Colorado Theft Charges
Colorado's consolidated theft statute (C.R.S. § 18-4-401) grades theft by the value of what was taken. The felony threshold is $2,000: theft of $2,000 to under $5,000 is a class 6 felony, while amounts below $2,000 are misdemeanors or a petty offense, and larger amounts are higher felony classes.
By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 26, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.
This is general information, not legal advice, and Colorado’s theft value tiers are detailed and frequently amended — confirm the current numbers against the statute and talk to a Colorado attorney.
Colorado uses a single, consolidated theft statute (C.R.S. § 18-4-401) that covers many kinds of taking and grades the offense by the value of what was taken.
The $2,000 felony threshold
The key line is $2,000. Theft of $2,000 to under $5,000 is a class 6 felony, and larger amounts are higher felony classes.
Below the felony line
Amounts below $2,000 are charged as misdemeanors or a petty offense:
- $1,000 to under $2,000 — class 1 misdemeanor;
- $300 to under $1,000 — class 2 misdemeanor;
- under $300 — class 1 petty offense.
Because these dollar tiers are detailed and amendment-prone, confirm the current amounts against the statute rather than relying on figures you read elsewhere.
For how these classes translate into court and penalties, see the criminal process, or return to the criminal-defense hub. To get matched with a local Colorado attorney, connect with a lawyer.
Connect with a local attorney
Tell us about your situation and we'll match you with a local California attorney who handles matters like yours. Free, no obligation.
Start your free intakeFrequently asked questions
- When does theft become a felony in Colorado?
- At a value of $2,000. Theft of $2,000 to under $5,000 is a class 6 felony, and larger amounts are higher felony classes (C.R.S. § 18-4-401). Confirm the current dollar tiers against the statute.
- What about theft below $2,000?
- It's charged below the felony line: a class 1 misdemeanor for $1,000 to under $2,000, a class 2 misdemeanor for $300 to under $1,000, and a class 1 petty offense for under $300.
- Is there one theft law or many?
- Colorado uses a single, consolidated theft statute (C.R.S. § 18-4-401) that covers different kinds of taking and grades the offense by value.
Sources
Related guides
- Colorado Assault Charges Colorado recognizes three degrees of assault. First-degree (C.R.S. § 18-3-202) and second-degree (C.R.S. § 18-3-203) assault are felonies. Third-degree assault (C.R.S. § 18-3-204) is a class 1 misdemeanor, though it can become a class 6 felony if the victim is an at-risk person.
- Colorado Drug Charges Under Colorado's Uniform Controlled Substances Act, simple possession of 4 grams or less of a schedule I or II substance is a level 1 drug misdemeanor — not a felony — after HB19-1263 (C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5), with exceptions. Distribution and manufacturing remain felonies (C.R.S. § 18-18-405). Marijuana is legal for adults 21+ under Amendment 64, with unlawful amounts addressed in C.R.S. § 18-18-406.
- Colorado DUI & DWAI Charges Colorado has two impaired-driving offenses (C.R.S. § 42-4-1301): DUI, with a per se limit of 0.08 BAC or more, and the lesser DWAI, which applies above 0.05 but below 0.08. A 4th or subsequent offense is a class 4 felony. The express-consent law (C.R.S. § 42-4-1301.1) deems drivers to have agreed to chemical testing, and refusing triggers an automatic DMV license revocation separate from the criminal case.
- Sealing a Criminal Record in Colorado Colorado allows sealing of many criminal records (C.R.S. § 24-72-701 et seq.), including petition-based sealing of conviction records under § 24-72-706. Recent reforms (SB22-099) added automatic sealing of many eligible records on a phased schedule, alongside the petition process. Eligibility lists, waiting periods, and the automatic-sealing rollout are detailed and amendment-prone.
- The Colorado Criminal Process Colorado sorts felonies into classes 1–6 (class 1 most serious), each with a presumptive sentencing range (C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401), while drug crimes use a separate drug-felony/drug-misdemeanor system. A 2021 reform (SB21-271, effective March 1, 2022) cut misdemeanors to two classes. District Court hears felonies; County Court handles misdemeanors and the early stages of felony cases.