Colorado Bat Removal and Exclusion Laws
What Homeowners Should Know About Summer Exclusion
Discovering bats in an attic, roofline, soffit, wall cavity, or other part of a home often creates confusion about what can legally be done and when the work may begin.
One of the most common statements homeowners hear is that bat exclusion is illegal during the summer and that nothing can be done until September.
That is not an accurate description of current Colorado law.
Colorado’s current statewide wildlife regulation does not establish a blanket calendar period prohibiting all bat exclusion work during June, July, or August. However, Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommends avoiding exclusions during the summer pupping season because young bats may not yet be capable of flight.
Those are two separate issues:
Colorado does not currently have a statewide law requiring every homeowner to wait until September.
Summer maternity colonies must still be handled carefully, humanely, and professionally.
An inspection may identify responsible options that can begin before September.
Some situations may require delaying the final one way exclusion phase until juvenile bats are able to leave safely.
At Durand’s Bat Removal, our goal is to protect the homeowner while treating bats with the utmost care and respect. We use humane structural exclusion methods designed to move bats out of buildings without intentionally harming them.
This article provides general educational information based on publicly available laws, regulations, and agency guidance reviewed in July 2026. It is not legal advice. Wildlife regulations, species classifications, public health guidance, and local requirements may change.
Does Colorado law require homeowners to wait until September?
No.
The current Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulation governing nongame wildlife does not contain a fixed statewide blackout period requiring every bat exclusion to wait until September.
The relevant regulation is Colorado Parks and Wildlife Chapter W 10, Nongame Wildlife.
Section 1000.A.5 states that ‘bats… may be captured or killed when they are creating a nuisance or causing property damage.’ The regulation was approved on March 4, 2026, and became effective on May 1, 2026.
Durand’s Bat Removal does not rely on lethal control. We use humane one way exclusion methods that allow bats to leave a structure while preventing them from returning.
Colorado Law and a Homeowner’s Right to Address Nuisance Bats
Colorado generally protects native nongame wildlife. However, the state regulation creates an exception for bats that are creating a nuisance or causing property damage.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife also explains that a landowner or the landowner’s authorized agent may address bats on private property experiencing damage without obtaining a separate CPW nuisance wildlife permit.
This allows a professional bat exclusion company to perform work as the authorized agent of the homeowner.
The official Colorado Parks and Wildlife nuisance wildlife page also cautions that local laws and ordinances may impose additional or more restrictive requirements. Any applicable federal protections, public health requirements, building rules, or local ordinances must still be followed.
Colorado’s Summer Bat Exclusion Guidance
Although Colorado does not currently have a fixed statewide legal blackout period, Colorado Parks and Wildlife advises homeowners and contractors to avoid sealing bats out of buildings during the June through August pupping season.
During this period, adult female bats may leave the structure at night while their young remain behind. Juvenile bats, commonly called pups, may not yet be able to fly.
If one way devices are installed too early, the adult bats may be excluded while the pups remain trapped inside. This can result in:
Bat mortality
Odors inside walls, ceilings, and attics
Insect activity
Bats entering occupied rooms while searching for another exit
Additional contamination and cleanup costs
The official Colorado Parks and Wildlife Living with Bats page recommends avoiding summer exclusion because trapping adult bats or pups can create serious problems for both the bats and the occupants of the home.
The Colorado Bat Working Group’s humane exclusion guidance also emphasizes that timing must be evaluated carefully and asks whether work can wait until a maternity colony has dispersed.
Agency Guidance
Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s recommendation should be treated seriously. It reflects the biological risks associated with trapping flightless pups.
However, that recommendation is not the same thing as an express regulation stating that every form of bat work is illegal until September.
The more accurate explanation is:
Colorado does not have a blanket statewide law requiring all homeowners to wait until September, but the timing and method of exclusion must be evaluated carefully to avoid trapping young bats.
September is also not a universal biological switch. Bat development can be influenced by the species, elevation, weather, roost conditions, and the timing of birth within a particular colony.
Responsible bat work should therefore be based on a site specific assessment rather than a single assumption that every property must be treated identically.
What Can Be Done During the Summer?
Finding bats during June, July, or August does not necessarily mean that a homeowner must ignore the problem until fall.
Depending on the circumstances, responsible options may include:
Inspection and Documentation
A detailed exterior and roofline inspection can identify active entrances, secondary vulnerabilities, guano staining, roosting areas, and potential access into occupied spaces.
Emergence Monitoring
Watching the structure around dusk may help determine the size of the colony, the entrances being used, and whether juvenile bats appear capable of sustained flight.
Public Health Response
If a bat has entered an occupied living area or possible contact with a person or pet cannot be ruled out, the situation should be addressed immediately through the appropriate medical, public health, animal control, or veterinary channels.
Carefully Staged Repairs
Some exterior repairs or preparation may be possible without closing active entrances or trapping bats. Any staged work must be planned carefully so it does not redirect bats into the home or isolate pups from adult females.
