A Colorado transfer on death deed is a written document that lets a property owner name who receives real estate at the owner's death. The statute calls it a beneficiary deed. The owner signs the deed as grantor and records it before death, and the transfer takes effect only at the owner's death.[1.1] You can fill out the free transfer-on-death deed form below or browse other deed forms.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Colorado law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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A Colorado transfer on death deed lets the owner of real estate name a grantee-beneficiary to receive the property at the owner's death. During the owner's life, the beneficiary has no right, title, or interest in the property, and the owner keeps full power over it.[1.1] The owner can revoke the deed at any time before death.[1.3]
For the grantor, a Colorado beneficiary deed has these practical effects:
The deed needs particular wording, so a form that already contains it saves guesswork. Our online form builder asks a few simple questions about you, the property and the beneficiary, then fills in the Colorado document for you.
Colorado allows a property owner to transfer real estate at death with a beneficiary deed, which is not treated as a will.[1.6] The owner signs the deed as grantor and designates a grantee-beneficiary of the interest.[1.1] The deed must be recorded before the owner dies, and it works only if it meets the requirements below.[1.2]
A valid beneficiary deed meets these requirements:
Beneficiary deeds are governed by Section 15-15-401 of the Colorado Revised Statutes and the sections that follow it.[1.2] Under Section 15-15-402, the transfer by a beneficiary deed is effective only upon the death of the owner.[1.1]
The owner of the interest signs the beneficiary deed as grantor.[1.1] The statutory form closes with the date of execution and the grantor's signature.[1.2]
The grantor records the Colorado beneficiary deed before death in the office of the clerk and recorder in the county where the real property is located. The county of the property decides where to record, so no other county will do.[1.2]
Caution: this deed must be recorded prior to the death of the grantor in order to be effective.
The deed must contain the words "conveys on death" or "transfers on death", or otherwise show that the transfer is to be effective on the death of the owner. Colorado also provides a statutory form for a beneficiary deed, and the form has a line for an optional successor grantee-beneficiary if the first one does not survive the grantor.[1.2]
A Colorado beneficiary deed changes nothing about who controls the property while the owner is alive. The grantor keeps full power and authority over the property, and the beneficiary has no right, title, or interest in it until the owner dies.[1.1] Title then vests in the designated grantee-beneficiary only on the death of the owner.[1.4]
The grantor can revoke a Colorado beneficiary deed at any time before death. To do it, the grantor signs an instrument that describes the real property affected and revokes the deed. The instrument is recorded before the owner dies in the office of the clerk and recorder in the county where the property is located.[1.3]
A will cannot revoke, alter, or amend a beneficiary deed that meets the requirements of the law.[1.3]
A new beneficiary deed also changes the plan. A subsequent beneficiary deed revokes all earlier grantee-beneficiary designations by the owner for the described property in their entirety. This is true even if the new deed does not convey all of the owner's interest. If several deeds or revocations were recorded before death, the most recently executed one controls, regardless of the order of recording.[1.3]
Colorado also provides a statutory form for the revocation, titled Revocation of Beneficiary Deed.[1.2]
Gather these details before you start the Colorado beneficiary deed, so you can go through every part of the form in one sitting. Most of them come from your property records and from the people involved. Having them ready also reduces mistakes in names and in the property description.
A beneficiary deed covers only the real estate it describes. For other property and wishes, you can also prepare a Colorado will template or a Colorado power of attorney. If you want to give property away now instead of at death, see the Colorado quitclaim deed.
The FormsPal Colorado transfer-on-death deed template has nine parts to complete, in the order below. Start at the top of page 1 and finish with Exhibit A on page 4. Each step shows the matching part of the form. You can also fill in the downloaded PDF with our PDF editor, then print it for signing.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Colorado transfer-on-death deed template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.
A filled-out deed does nothing until it is signed and recorded. The grantor signs the deed.[1.1] The deed must then be recorded before the owner's death in the office of the clerk and recorder in the county where the property is located. Recording is the last step, and the statutory form cautions that an unrecorded deed is not effective.[1.2]
A beneficiary deed is a deed signed by the owner of an interest in real property, as grantor, that designates a grantee-beneficiary to receive the interest at the owner's death. It takes effect only upon the death of the owner.[1.1] The owner can revoke it at any time before then.[1.3]
A Colorado transfer on death deed works in three stages.
No. A will cannot revoke, alter, or amend a beneficiary deed that meets the requirements of the law. To change the plan, the grantor records a revocation or a new beneficiary deed before death.[1.3]
No. The joinder, signature, consent, or agreement of, or notice to, a grantee-beneficiary before the grantor's death is not required. The deed also does not need consideration.[1.1]
Yes. A grantee-beneficiary may refuse to accept all or any part of the real property interest described in the deed.[1.7]
General information, not legal or tax advice.
