What statute defines DUI in Colorado?

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301 is the controlling DUI statute in Colorado. You can read the current text on the official code site at leg.colorado.gov.

What is the Colorado implied-consent law?

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301.1 is the implied-consent provision. It sets out the consequences of refusing a chemical test after a lawful DUI arrest.

Colorado DUI Statutes: The Code Sections That Control Your Case

The statutes that control Colorado DUI cases

DUI in Colorado is defined by Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301, and the chemical-testing rules sit in Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301.1. Both are published in the official state code at leg.colorado.gov, which is the only version that governs — summaries elsewhere, including ours, can lag amendments.

Colorado official code — DUI statute

Statutory text, definitions, BAC thresholds and sentencing ranges.

Implied-consent provision

What refusing a breath, blood or urine test costs you.

Statute at a glance

Colorado DUI law at a glance

Sourced from the Colorado code and state agency sites. Verify current text before relying on it.

Offense name: DUI (Colorado)
Controlling statute: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301
Implied consent: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301.1
Per se BAC limit: 0.08 (0.04 CDL, 0.02 or lower under 21)
Licence hearing deadline: 7 days after arrest
Prior-offense lookback: 5 years
First-offense fine: $600–$1,000
First-offense jail exposure: up to 1 year
Licence suspension: 9 months
Ignition interlock: Required on a first offense in most cases
Trial court: the County Court
High-risk filing: SR-22 for 3 years

A first offense is a misdemeanor; interlock is normally required to reinstate.

First-offense exposure under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301: $600–$1,000, up to 1 year of jail exposure, and a 9 months licence suspension. A first offense is a misdemeanor; interlock is normally required to reinstate.

What Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301 actually says

C.R.S. § 42-4-1301(1)(a) — driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, one or more drugs, or a combination.
C.R.S. § 42-4-1301 separately defines driving while ability impaired (DWAI) and driving with excessive alcohol content.
C.R.S. § 42-4-1301.1 establishes express consent, requiring chemical testing on arrest.

Charging documents cite the exact subsection, so check which one appears on your citation. The posted text on leg.colorado.gov carries an effective date — amendments passed after it are not yet reflected.

Other Colorado sections that control the case

C.R.S. § 42-4-1301.1

Express consent chemical-testing law and the revocation it triggers.

C.R.S. § 16-2-114

Appeals of county court criminal judgments to district court.

Colorado ZIP codes covered

These Colorado ZIP-code pages carry the local court, filing and licensing detail for the area, and each one links back to this resource page.

Counties and cities using these Colorado resources

Other Colorado official resources

Colorado DUI Courts: Where Your Case Is Heard Colorado Driver Licensing After a DUI: Hearings, Reinstatement & SR-22

Frequently asked questions

What statute defines DUI in Colorado?: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301 is the controlling DUI statute in Colorado. You can read the current text on the official code site at leg.colorado.gov.
What is the Colorado implied-consent law?: Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301.1 is the implied-consent provision. It sets out the consequences of refusing a chemical test after a lawful DUI arrest.