Colorado
Colorado enacted statewide ADU legislation in 2024, requiring municipalities to permit accessory dwelling units on residential lots. Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs had already adopted ADU-friendly zoning, and the new law extends that right across the state. ADU Pass helps Colorado property owners handle the permit process from start to finish.
Map
State ADU details
State ADU law
Colorado enacted statewide ADU preemption through HB24-1152, signed by Governor Jared Polis in May 2024 with effective date 2025-06-30. The act applies to 'subject jurisdictions': municipalities with population at least 1,000 that lie within a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), and counties containing a census-designated place of at least 40,000 within an MPO. Subject jurisdictions must permit at least one ADU as a use-by-right accessory to any single-unit detached dwelling, with administrative approval (no public hearing) and prohibitions on parking minimums and owner-occupancy mandates. Local governments may continue to set design standards, impact fees (subject to limits), short-term-rental rules, and factory-built-residential standards. The act creates a tiered preemption: local rules that conflict with the floor are void in subject jurisdictions; non-subject (rural) jurisdictions may opt in to gain access to the state's $8M ADU finance program through DOLA's ADU Supportive Jurisdiction certification. The Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (CCIOA) was simultaneously amended at C.R.S. § 38-33.3-106.5 to void HOA bans on ADUs (see stateHoaPreemption).
State HOA preemption
Colorado HB24-1152 amended the Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (CCIOA) to void HOA bans on ADUs. The new C.R.S. § 38-33.3-106.5 prohibits any provision of a Declaration, Bylaw, or Rule from restricting the creation of an ADU as an accessory use to any single-unit detached dwelling. Restrictions adopted before or after the effective date are void as a matter of public policy. The provision applies to all common-interest communities (CCIOA, pre-CCIOA, and limited-expense communities) and is not subject to the small-HOA exemptions in SB24-021. Associations may impose 'Reasonable Restrictions' defined as substantive conditions that do not unreasonably increase cost, effectively prohibit construction, or extinguish the ability to construct an ADU.
State financing programs
Colorado operates one of the most explicit state ADU finance regimes in the country, created by HB24-1152. The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) funded an $8 million revolving program; the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) administers loans, interest-rate buydowns, and credit enhancement for participating lenders. The application period opened to lenders in December 2025; ADU finance products become available to eligible Colorado residents in ADU Supportive Jurisdictions in spring 2026, with interest-rate buydowns and credit enhancement reaching borrowers later in 2026. Eligibility is restricted to ADU Supportive Jurisdictions (subject jurisdictions automatically qualify; non-subject jurisdictions must apply to DOLA for certification).
State insurance regimes
Colorado launched a state FAIR Plan in April 2025 in response to wildfire-driven non-renewal pressure following the 2021 Marshall Fire (over 1,000 homes destroyed; 74% of affected homeowners underinsured). HB23-1288 (signed 2023-05-12) authorized the Colorado FAIR Plan Association as the insurer of last resort; residential applications opened 2025-04-10. Coverage is capped at $750,000 for residential and $5M for commercial; policies are written on actual cash value (ACV) rather than replacement cost; eligibility requires three declines from licensed standard insurers and confirmation by a licensed agent. Colorado is the sixth-costliest state for homeowners insurance with ~$4,072 average annual premium for $300K dwelling coverage; premiums rose 58% from 2018 to 2023. Wildland-urban interface (WUI) exposure drives most underwriting decisions; defensible space, Class A roofing, and Wildfire Prepared Home certifications meaningfully affect rates.
State housing programs
Colorado operates the most fully-developed state ADU support framework in the country outside California. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Division of Local Government (DLG) maintains an ADU Toolkit and a guide to providing pre-approved ADU plans, certifies ADU Supportive Jurisdictions, and administers the ADUG grant program for jurisdictions implementing those tools. The framework explicitly funds three local activities: developing pre-approved ADU plans, providing technical assistance to homeowners, and waiving or reducing ADU fees. ~$1.6M flowed through ADUG round 1 (FY2025-2026); round 2 deadline 2026-03-18. The Accessible/Visitable ADU incentive program adds a separate funding track for ADUs designed to ADA-style standards.
Known state issues (2)
- policy-review (since 2025-06) — Practitioners should verify each Colorado subject jurisdiction's current ADU ordinance status and ADU Supportive Jurisdiction certification status. CHFA ADU finance products are not yet broadly available to borrowers as of this check. (source)
- policy-review (since 2025-04) — ADU owners in WUI zones should plan for FAIR Plan as last resort if admitted-market coverage is unavailable; expect ACV-only settlement which materially affects rebuild economics. (source)
Federal (United States) — ADU-relevant rules and programs
Federal ADU law
The United States has no federal statute that directly regulates accessory dwelling unit entitlement or design. Land-use authority over ADUs resides with states and local governments under the traditional police power. Federal engagement is limited to financing (Fannie/Freddie/FHA/VA/USDA), flood insurance (FEMA/NFIP), and discretionary housing programs (HUD), which are recorded in sibling sections of this file.
