Out-of-State Telehealth Providers

On and after January 1, 2026, an applicant who possesses an out-of-state credential may provide health-care services through telehealth to patients located in this state if the applicant is registered with a regulator, as applicable to the applicant’s practice, and provides health-care services within the scope of practice established under the laws and rules of this state that apply to the applicant’s practice.

A regulator may register an applicant who does not possess a license, certificate, or registration in this state as a registered provider under this section if the applicant satisfies certain conditions. See legislation for details and requirements.

A registered provider providing health-care services through telehealth to a patient located in this state shall provide health-care services in compliance with the professional practice standards applicable to a licensee, certificate holder, or registrant who provides comparable in-person health-care services in this state. Professional practice standards and laws applicable to the provision of in-person health-care services in this state, including standards and laws relating to prescribing medication or treatment, identity verification, documentation, informed consent, confidentiality, disclosures, privacy, and security, apply to the provision of health-care services through telehealth in Colorado.

A registered provider who provides telehealth services to a patient shall:

• Provide the patient with guidance on appropriate follow-up care as required by the laws, rules, and standard of care for Colorado;
• In the event of an emergency, make a good faith effort to:
  • Directly contact and coordinate with emergency services located near the originating site; or
  • If the urgent, emergent, or emergency situation is related to the patient’s mental health or a substance use condition, facilitate contact with the appropriate local mental and behavioral health services to include local crisis services, such as crisis stabilization units, crisis walk-in centers, mobile crisis response services, and withdrawal management facilities; and
  • Remain on a synchronous connection with the patient if the emergency arises during a synchronous connection, until emergency services have reached the originating site or the situation is resolved int he registered provider’s clinical judgment; and
• Maintain a written emergency protocol that is appropriate to the applicable standard of care in Colorado. The written emergency protocol must include good faith methods of accomplishing the following:
  • Providing the name and location of the patient to emergency services in oral, written, or digital form;
  • Determining the originating site if a patient is unaware of the location; and
  • Providing the contact information of the patient to emergency services
• A registered provider must maintain a current list of hospitals, urgent care centers or clinics, and crisis providers, such as crisis stabilization units, and withdrawal management facilities, in the area where the patient resides

A registered provider shall not open an office in this state and shall not provide in-person health-care services to patients located in this state unless the registered provider obtains the license, certification, or registration that the applicable regulator requires for the performance of the relevant health-care services in this state.

A registered provider providing telehealth services to a patient in this state shall disclose the following information to the patient, as applicable:

• The location of the registered provider; and
• That the registered provider does not have physical location in Colorado

See legislation for instances when an applicable regulator may take disciplinary action against a registered provider.

SOURCE: CO Revised Statutes 12-30-124 as added by SB 24-141 (2024 Session). (Accessed Mar. 2025).

SOURCE: The Colorado Medical Board Policies, 40-27, page 101. Guidelines for the Appropriate Use of Telehealth Technologies in the Practice of Medicine. 8/19/21. (Accessed Mar. 2025).

Regulations regarding the licensure and practice of physician assistants states that, for physicians and physician groups entering into collaborating agreements, physicians must be actively practicing medicine in Colorado by means of a regular and reliable physical presence in Colorado. For purposes of this Rule, to practice medicine based primarily on telecommunication devices or other telehealth technologies does not constitute “actively practicing medicine in Colorado.”

In addition, for individuals who choose to delegate medical services, a delegating physician may utilize telehealth technologies, where appropriate, to satisfy the requirements for prompt personal consultation or follow-up care, but should not rely exclusively on such telehealth technologies to perform those services.

SOURCE: 3 CCR 713-1. (Accessed Mar. 2025).

Colorado Mental Health Boards

Providers who evaluate or treat through teletherapy technologies are practicing psychotherapy. The practice of psychotherapy occurs where the patient is located at the time teletherapy technologies are used. Therefore, a provider must be licensed, certified, or registered to practice psychotherapy in the state of Colorado in order to evaluate or treat patients located in Colorado utilizing teletherapy technologies or otherwise.

SOURCE: State Board of Psychologist Examiners Policies, 30-1, page 11. Teletherapy Policy – Guidance regarding Psychotherapy through Electronic Means. 2/2/18. (Accessed Mar. 2025).

Psychologists

In regard to licensed psychologists prescribing psychotropic medication for the treatment of mental health disorders, practice requirements for telemedicine include the prescribing psychologist being licensed in Colorado and having a Colorado prescription certificate to prescribe to a patient whose originating site is in Colorado as defined in section 10-16-123(4)(b), C.R.S., and adhering to the standards for care laid out for both telepsychology and psychology prescribing in Colorado and the state where the client is receiving treatment.

Prescribing psychologists licensed in Colorado must be in Colorado at the time services are provided and will only provide telemedicine services to clients whose originating site is in Colorado as defined in section 10-16-123(4)(b), C.R.S.

SOURCE: 3 CCR 721-1. (Accessed Mar. 2025).

Veterinarians

A person must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Colorado in order to practice telemedicine in Colorado.

SOURCE: CO Revised Statute 12-315-303 as added by HB 24-1048 (2024 Legislative Session). (Accessed Mar. 2025).