311. Its FAQ lists Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. for that housing-complaint phone route. Urgent danger requires the appropriate emergency response rather than waiting for licensing review. A deposit dispute may require separate legal assistance; a licensing complaint does not itself decide the money owed under a lease.

Verified information: Denver residential rental program and official address-search instructions · Written lease and tenant-resources requirements · Colorado HB25-1249 enacted, effective January 1, 2026 · Housing complaint contact 311 / 720-913-1311 · Checked September 28, 2026.