Colorado · guide
Nurse practitioner licensing in Colorado
Read from the Colorado Board of Nursing. Last verified 2026-09-15.
The sequence
| Step | What it involves |
|---|---|
| RN license | Held by compact privilege where the nurse compact reaches the state, otherwise filed separately. |
| APRN license or recognition | Filed with the Colorado Board of Nursing, including national certification evidence. |
| Prescriptive authority | Separate grant in most states, with its own application and its own renewal date. |
| Controlled substance registration | State registration where required, then the DEA registration tied to the practice address. |
What the numbers say
- Colorado grants full practice authority; no ongoing collaboration agreement is required.
- Prescriptive authority requires listing on the state advanced practice registry after a one-time mentorship period.
Source: the Colorado Board of Nursing. Last verified 2026-09-15. Where a national summary and a board disagree, we publish the board.