Limitations on tax certificates - special improvement liens
C.R.S. § 39-11-148
in effect39-11-148. Limitations on tax certificates - special improvement liens. (1) No lien upon real property created by a tax certificate or a certificate of purchase issued by a treasurer on account of any delinquent property taxes or any special assessment of any kind or nature shall remain a lien thereon for a period longer than fifteen years after the original issuance thereof, except as provided in subsection (3) of this section. This section shall not apply to any tax certificate or certificate of purchase issued to and held by the county, city, city and county, or district levying such tax or special assessment; except that, in the event of an assignment of such tax certificate or certificate of purchase so issued to and held by such county, city, city and county, or district, the lien of such tax certificate or certificate of purchase shall cease fifteen years after the date of its issuance subject only to the provisions of subsection (3) of this section.
(2) No treasurer's deed shall issue on any tax sale evidenced by tax certificate or certificate of purchase where such tax certificate or certificate of purchase has ceased to be a lien pursuant to the provisions of this section and application for such treasurer's deed is not pending at the time of the expiration of the limitation period provided for in this section.
(3) In the event of an assignment of a tax certificate or certificate of purchase held by a county, city, city and county, or district levying such tax wherein such certificate is fifteen years old at the time of assignment or will become fifteen years old within one year from the date of such assignment, the assignee thereof shall be entitled to a tax deed in the manner provided by law if such assignee or other legal holder of such certificate institutes proceedings to procure a tax deed by making a demand upon the treasurer for same, as provided by law, within one year from the date of such assignment by the county, city, city and county, or district levying such tax.
(4) Whenever a lien created by a tax certificate has expired by reason of the provisions of this section, the treasurer shall immediately issue a certificate of cancellation describing the real estate included in the certificate of purchase or tax certificate and giving the date of cancellation, and he shall also make proper entries in the book of sales in his office as follows: "Canceled by provision of section 39-11-148, C.R.S.", with the date of such entry. He shall also present every such certificate of cancellation to the county clerk and recorder who shall enter the same in the record of land for which a tax lien was sold for delinquent taxes and endorse the date of entry on the certificate of cancellation and file the same, and such certificate and the record thereof shall be prima facie evidence of the cancellation of the certificate of purchase or tax certificate and of the release of the lien of such certificate on the lands therein described. Failure to record such certificate of cancellation shall not extend the lien created by the certificate of purchase or tax certificate. The treasurer and county clerk and recorder shall not be entitled to any fees for the issuing of such certificate of cancellation nor for the entries in their books made under the provisions of this subsection (4).
such certificate on the lands therein described. Failure to record such certificate of cancellation shall not extend the lien created by the certificate of purchase or tax certificate. The treasurer and county clerk and recorder shall not be entitled to any fees for the issuing of such certificate of cancellation nor for the entries in their books made under the provisions of this subsection (4).
(5) Whenever a lien created pursuant to a tax certificate becomes unenforceable pursuant to section 31-25-1119, C.R.S., the treasurer shall immediately issue a certificate of cancellation describing the real estate included in the certificate of purchase or tax certificate indicating thereon the date of cancellation and shall make the appropriate entries in the book of sales in his office, as follows: "Canceled by provision of sections 31-25-1119 and 39-11-148, C.R.S.", with the date of such entry. He shall present every such certificate of cancellation to the county clerk and recorder who shall enter the same in the record of land for which a tax lien was sold for delinquent taxes and endorse the date of entry on the said certificate of cancellation and file the same, and such certificate and the record thereof shall be prima facie evidence of the cancellation of the certificate of purchase or tax certificate and of the release of the lien of such certificate on the lands therein described. Failure to record such certificate of cancellation shall not extend the lien created by the certificate of purchase or tax certificate. The treasurer and county clerk and recorder shall not be entitled to any fees for the issuing and recording of such certificate of cancellation nor for the entries in their books made under the provisions of this subsection (5).
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-39.docx#39-11-148Fetched: 10/6/2026