Federal financing programs
Federal housing-finance agencies and GSEs set nationwide underwriting rules that govern whether an ADU can be financed, appraised, and counted toward mortgage qualifying income. The relevant actors are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA (HUD), VA, and USDA Rural Development.
Federal tax credits
There is no ADU-specific federal tax credit. ADUs may incidentally qualify for existing federal energy-efficiency and clean-energy tax credits when the ADU construction includes qualifying measures.
Federal housing programs
HUD administers several discretionary programs that can fund ADU-related activity at the grantee's election, but none is an ADU-specific program.
Counties
- Adams County
- Alamosa County
- Arapahoe County
- Archuleta County
- Baca County
- Bent County
- Boulder County
- Broomfield County
- Chaffee County
- Cheyenne County
- Clear Creek County
- Conejos County
- Costilla County
- Crowley County
- Custer County
- Delta County
- Denver County
- Dolores County
- Douglas County
- Eagle County
- El Paso County
- Elbert County
- Fremont County
- Garfield County
- Gilpin County
- Grand County
- Gunnison County
- Hinsdale County
- Huerfano County
- Jackson County
- Jefferson County
- Kiowa County
- Kit Carson County
- La Plata County
- Lake County
- Larimer County
- Las Animas County
- Lincoln County
- Logan County
- Mesa County
- Mineral County
- Moffat County
- Montezuma County
- Montrose County
- Morgan County
- Otero County
- Ouray County
- Park County
- Phillips County
- Pitkin County
- Prowers County
- Pueblo County
- Rio Blanco County
- Rio Grande County
- Routt County
- Saguache County
- San Juan County
- San Miguel County
- Sedgwick County
- Summit County
- Teller County
- Washington County
- Weld County
- Yuma County
Cities
- Agate
- Aguilar
- Akron
- Alamosa
- Allenspark
- Alma
- Almont
- Amherst
- Anton
- Antonito
- Arapahoe
- Arboles
- Arriba
- Arvada (Jefferson County)
- Arvada (No County)
- Aspen
- Atwood
- Ault
- Aurora (Adams County)
- Aurora (Arapahoe County)
- Aurora (No County)
- Austin
- Avon
- Avondale
- Bailey
- Basalt (Eagle County)
- Basalt (Pitkin County)
- Bayfield
- Bedrock
- Bellvue
- Bennett
- Berthoud
- Bethune
- Beulah
- Black Hawk
- Blanca
- Boone
- Boulder (Boulder County)
- Boulder (No County)
- Branson
- Breckenridge
- Briggsdale
- Brighton
- Broomfield (Broomfield County)
- Broomfield (Jefferson County)
- Broomfield (No County)
- Brush
- Buena Vista (Chaffee County)
- Buena Vista (Lake County)
- Buffalo Creek
- Burlington
- Burns
- Byers
- Cahone
- Calhan
- Campo
- Canon City (Fremont County)
- Canon City (No County)
- Capulin
- Carbondale
- Carr
- Cascade
- Castle Rock
- Cedaredge
- Centennial (Arapahoe County)
- Centennial (No County)
- Center (Alamosa County)
- Center (Saguache County)
- Central City
- Cheraw
- Cheyenne Wells
- Cimarron
- Clark
- Clifton
- Coal Creek
- Coaldale
- Collbran
- Colorado City
- Colorado Springs (El Paso County)
- Colorado Springs (No County)
- Commerce City (Adams County)
- Commerce City (No County)
- Como
- Conejos
- Conifer
- Cope
- Cortez
- Cotopaxi
- Cowdrey
- Craig (Moffat County)
- Craig (No County)
- Crawford
- Creede
- Crested Butte
- Crestone
- Cripple Creek
- Crook
- Crowley
- Dacono
- De Beque
- Deer Trail (Arapahoe County)
- Deer Trail (Elbert County)
- Del Norte
- Delta
- Denver (Adams County)
- Denver (Denver County)
- Denver (Jefferson County)
- Denver (No County)
- Dillon
- Dinosaur
- Divide
- Dolores
- Dove Creek (Dolores County)
- Dove Creek (Montezuma County)
- Drake
- Dumont
- Durango (La Plata County)
- Durango (No County)
- Eads
- Eagle
- Eastlake
- Eaton
- Eckert
- Eckley
- Edwards
- Egnar
- Elbert
- Eldorado Springs
- Elizabeth
- Empire
- Englewood (Arapahoe County)
- Englewood (No County)
- Erie
- Estes Park (Larimer County)
- Estes Park (No County)
- Evans
- Evergreen
- Fairplay
- Firestone
- Flagler
- Fleming
- Florence
- Florissant
- Fort Collins (Larimer County)