Humane Exclusion When Conditions Allow
If a professional assessment indicates that the bats, including juvenile bats, are capable of leaving safely, one way exclusion may be an appropriate option.
Delaying Only the Final Exclusion Phase
If flightless pups are confirmed, the safest option may be to document the structure, prepare a detailed scope of work, address immediate exposure concerns, and schedule the one way exclusion phase when the young bats can leave safely.
The correct decision depends on what is actually occurring at the specific home. It should not be based solely on a generalized statement that all work is legally prohibited until September.
Federal Wildlife Laws
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects covered migratory bird species from unauthorized capture, killing, possession, and other forms of take.
Bats are mammals, not birds, and are therefore not protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The official law summary is available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Treaty Act page.
The Endangered Species Act
The federal Endangered Species Act may apply when work could affect a federally listed bat species.
Whether federal protection applies depends on:
The species involved
Its current federal status
The location of the work
The proposed method
Whether the activity could result in prohibited take
Federal species classifications can change. When an unusual species is encountered or identification is uncertain, current information should be confirmed through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ECOS system.
For example, the little brown bat was under federal status review as of April 2026, while the tricolored bat remained proposed for endangered status.
Pesticides, Poisons, and Chemical Treatments
Federal pesticide law generally prohibits using a registered pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its approved labeling.
A pesticide, repellent, toxicant, or chemical product should never be used for bat control.
EPA explains that pesticide labels are legally enforceable and that using a pesticide contrary to its label can violate the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
The official guidance is available through the EPA Introduction to Pesticide Labels.
Durand’s Bat Removal uses mechanical and structural exclusion rather than chemical extermination. Our objective is to allow bats to leave safely and prevent them from returning.
Rabies Exposure and Public Health Coordination
A structural bat colony and a possible rabies exposure are related concerns, but they are not handled in exactly the same way.
If someone has been bitten or scratched by a bat, had direct physical contact, or cannot confidently rule out contact, they should contact a healthcare provider and their local public health department immediately.
A bat discovered in a room with a sleeping person, unattended child, or someone who may not reliably recognize or report contact should also be evaluated carefully by medical and public health professionals.
Bat bites can be extremely small and may leave little visible evidence.
If a bat may have been involved in an exposure:
Do not touch it with bare hands.
Do not release it before speaking with public health officials.
Contact local public health or animal control about safe capture and testing.
Seek medical guidance promptly.
Colorado identifies bats and skunks as the primary wildlife sources of rabies in the state. The Colorado Rabies FAQ advises people who have been bitten or scratched to contact both a healthcare provider and local public health immediately.
The CDC guidance on preventing rabies from bats also advises homeowners not to release a bat involved in possible contact before consulting public health.
An exclusion contractor should not diagnose rabies exposure or replace medical and public health guidance.
Why Professional Timing Matters
Professional exclusion requires more than placing a device over the most visible hole.
A responsible assessment considers:
Whether the bats are using the home as a maternity roost
Whether juvenile bats are capable of flight
Whether bats have entered occupied living spaces
Whether people or pets may have been exposed
Whether secondary openings could allow relocation
Whether the proposed work could trap bats inside
Whether federal or local restrictions may apply
Whether immediate repairs can be completed without harming bats
A well planned exclusion protects the structure while minimizing the risk of bat mortality, interior bat activity, odor, contamination, and repeat entry.
Our Approach to Colorado Bat Exclusion
Durand’s Bat Removal believes homeowners should receive accurate information rather than blanket statements.
We will not tell a homeowner that every summer bat exclusion is automatically not allowed when Colorado’s current statewide regulation does not establish that rule.
We also will not ignore maternity colony concerns or proceed carelessly simply because the regulation does not contain fixed blackout dates.
Our approach is to:
Inspect the entire structure
Identify active and potential entrances
Evaluate colony behavior and seasonal conditions
Explain what can responsibly be completed now
Explain what may need to wait
Use humane one way exclusion methods
Avoid intentionally harming bats
Protect the homeowner from repeat entry and avoidable contamination
Follow applicable wildlife, public health, pesticide, and local requirements
The goal is not to choose between protecting people and protecting bats.
Professional exclusion should do both.
Conclusion
Colorado homeowners do not currently face a blanket statewide law requiring every bat exclusion to wait until September.
Colorado law allows landowners and their authorized agents to address bats that are creating a nuisance or causing property damage. At the same time, Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommends avoiding summer exclusions when flightless pups may be present.
The responsible answer is therefore not always simply “wait until September” or “proceed no matter what.”
The responsible answer is to inspect the structure, understand the colony, evaluate the immediate risks, and determine which humane options are appropriate for that specific home.
When conditions allow, exclusion may be performed before September. When flightless pups are present, the work may need to be staged or the final one way exclusion phase delayed.
In every situation, Durand’s Bat Removal approaches the work with professionalism, respect for wildlife, and a commitment to protecting the people, the bats, and the property affected by the colony.