Storm contractor rules in Colorado: price gouging after a declared disaster names emergency cleanup services

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. The wider picture is on the storm contractor rules page. The statute text is from the Legislature's 2024 printout of title 6, and the bill summaries are the Legislature's own. The sections below say nothing about a state contractor licence.

The sections in one table

Source	What it says
6-1-730(2), the rule	A person engages in an unfair and unconscionable act or practice when, during a disaster period and within the designated area, the person charges a price so excessive as to amount to price gouging in the sale of building materials, consumer food items, emergency supplies, fuel, medical supplies or other necessities, or in providing repair or reconstruction services, transportation, freight or storage services, or "services used in an emergency cleanup"
6-1-730(5)(l), repair or reconstruction services	Services performed to repair or reconstruct any type of vehicle, or residential, commercial, agricultural or government-owned property, or property of an educational institution, that is damaged as a result of a disaster
6-1-730(5)(e) and (f), trigger and period	A disaster declaration is a national emergency declared by the President or a disaster emergency declared by the Governor. The disaster period starts on the date the declaration begins and runs for 180 days after the date the final disaster declaration concerning the disaster expires
6-1-730(3), the exception	A price is not considered unreasonably excessive if the seller can prove that, because of the events behind the declaration, the price is directly attributable to additional costs imposed by the seller's suppliers or other direct costs of providing the good or service
6-1-730(4), who enforces	The section is enforceable solely by, and at the discretion of, the Attorney General or the district attorney with jurisdiction over the conduct
6-1-112(1)(a), civil penalty	An Attorney General or district attorney civil action may seek up to US$20,000 for each violation, counted as a separate violation for each consumer or transaction involved. The cap is up to US$50,000 per violation when the victim is an elderly person
6-1-105(1)(p), door-to-door	It is a deceptive trade practice to solicit door to door as a seller unless within thirty seconds after beginning the conversation the seller identifies themselves, whom they represent and the purpose of the call

How the section was built

The Legislature's summary of HB20-1414 describes the act as setting the 180-day window and the list of goods and services, and signed on July 14, 2020. The summary of HB23-1192 says the act extended the disaster period from 180 days after the first declaration to 180 days after the final declaration concerning the disaster expires. The 2024 printout shows both changes in its source note.

Tree work and the list

The list does not name trees. Two of its entries could cover storm tree work: repair or reconstruction of damaged property, and services used in an emergency cleanup. The text read does not define emergency cleanup, so whether a given tree job falls under it is a question for the Colorado Attorney General. The section sets no percentage test: it turns on a price "so excessive as to amount to price gouging", with the supplier cost exception. For how other states treat tree work, see contractor licences for tree work. The scam warnings that attorneys general issue after storms are on the storm tree scams page.

Storm contractor rules in Colorado: price gouging after a declared disaster names emergency cleanup services

The sections in one table

How the section was built

Tree work and the list

Sources