Colorado background check laws
A practitioner-grade reference to Colorado pre-employment background screening: lookback caps, ban-the-box scope, salary-history limits, cannabis testing rules, and the statutes the SafestHires compliance team applies on every order routed to CO.
The four levers at a glance
| Lookback period | 7 years (FCRA default) |
| Ban-the-Box scope | Statewide (CRS §8-2-130) |
| Salary history | Banned (Equal Pay for Equal Work Act) |
| Cannabis testing | Recreational legal; safety-sensitive carve-out |
Lookback period
Colorado follows the FCRA seven-year window; recently sealed records under SB 21-271 must be suppressed.
Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance rules
The Chance to Compete Act removed the criminal-history question from initial applications statewide effective Sept 1, 2019 (all private employers Sept 1, 2021).
Salary history
Employers may not seek wage-history information. All postings must include compensation, benefits, and application deadline.
Cannabis & drug testing
Coats v. Dish Network upheld zero-tolerance policies. Off-duty use is not a protected activity for employment purposes despite Amendment 64.
Governing statutes & references
- CRS §8-2-130
- CRS §8-5-201 (Equal Pay)
- SB 21-271 (sealing)
SafestHires compliance note
Job postings must include salary range, benefits, and application deadline.