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Telehealth nursing license requirements in Colorado

Telehealth licensing has one governing idea: you generally need authority where the patient is. Here is how that plays out for patients located in Colorado.

Do I need a Colorado license for telehealth nursing?

Generally, you need authority to practice where your patient is — so if your patient is in Colorado, Colorado licensure rules apply, even if you never leave home. Because Colorado recognizes compact privilege, an active multistate license from your compact home state generally covers telehealth to patients in Colorado. A single-state license does not. Employer policy and the Colorado State Board of Nursing’s rules may add requirements on top — confirm before you take the role.

Last reviewed 2026-06-17

Licensure follows the patient

The location that matters for telehealth is generally the patient’s, not yours. Sitting in one state and caring for a patient in Colorado generally means you need authority to practice in Colorado — via compact privilege or a Colorado license. See telehealth: patient in another state.

The law that governs this in Colorado

Caring for a patient located in Colorado is practice in Colorado, so it is Colorado’s own nurse practice act that defines what you may do and the Colorado State Board of Nursing that applies it. That act is C.R.S. tit. 12, art. 255 (Nurse and Nurse Aide Practice Act).

The compact itself is separate law. Colorado adopted it at SB 18-027, Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (2018); codified within C.R.S. tit. 12, art. 255, which is what allows a multistate license issued elsewhere to reach Colorado at all — the practice act still decides what you may do once it does.

Compact status is not the only consideration

Even where a multistate license reaches Colorado, your employer and the Colorado State Board of Nursing may impose additional requirements, and some roles carry their own rules. Compact status answers one question — it is not a blanket authorization to practice remotely.

APRN telehealth is separate

The compact covers RN and LPN/LVN licenses only. If you work as an APRN, your advanced-practice authority is granted state by state and is not carried by a multistate RN license — a point that catches out a lot of remote NP roles.

Since when has a compact license worked in Colorado?

Nurses holding another state’s multistate license have been able to practice in Colorado since January 19, 2018. It has been a member long enough that most guidance you find will be accurate on this point.

What usually comes next

Next-step checklist

  • Identify where your patients are located — that generally drives licensure.
  • Confirm your license reads multistate on Nursys (nursys.com) if you rely on privilege.
  • Confirm your multistate license covers Colorado, then check employer requirements.
  • If you practice as an APRN, confirm Colorado APRN authority separately with the board.

Frequently asked questions

Generally, if you hold an active multistate license from your compact home state, compact privilege reaches Colorado, which covers telehealth to patients located in Colorado. Licensure follows the patient's location. A single-state license does not carry privilege. Employer and board rules may add requirements — confirm with the Colorado State Board of Nursing.

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