COLORADO FIELD FILE

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can they search my cardo I have to show IDlandlord kept my depositcan I record the policewhat happens if I refuse a breathalyzer

Start with a situation

• Traffic stopsGetting pulled over, documents, searches, and what happens roadside.→
• Being stoppedOn foot, on the street, and what you owe an officer who stops you.→
• Marijuana and drugsWhat the state legalized, what it did not, and where state and federal law disagree.→
• Impaired drivingImpaired driving stops, field tests, breath and blood tests, and implied consent.→
• Court and moneyDebt, eviction, work, family and records. The side of the system with no officer in it.→
• Your homeRenting and the landlord, and when the police may come inside.→
• RecordingFilming police, recording calls, and whose consent the law requires.→
• Carrying a firearmCarry rules, the duty to disclose, where guns are barred, and self defense.→
• Charges and penaltiesHow offenses are graded, jail ranges, fines, and repeat offense steps.→
• How you carry yourselfSilence, counsel, complying now and contesting later.→

New in Colorado

• Page·Oct 19Odd Laws Still on the BooksRiding a horse on the left, no sledding on the highway and leaving food for a bear: real Colorado sections
• Page·Oct 19LitteringC.R.S. 18-4-511 — a mandatory fine of $20 to $500 the first time, and a court date, not a mailed ticket
• Page·Oct 19Tobacco and Vapes Under Twenty OneC.R.S. 18-13-121 — a $200 civil fine for selling or giving one to anyone under twenty one
• Page·Oct 19Tattoos and Piercings Under EighteenC.R.S. 25-4-2103 — body art on a minor needs a parent's or guardian's express consent

All 16 new in Colorado ↓

Someone asked

“How long does a landlord in Colorado have to return a deposit?”

Getting the Deposit Back

Within thirty days after the lease ends or the premises are surrendered, whichever is later, the landlord returns the full deposit, unless the lease sets a longer period, which may not exceed sixty days. Normal wear and tear, and damage that existed before the tenancy, are never reasons to keep any of it.

• §C.R.S. 38-12-103StatuteReturn of security depositOpens olls.info ↗

Read the whole section →

Legal information, not legal advice. Every block on this site carries the source it rests on.

Walk it through

32 situations taken one decision at a time, with what the law asks of each side written out at every step. Each opens on its own page.

Traffic stops4Being stopped3Marijuana and drugs2Impaired driving1Court and money12Your home5Carrying a firearm1Charges and penalties2How you carry yourself2

• The Stop on the InterstateLights behind on the interstate, a license in a wallet, insurance on a phone, and a question about the trunk.3 steps →
• The Crash on the Way HomeA rear end collision, a parked car clipped, an insurance card that lapsed, and three years to sue.3 steps →
• The Bike Lane CommuteA stop sign at ten miles an hour, a red light, a friend riding alongside, and a bike locked on the sidewalk.3 steps →
• The Lights on the ShoulderA tow truck working on the shoulder, a phone buzzing, a left lane at sixty-five, and a signal for the last hundred feet.3 steps →

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About this guide — education built from the Colorado Revised Statutes as the Office of Legislative Legal Services publishes them, not a law degree in a webpage. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Colorado attorney or a legal aid office. Current as of October 2026.

This guide covers common situations in real Colorado encounters. Not the whole body of law, not a replacement for a lawyer.