HB25-1236 takes effect
August 12, 2026.
Colorado's new portable tenant screening law changes how your leasing team receives and reviews applications. This guide explains what changes, what stays the same, and how Settl handles every requirement automatically.
What is HB25-1236?
House Bill 25-1236 is a Colorado law that gives tenants the right to use a pre-assembled, portable tenant screening report (PTSR) when applying for housing. Starting August 12, 2026, landlords and property management companies with 25 or more rental units in Colorado are required to accept a qualifying PTSR from any applicant who provides one.
The practical effect: some of your applicants will arrive with a verified report already in hand. Your leasing team needs a process for reviewing it.
The short version: If an applicant hands you a compliant PTSR, you review it instead of running your own check — and you don't charge them an application fee for that unit. That's the full scope of what changes.
Is your workflow ready?
Five questions every property manager should be able to answer before August 12.
Do you accept portable tenant screening reports (PTSRs)?
Under HB25-1236, landlords with 25+ units must accept a compliant PTSR from any applicant who provides one. You cannot require your own screening if the applicant already has a qualifying report.
How Settl handles this: Settl Verified Passports meet every element of the Colorado PTSR specification — credit, criminal, eviction, identity, and income. When an applicant presents one, your compliance obligation is satisfied.
Are you waiving application fees when a PTSR is provided?
If an applicant provides a compliant PTSR, you cannot charge a separate application or screening fee for that applicant. Charging both is a violation.
How Settl handles this: Every Settl Passport includes a shareable verification link for landlords — free, with no account required. Your team reviews the report at no cost. There is no fee to waive because there was never a fee.
Are you handling subsidized housing applicants correctly?
HB25-1236 aligns with Colorado's existing source-of-income protections. Applicants with housing vouchers cannot be screened differently on the basis of their voucher status.
How Settl handles this: Settl automatically suppresses credit score data for voucher-holding applicants in Colorado — a requirement under Colorado SOI law. Your leasing team sees a compliant report without any manual intervention.
Do you have an adverse action process for reports you did not commission?
If you deny an applicant based on information in a consumer report — including a tenant-presented PTSR — FCRA §1681m requires you to provide an adverse action notice to the applicant identifying the CRA.
How Settl handles this: Settl is a registered CRA. Every Settl report includes the CRA contact information required for a compliant adverse action notice. Settl can provide a template adverse action letter on request — contact [email protected].
Is your leasing team trained on the new process?
Beginning August 12, applicants may present a Settl Passport instead of completing your standard application. Your team needs to know how to open and review a verification link.
How Settl handles this: Settl offers a free 15-minute walkthrough for leasing teams. We explain the report format, how to read each verification layer, and how to handle edge cases. No commitment required.
What a Settl Passport includes
Every element required by Colorado HB25-1236 is included. Settl is fully compliant with the Colorado PTSR specification.
Get your team ready before August 12.
We offer a free 15-minute walkthrough for leasing teams — how to open a Settl report, what each verification layer means, and how to handle the new PTSR workflow. No commitment, no sales pitch.
Book a free walkthrough