Colorado HOA Guides & Resources

Manager licensing

Colorado operated a Community Association Manager (CAM) licensing program from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2019, administered by the Division of Real Estate under DORA. In May 2019, Governor Polis vetoed House Bill 19-1212, which would have renewed the program. The Governor's veto letter stated that 'the data we have reviewed does not demonstrate that regulating community association managers has had the intended effect of reducing harm to consumers.' As a result, there is currently no state license required to manage an HOA in Colorado, and no regulatory oversight of community association managers at the state level. Boards hiring a management company or individual manager cannot rely on state licensure as a quality screen.

Governing law

Colorado's common-interest community law is the Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (CCIOA), codified at C.R.S. §§ 38-33.3-101 through 402. Enacted in 1992 and fully applicable to communities created on or after July 1, 1992, CCIOA sets baseline rules for how associations are formed, governed, and financed. It requires boards to hold open meetings, make specified records available to owners, adopt written governance policies covering conflicts of interest and collections, and act as fiduciaries in the best interest of the community. Notably, any association that fails to register annually with the Colorado Division of Real Estate — or lets that registration lapse — loses its right to enforce assessment liens and pursue other CCIOA collection remedies until registration is restored.