Missed Court in Colorado: What Happens Next

What Colorado law says can follow a missed court date: whether it is a separate crime, the driver’s license rule for traffic cases, what happens to bail, and the court’s own next steps. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored.

What kind of case was the court date for?
How was the person released before the date?

Pick the state, the kind of case and how the person was released to see what that state’s law says.

Colorado failure to appear law

In Colorado, missing a required court date after release can be charged as its own crime. The statute grades it by the kind of case:

  • Released on a felony charge: class 6 felony. A person charged with a felony and released on bond who knowingly fails to appear in that case with intent to avoid prosecution commits a class 6 felony. (C.R.S. § 18-8-212(1))
    A person who is charged with any felony and is released on bond commits a class 6 felony if the person knowingly fails to appear in the felony case for which the person is on bond with the intent to avoid prosecution.
  • Released on any charge: class 2 misdemeanor. A person on bond who intentionally fails to appear for a proceeding at which victims or witnesses have appeared commits a class 2 misdemeanor. (C.R.S. § 18-8-212(2)) Only if victims or witnesses appeared in court for the missed proceeding.
    commits a class 2 misdemeanor if the person intentionally fails to appear in the case for any proceedings for which victims or witnesses have appeared in court.
  • Released on a misdemeanor charge: class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense. Failing to appear to answer a traffic offense other than a traffic infraction is a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense. (C.R.S. § 42-4-1716(2)) Only if the ticket charged a misdemeanor traffic offense, not a traffic infraction.
    A person commits a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense if the person fails to appear to answer any offense other than a traffic infraction charged under this part 17.

The statute’s mental-state words are “knowingly, with intent to avoid prosecution (felony tier); intentionally (misdemeanor tier)”, so the reason the date was missed can matter.

When a date is missed, the court’s order is called a bench warrant (C.R.S. § 16-2-110).

Driver’s license after a missed traffic date in Colorado

An outstanding traffic judgment or warrant is not a basis for denying issuance, renewal or reinstatement of a license; a missed date on a DUI, DUI per se or UDD summons is treated separately as a conviction for license purposes. (C.R.S. § 42-2-118.1)

an outstanding judgement or warrant described in section 42-4-1709 (7) shall not serve as a basis for the department to deny an application for issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a driver's license.

Note: Added by HB 21-1314, effective January 1, 2022.

Bail and bonds after a missed date in Colorado

On a non-compensated-surety bond, the defendant has 35 days from the forfeiture to appear and surrender before judgment may enter. (C.R.S. § 16-4-111(3))

Window to ask the court to set the forfeiture aside: 35 days from the date of forfeiture.

To compare what posting bail costs in Colorado, see the Colorado bail bond calculator.

How to deal with a missed date in Colorado

Only the court that set the date can recall a warrant or give a new date. Contact that court’s clerk, or the lawyer or public defender on the case, who can ask the court to recall or quash the warrant.

What this page does not do

  • It does not check whether a warrant was issued in any case or whether anyone will be arrested.
  • Whether a separate failure-to-appear charge is filed is the prosecutor’s decision; what happens to bail is the court’s.
  • It collects nothing; your choices stay in your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is failure to appear a crime in Colorado?

Yes. Released on a felony charge: class 6 felony under C.R.S. § 18-8-212(1); Released on any charge: class 2 misdemeanor under C.R.S. § 18-8-212(2); Released on a misdemeanor charge: class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense under C.R.S. § 42-4-1716(2).

Is missing court a felony in Colorado?

In some cases. released on a felony charge: class 6 felony under C.R.S. § 18-8-212(1). Otherwise: released on any charge: class 2 misdemeanor under C.R.S. § 18-8-212(2) (only if victims or witnesses appeared in court for the missed proceeding); released on a misdemeanor charge (a citation or summons only): class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense under C.R.S. § 42-4-1716(2) (only if the ticket charged a misdemeanor traffic offense, not a traffic infraction).

Will Colorado suspend my license for missing a traffic court date?

An outstanding traffic judgment or warrant is not a basis for denying issuance, renewal or reinstatement of a license; a missed date on a DUI, DUI per se or UDD summons is treated separately as a conviction for license purposes. The rule is in C.R.S. § 42-2-118.1.

Sources

Checked against the sources above on October 20, 2026.

Know someone who could use this? Share this free tool:

Share: