Colorado law generally treats assistance animals as reasonable housing adjustments

The law starts with the assumption that allowing an assistance animal is reasonable and that a complete ban counts as discrimination. These rules cover housing requests from people with disabilities who need service animals, emotional support animals, or other animals that help with a disability. The assumption that allowing an animal is reasonable applies once the housing provider has a chance to discuss the requested adjustment with the person. The law takes effect at 12:01 a.m. the day after 90 days following final adjournment: August 12, 2026, if adjournment was May 13. A timely referendum petition delays the challenged portion until voters approve it in November 2026 and the governor officially declares the result.

Housing providers may request reasonable supporting documents and discuss an assistance-animal request in good faith without those steps alone counting as discrimination. Documents may support the person's disability or disability-related need for an assistance animal. This protection does not apply when the disability or disability-related need is obvious. The law takes effect at 12:01 a.m. the day after 90 days following final adjournment: August 12, 2026, if adjournment was May 13. A timely referendum petition delays the challenged portion until voters approve it in November 2026 and the governor officially declares the result.

Housing providers cannot treat an assistance animal's presence alone as a direct safety threat or presume it will cause substantial property damage. These rules concern assistance animals in housing and risks to other people or their property. Providers may consider documented, specific animal behavior that directly threatens other people's health or safety or causes substantial physical property damage. The law takes effect at 12:01 a.m. the day after 90 days following final adjournment: August 12, 2026, if adjournment was May 13. A timely referendum petition delays the challenged portion until voters approve it in November 2026 and the governor officially declares the result.