How to file for unemployment in Colorado

The online claim is usually the fastest way. Here is what to have ready, when your claim starts and what comes after you file.

All about unemployment in Colorado

Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.

Filing, step by step

File online in MyUI+ (fastest). You can also call the Customer Service Center at 303-318-9000 or 1-800-388-5515. In-person help is available by appointment at 707 17th Street, Suite 150, Denver, mainly for people with limited computer access.

When to file and when your claim starts

File right after your last day of work. You must verify your identity through ID.me before you can be paid. You can cancel a new claim within 12 calendar days by calling CDLE.

What to have ready

Your income information, such as pay stubs
For every job in the last 18 months: the legal name and address of the business, the dates you worked and your rate of pay
Federal workers: the Claimant's Affidavit of Federal Civilian Service and UCFE forms, plus your SF-8 and SF-50
Military: a copy of your DD Form 214, Member 4
Your bank account details if you want direct deposit (some online-only banks cannot be verified)

Certify (claim your weeks)

How often: Weekly. Request payment every week in MyUI+ or by phone at 1-888-550-2800, starting the Sunday after the first week of your claim, even while your claim or appeal is pending. Report all hours and gross earnings for the week you worked them, and your work-search activities. If you do not request payment by 10 p.m. Saturday, your claim becomes inactive.

Your first payment

CDLE says processing a claim usually takes 4 to 6 weeks, longer for complicated claims. If you qualify, you are paid every week by direct deposit or a U.S. Bank ReliaCard debit card.

Register for work

Register as a job seeker with Connecting Colorado within one week of filing your claim. A local workforce center can help if you cannot register online. If you get a notice to take part in RESEA, schedule the meeting in Connecting Colorado.

Connecting Colorado

Law: C.R.S. 8-73-107

Official source: Source page

What applies in every state

File with the unemployment program of the state where you worked. If you worked in another state or in several states, the agency in the state where you live now can tell you how to file with other states.
It generally takes two to three weeks after you file to get your first payment. Some states require a one-week waiting period, so the second week you claim is the first week paid.

Free help

Call 1-800-388-5515. Legal aid and other free help in Colorado → Official sources →