What decides whether you need a new license
Two things: whether Colorado is a compact state, and whether your own license is multistate rather than single-state. Compact privilege only exists between compact states, and only a multistate license carries it. Run your exact home/assignment pairing through the compact state checker.
Practicing in Colorado on assignment
Working under privilege still means following Colorado's scope of practice and nurse practice act, and you remain accountable to the Colorado State Board of Nursing while you are here. If any of the assignment is telehealth, remember licensure generally follows the patient’s location — see the Colorado telehealth guide.
The law that governs this in Colorado
Taking an assignment 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.
Before you sign
We are an independent licensing reference — we do not list assignments, agencies, or pay rates, and nothing here is a job offer. For the wider pre-assignment checklist (contract terms, credentialing, housing), see what to check before accepting a travel assignment. Confirm licensure with the Colorado State Board of Nursing.
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.