Lost & Found Services in Colorado

Discover how to report or find lost items across major cities in Colorado. We help you connect with local services, transportation hubs, and more.

Most Populated Cities in Colorado

Denver

Colorado Springs

Aurora

Fort Collins

Lakewood

Greeley

How Lost & Found Works in Colorado

Colorado does not have one statewide lost and found statute that covers every city the way some states do. Instead, what happens to your lost item depends on which police department or agency picked it up. Denver, Northglenn, Pueblo, Weld County, Rangely and college campuses like Colorado State University each run their own found property ordinance, with their own claim windows and notice rules. The one statewide law that touches lost items directly is Colorado Revised Statutes 18-4-405, which says property obtained through theft must be restored to its owner regardless of who currently holds it.

There is also a completely separate system, the Colorado Unclaimed Property Program run by the State Treasurer, but that handles dormant financial accounts and business holdings, not the phone you left at a restaurant or the bag you left on the bus. ReportLost is an independent service. A free report creates a public listing; paid options add public-web monitoring, and the $25 team-assisted option also includes relevant local outreach. Agencies and venues set their own filing and holding procedures.

What the Law Says in Colorado

No single statewide lost property statute, but CRS 18-4-405 protects owners

Colorado Revised Statutes 18-4-405 states that property obtained by theft, robbery or burglary must be restored to its owner and that no sale can cut off the true owner's right to it. This backs up your claim if a found item resurfaces through a pawnshop, private sale or resale platform, but it does not set out a finder's duty to turn property in. That job falls to city and county ordinances.

City and county ordinances actually run the process

Municipal codes like Northglenn's Article 6-14 Disposition of Personal Property, Pueblo's Chapter 4.32 Lost and Abandoned Property, Weld County's Charter and County Code, and the Town of Rangely's Police Property ordinance each spell out how a local department logs, holds, notifies and eventually disposes of found items. Which ordinance applies depends entirely on which department took custody of your item.

Claim windows differ by department

Under Northglenn's ordinance a written claim generally must come in within a 30 day claim period after notice, Pueblo treats property as abandoned 30 days after written notice is sent to the owner's last known address, Rangely requires the claimant to appear no less than 60 days after the item was surrendered, and Colorado State University's police policy holds found property and safekeeping property for a minimum of 90 days. There is no single statewide clock, so the department that has your item controls the deadline.

Colorado's Unclaimed Property Program is a different system

The Colorado Unclaimed Property Program, run through the State Treasurer, holds dormant financial property such as bank accounts, checks and business holdings valued at $25 or more, and companies must report and remit by November 1 each year. It exists to reunite people with forgotten financial assets, not with a lost wallet, phone or bag, which stays under local police or venue lost and found rules instead.

Where items end up in Colorado

Lost property in Colorado moves through a lot of different hands depending on where you were. Denver International Airport and Colorado Springs Airport each run their own lost and found desks for items left at security, gates or baggage claim. RTD, Denver's regional transit agency, along with Bustang intercity buses, log items found on buses, light rail and at stations. City police departments, from Denver PD to smaller departments like Northglenn, Pueblo and Rangely, take custody of items found in public and on private property when a finder turns them in. College campuses such as Colorado State University run their own police property units, and major venues like Coors Field, Ball Arena, Red Rocks Amphitheatre and ski resorts across the state hold items separately under their own house policies. The city pages below list local contacts. ReportLost is independent; its free public listing, six-month automatic monitoring and twelve-month team-assisted option are described on the report form.

Lost something in Colorado?

A free report creates a public listing. The $12 option adds six months of automatic monitoring, a ReportLost certificate, an anonymous case address, and QR stickers. The $25 option adds manual research, direct service contact, report submission, local social sharing, and 12 months of monitoring.

Report my lost item →

Colorado Lost & Found FAQ

Do I get my item back if someone turned it in?

Yes, but you have to prove it is yours. Colorado departments generally will not hand an item over on a description alone, especially once a formal claim period has opened under a city ordinance. Be ready to describe a private detail that would not be obvious from looking at the item, such as a lock screen photo, a case scratch in a specific spot, or what is saved inside a bag pocket, along with matching ID if the department asks for it.

Is a reward mandatory in Colorado?

No. Colorado law does not require you to offer a reward to get your property back, and no ordinance in the search results sets a mandatory reward rule. Any reward is entirely your choice, and it is never a legal condition for getting your item back.

How long will a Colorado police department hold my found item?

It depends on which department has it. Some cities, like Northglenn, work off a 30 day claim window after written notice, Rangely gives claimants at least 60 days, and Colorado State University's campus police hold items for a minimum of 90 days. There is no one statewide holding period, so check with the specific department or let ReportLost confirm it for you.

What happens if nobody claims my lost item in Colorado?

Once the local claim period runs out without a valid claim, most Colorado ordinances allow the department to treat the item as abandoned. From there it may be sold, donated, destroyed, or in the case of unclaimed currency handled under the city's own rule, such as Northglenn's threshold for found currency of $100 or more. The exact outcome depends on the ordinance in the city that has your item.

Do I have to turn in something I find in Colorado?

Local ordinances in cities like Northglenn and Pueblo direct finders to report or hand over found property to the police department or another designated custodian rather than keep it. Holding onto something you know belongs to another person can also expose you to Colorado's theft statutes, since CRS 18-4-405 confirms that the true owner's right to stolen or improperly kept property is never cut off.

This page provides general information about Colorado law as of publication and is not legal advice. Procedures vary by city and department, verify details with your local authorities. Last reviewed: July 2026.

All Cities We Cover in Colorado

Each city page lists the local lost & found contacts and how to report a loss there.