- Fort Collins (No County)
- Fort Garland
- Fort Lupton
- Fort Morgan
- Fountain
- Fowler (Crowley County)
- Fowler (Pueblo County)
- Franktown
- Fraser
- Frederick
- Frisco
- Fruita
- Galeton
- Gardner
- Gateway
- Genoa
- Georgetown
- Gilcrest
- Gill
- Glen Haven
- Glenwood Springs (Garfield County)
- Glenwood Springs (No County)
- Golden (Clear Creek County)
- Golden (Jefferson County)
- Golden (No County)
- Granada
- Granby
- Grand Junction (Mesa County)
- Grand Junction (No County)
- Grand Lake
- Greeley (No County)
- Greeley (Weld County)
- Green Mountain Falls
- Greenwood Village (Arapahoe County)
- Greenwood Village (No County)
- Grover
- Guffey
- Gunnison
- Gypsum
- Hamilton
- Hartman
- Hartsel
- Hasty
- Haswell
- Haxtun
- Hayden
- Henderson
- Hereford
- Hesperus
- Highlands Ranch (Douglas County)
- Highlands Ranch (No County)
- Hillrose
- Hoehne
- Holly
- Holyoke
- Hooper
- Hot Sulphur Springs
- Hotchkiss (Delta County)
- Hotchkiss (No County)
- Howard
- Hudson
- Hugo
- Hygiene
- Idaho Springs
- Idalia
- Idledale
- Ignacio
- Iliff
- Indian Hills
- Jamestown
- Jaroso
- Joes
- Johnstown
- Julesburg
- Karval
- Keenesburg
- Kersey
- Kim
- Kiowa
- Kirk
- Kit Carson
- Kittredge
- Kremmling
- La Jara
- La Junta
- La Salle
- La Veta
- Lafayette
- Lake City
- Lake George
- Lakewood
- Lamar
- Laporte
- Larkspur
- Las Animas
- Leadville
- Lewis
- Limon
- Littleton (Arapahoe County)
- Littleton (Douglas County)
- Littleton (Jefferson County)
- Littleton (No County)
- Livermore
- Loma
- Longmont (Boulder County)
- Longmont (No County)
- Longmont (Weld County)
- Louviers
- Loveland (Larimer County)
- Loveland (No County)
- Lucerne
- Lyons
- Mack
- Manassa
- Mancos
- Manitou Springs
- Manzanola
- Marvel
- Masonville
- Matheson
- Maybell
- McClave
- McCoy (Eagle County)
- McCoy (Routt County)
- Mead
- Meeker
- Meredith
- Merino
- Mesa
- Mesa Verde National Park
- Milliken
- Minturn
- Moffat
- Molina
- Monte Vista (No County)
- Monte Vista (Rio Grande County)
- Montrose (Montrose County)
- Montrose (No County)
- Monument
- Morrison
- Mosca
- Nathrop
- Naturita
- Nederland
- New Castle
- New Raymer
- Niwot
- Northglenn
- Norwood
- Nucla
- Nunn
- Oak Creek
- Olathe
- Olney Springs
- Ophir
- Orchard
- Ordway
- Otis
- Ouray
- Ovid
- Pagosa Springs (Archuleta County)
- Pagosa Springs (No County)
- Palisade
- Palmer Lake
- Paonia (Delta County)
- Paonia (Gunnison County)
- Parachute (Garfield County)
- Parachute (No County)
- Paradox
- Parker
- Parlin
- Peetz
- Penrose
- Peyton
- Pierce
- Pine
- Pinecliffe
- Pitkin
- Placerville
- Platteville
- Pleasant View
- Pritchett
- Pueblo (No County)
- Pueblo (Pueblo County)
- Ramah
- Rand
- Rangely
- Red Cliff
- Red Feather Lakes
- Redvale
- Rico
- Ridgway
- Rifle (Garfield County)
- Rifle (Rio Blanco County)
- Rockvale
- Rocky Ford
- Roggen
- Rollinsville
- Romeo
- Rush
- Rye
- Saguache
- Salida
- San Luis
- Sanford
- Sargents
- Sedalia
- Sedgwick
- Seibert
- Severance
- Shawnee
- Sheridan Lake
- Silt
- Silver Plume
- Silverthorne (No County)
- Silverthorne (Summit County)
- Silverton
- Simla
- Slater
- Snowmass
- Snowmass Village
- Snyder
- Somerset
- South Fork
- Springfield
- Steamboat Springs (No County)
- Steamboat Springs (Routt County)
- Sterling
- Stoneham
- Strasburg
- Stratton
- Sugar City
- Superior
- Swink
- Tabernash
- Telluride
- Timnath
- Toponas
- Towaoc
- Trinidad
- Two Buttes
- Usaf Academy (El Paso County)
- Usaf Academy (No County)
- Vail (Eagle County)
- Vail (No County)
- Vernon
- Victor
- Vilas
- Villa Grove
- Vona
- Walden
- Walsenburg
- Walsh
- Ward
- Watkins
- Weldona
- Wellington
- Westcliffe
- Westminster (Adams County)
- Westminster (No County)
- Weston
- Wetmore
- Wheat Ridge (Jefferson County)
- Wheat Ridge (No County)
- Whitewater
- Wiggins
- Wild Horse
- Wiley
- Windsor
- Winter Park
- Wolcott
- Woodland Park (No County)
- Woodland Park (Teller County)
- Woodrow
- Woody Creek
- Wray
- Yampa
- Yellow Jacket
- Yoder (El Paso County)
- Yoder (Lincoln County)
- Yuma