Before you hire a painter in Colorado, read this.
Colorado doesn't license painters at the state level. Anyone can print a business card tomorrow. Here's how to tell who deserves a key to your house.
The five-minute version
- "Licensed" is not a credential here. Colorado has no state painting license, so ask what the word means. What to verify instead.
- Get insurance in writing, sent from the insurer or agent, with you named as certificate holder.
- Compare itemized quotes, not totals. Published Denver price ranges disagree with each other by thousands of dollars. See the ranges and why.
- Know the two Colorado rules that change the job: lead paperwork before 1978, and asbestos testing before scraping popcorn ceilings. The rules, plainly.
- Pay against progress and collect a lien waiver with each payment. What the contract should say.
Everything a homeowner should know first
Licensing & vetting
No state license, so insurance, references, warranty and lien waivers do the work.
Quotes & cost ranges
Sourced Denver ranges, labeled and dated, and how to read a quote line by line.
Why a painting company wrote a guide to vetting painters
We get called to fix other painters' work more often than you'd think: peeling a year after the job, trim brushed over dirt, a ceiling scraped without anyone testing it first. Almost every one of those homeowners did what seemed reasonable. They picked the friendly bid with the lowest number. Nobody had told them what to ask.
So this guide tells you. It applies to any painter you talk to. If you would like to talk to us, Painter Hotline paints interiors, exteriors, cabinets, decks and fences with all major brands, carries full insurance, and puts a 5-year workmanship warranty in writing.
25% off the labor on all painting projects booked by December 31, 2026. Paint and materials not included. Book winter interior dates now.
Ask Painter Hotline for a written estimate
Itemized, so you can hold it up against anyone else's.
Homeowner questions
Does Colorado license house painters?
No. Colorado has no statewide painting-contractor credential. Some cities run their own contractor licensing, and requirements can depend on the city and whether the job needs a permit, so ask what a painter means when they say licensed.
What should I ask a painter for before hiring?
A certificate of general liability insurance, a written and itemized estimate, the warranty in writing, two or three recent local references, and lien waivers when you pay. For a house built before 1978, ask about EPA lead-safe (RRP) certification.
Who publishes this guide?
Painter Hotline, a Denver-headquartered painting company. We would like to be one of the painters you call, but the checklist works on anyone, including us.
Can I get an estimate without someone coming to my house?
With Painter Hotline, yes. You choose: a free in-person estimate, or an estimate from photos you send.