What Is a Portable Tenant Screening Report in Colorado? (2026 Guide)
The short answer
Learn what a Portable Tenant Screening Report (PTSR) is in Colorado, how HB25-1236 works, and how Settl qualifies as a compliant PTSR for landlords statewide.
If you've rented in Colorado recently, you may have paid $35–$50 in application fees for every apartment you applied to — only to have each landlord run their own separate background check. Colorado's legislature looked at that problem and passed HB25-1236, a law that fundamentally changes how tenant screening works in the state.
What Is a Portable Tenant Screening Report?
A Portable Tenant Screening Report (PTSR) is a standardized rental background report that you — the tenant — obtain once and can share with multiple landlords. Instead of paying for a new background check with every application, you purchase a single verified report and present it everywhere you apply.
The key word is "portable." The report travels with you from listing to listing, and under HB25-1236, qualifying landlords in Colorado are required to accept it rather than forcing you to pay for another screen.
What HB25-1236 Actually Requires
Colorado's HB25-1236 went into effect in 2025 and established several tenant protections around screening:
- Landlords must accept a PTSR that was issued within the last 30 days
- If a landlord accepts a PTSR, they cannot charge the applicant an additional screening fee
- The report must meet minimum content standards — identity verification, background check, and income information
- Landlords who violate the law may face civil liability from tenants
The law applies to most residential landlords in Colorado. Small-scale landlords renting a single unit they own may have limited exceptions, but the vast majority of property managers and multi-unit landlords fall under the statute.
What a Valid PTSR Must Include
Not every background check qualifies as a PTSR under Colorado law. A compliant report generally needs to include:
- Identity verification — confirmed government-issued ID
- Criminal background check — national or state-level criminal history
- Eviction history — prior unlawful detainer filings
- Income and employment verification — documented proof of income
- A timestamp or issue date (must be within 30 days of submission)
How Settl Qualifies as a PTSR
Settl's $99 Settl Passport is built specifically to meet PTSR standards in Colorado and beyond. It includes biometric identity verification, bank-verified income confirmation through Plaid, payroll and employment history through Argyle, and criminal/eviction background checks through Stitch Credit.
When you apply to an apartment in Colorado with a Settl Passport in hand, you can present it to a landlord and — by law — they must accept it. No additional screening fee. No waiting for another background check to run. You walk in verified.
How to Get Your PTSR
Getting a PTSR through Settl takes about 10–15 minutes:
- Go to settlhome.com/apply and create your profile
- Complete the identity verification step (government ID + selfie)
- Connect your bank account to verify income (read-only, no credentials stored)
- Add employment verification if applicable
- Pay once ($99) and receive your portable report link
Your report is valid for 30 days and can be shared with any number of landlords during that window. If you're actively searching, you renew for $39 — far less than the cumulative cost of individual application fees.
Your Rights Under HB25-1236
If a landlord refuses to accept your valid, in-date PTSR and demands you pay for a new screen, they may be in violation of Colorado law. Keep a copy of your report, note the date, and consult a Colorado tenant rights attorney or contact the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) if you believe your rights were violated.
The law is on your side. A Settl Passport makes it easy to exercise those rights from day one.
Settl Team
Settl Editorial
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