The Law

What’s Included in the Law?
As of July 1, 2006, smoking no longer is allowed in most indoor public places including (but not limited to):

• Restaurants, bars, gaming facilities such as bingo halls, billiard or pool halls, bowling alleys, public buildings, grocery stores or any food service establishment

• Theaters, museums, libraries, schools, educational institutions, and common areas of retirement facilities, publicly-owned housing facilities and nursing homes (except areas of assisted living facilities – see exemptions section)

• Lobbies, elevators, restrooms, reception areas, hallways and any other common-use areas in public and private buildings, condominiums and other multiple-unit residential facilities

• Indoor sports arenas, gymnasiums and auditoriums

• Heath care facilities, hospitals, health care clinics, doctor’s offices and child day care facilities

• Common areas in hotels and motels, and no less than 75 percent of hotel or motel sleeping quarters rented to guests

• Jury waiting and deliberation rooms, courtrooms and public meetings

• Government-owned mass transportation of any kind, taxi cabs and limousines not under private hire

• Any place of employment not exempted

In addition, smoking is not allowed within 15 feet of an establishment or business main entryway unless defined differently by a local law.

As of January 1, 2008, casinos are required to be smoke-free.

What's Exempt from the Law?
Of course there are exceptions to every rule. Smoking is permitted in the following locations:

• Private homes, residences and automobiles unless they are being used for child day care or day care

• Areas of assisted living facilities that are designated for residents that are fully enclosed and ventilated and to which access is restricted to the residents or their guests

• Limousines under private hire

• Up to 25 percent of rented hotel or motel rooms

• Retail tobacco businesses

• An establishment that met the definition of a “cigar-tobacco bar” as of December 31, 2005

• The outdoor area of any business as long as it is beyond the 15 foot radius around the main entryway

• The airport smoking lounges at Denver International Airport

• Employers with three or fewer employees/volunteers who do not allow access to the public

• A private, non-residential building on a farm or ranch that has an annual gross income of less than $500,000


To view the full original law, casino law or assisted living facility law, please visit the Resources and Downloads section.

Our Partners

Several Colorado organizations have worked together to develop resources to help educate the public, restaurants and bars and other businesses about the smoke-free law. For more information about these organizations, click on the logos below.

Helpful Downloads

Several materials have been developed to help people better understand the smoke-free law. Simply click on the following selections to download and/or print: