In Colorado, the license families see for assisted living is "Assisted Living Residence (ALR)", issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division. Colorado's assisted living rules do not require a physician's exam or a set state form before move-in. The residence must give written notice 30 calendar days before discharge, or as much notice as is reasonable if it cannot meet the resident's needs or the resident is a danger to self or others.
Key facts
- The median monthly cost of assisted living in Colorado was $6,584 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $79,005 a year, $384 above the national median of $6,200 a month. (CareScout, 2026)
- Health First Colorado (Medicaid) can pay for personal care and homemaker services in assisted living residences that Medicaid has certified as alternative care facilities, for members enrolled in the Elderly, Blind, and Disabled or Community Mental Health Supports waiver. (10 CCR 2505-10 Sections 8.7506 and 8.7413, 2026)
- Colorado's assisted living rules do not require a TB test for new residents. (6 CCR 1011-1 Ch. 7 Part 7, 2025)
- Only a practitioner, nurse, qualified medication administration person (QMAP) or certified nurse medication aide may give or help with medications. (6 CCR 1011-1 Ch. 7 Part 14, 2025)
- A residence that limits residents from leaving on their own must follow extra secure environment rules, including a pre-admission assessment with an evaluation by a licensed practitioner within the previous 90 days. (6 CCR 1011-1 Ch. 7 Part 25, 2025)
Colorado calls assisted living an assisted living residence (ALR): a residential facility for three or more adults not related to the owner that provides room and board, personal services, protective oversight and 24-hour supervision, but not regular 24-hour medical or nursing care. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment licenses ALRs under 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 7, and an ALR that the state Medicaid agency has also certified is called an alternative care facility (ACF).
Rules change and communities can set stricter policies. Before you sign, confirm the details with the community and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division. This page is general information, not legal advice.
The rules at a glance
| Medical assessment before move-in | Colorado's assisted living rules do not require a physician's exam or a set state form before move-in. Instead, the residence must assess the person's needs before admission and complete a comprehensive assessment at move-in using information from a practitioner, then update it at least yearly. [4][5] More on this |
|---|---|
| TB test | Colorado's assisted living rules do not require a TB test for new residents. They require tuberculin skin tests only for staff and volunteers, before those people have direct contact with residents. [6][5] More on this |
| Notice before a move-out | The residence must give written notice 30 calendar days before discharge, or as much notice as is reasonable if it cannot meet the resident's needs or the resident is a danger to self or others. Reasons also include nonpayment and breaking the resident agreement, and the notice must state the right to file a grievance within 14 days. [5] More on this |
| Who may give medications | Only a practitioner, nurse, qualified medication administration person (QMAP) or certified nurse medication aide may give or help with medications. QMAPs may not give insulin or other injections unless other state law or state rules specifically allow it. [7][8] More on this |
| Memory care and dementia | A residence that limits residents from leaving on their own must follow extra secure environment rules, including a pre-admission assessment with an evaluation by a licensed practitioner within the previous 90 days. Staff need at least 6 hours of dementia training within 60 days, and the residence must give written disclosures about admission criteria and services before move-in. [9] |
| Long-term care ombudsman | Colorado's State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program serves residents of licensed assisted living residences and nursing homes, including on transfer and discharge problems, and can be reached at 303-862-3524 or coombudsman.org. [10] Official page More on this |
| Medicaid help | Health First Colorado (Medicaid) can pay for personal care and homemaker services in assisted living residences that Medicaid has certified as alternative care facilities, for members enrolled in the Elderly, Blind, and Disabled or Community Mental Health Supports waiver. Medicaid does not pay room and board, which the member pays at a rate the state sets each year. [12][11] Official page More on this |
What assisted living costs in Colorado
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Colorado was $6,584 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $79,005 a year, $384 above the national median of $6,200 a month. [14]
A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less. Rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs, so ask each community for its full fee list in writing. More: assisted living costs in every state, a monthly budget and the costs that aren't in the base rate.
How to check a community in Colorado
The department's Find and Compare Facilities tool lets families search inspection results from the last 3 years for facilities it licenses, including citations and each facility's plan of correction. Anyone, including family members, can file a complaint, and complaints can be anonymous. Search Colorado's records. [2][3]
The licensing agency: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division. [1][13] Our guide on how to read an inspection report explains what to look for.
Put Colorado's paperwork on a date
Parent Move Plan counts every task back from the move-in day, including the medical assessment and TB screening the community will ask for, so nothing lands in the last week.
Get your first 3 days freeFrequently asked questions
How much does assisted living cost in Colorado?
The median monthly cost of assisted living in Colorado was $6,584 in CareScout's 2025 Cost of Care Survey, or $79,005 a year, $384 above the national median of $6,200 a month. A median is the middle of the rates communities reported, so many charge more or less, and rates differ between regions and by the care a resident needs.
What medical assessment does Colorado require before moving into assisted living?
Colorado's assisted living rules do not require a physician's exam or a set state form before move-in. Instead, the residence must assess the person's needs before admission and complete a comprehensive assessment at move-in using information from a practitioner, then update it at least yearly.
Does Colorado require a TB test for assisted living?
Colorado's assisted living rules do not require a TB test for new residents. They require tuberculin skin tests only for staff and volunteers, before those people have direct contact with residents.
How much notice must an assisted living community in Colorado give before a move-out?
The residence must give written notice 30 calendar days before discharge, or as much notice as is reasonable if it cannot meet the resident's needs or the resident is a danger to self or others. Reasons also include nonpayment and breaking the resident agreement, and the notice must state the right to file a grievance within 14 days.
Who can give medications in assisted living in Colorado?
Only a practitioner, nurse, qualified medication administration person (QMAP) or certified nurse medication aide may give or help with medications. QMAPs may not give insulin or other injections unless other state law or state rules specifically allow it.
Who can help with a complaint about assisted living in Colorado?
Colorado's State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program serves residents of licensed assisted living residences and nursing homes, including on transfer and discharge problems, and can be reached at 303-862-3524 or coombudsman.org.
Does Medicaid pay for assisted living in Colorado?
Health First Colorado (Medicaid) can pay for personal care and homemaker services in assisted living residences that Medicaid has certified as alternative care facilities, for members enrolled in the Elderly, Blind, and Disabled or Community Mental Health Supports waiver. Medicaid does not pay room and board, which the member pays at a rate the state sets each year.
Sources
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: Assisted Living Residences (via Internet Archive), 2026 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: Find and Compare Facilities (via Internet Archive), 2026 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: File a Complaint (via Internet Archive), 2026 (checked October 22, 2026)
- 6 CCR 1011-1 Ch. 7 Part 12, Resident care services (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- 6 CCR 1011-1 Ch. 7 Part 11, Resident admission and discharge (via Cornell LII), 2024 (checked October 22, 2026)
- 6 CCR 1011-1 Ch. 7 Part 7, Personnel (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- 6 CCR 1011-1 Ch. 7 Part 14, Medication and medication administration (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- 6 CCR 1011-1 Ch. 24 Section 7, Medication administration practice standards (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- 6 CCR 1011-1 Ch. 7 Part 25, Secure environment (via Cornell LII), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Colorado State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: home page (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)
- Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing: Alternative Care Facilities (via Internet Archive), 2026 (checked October 22, 2026)
- 10 CCR 2505-10 Sections 8.7506 and 8.7413, Alternative Care Facility and Room and Board (official Colorado Secretary of State PDF of 8.7000), 2026 (checked October 22, 2026)
- Colorado Secretary of State: 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 7, Assisted Living Residences, Part 2 definitions (official PDF, effective July 1, 2025), 2025 (checked October 22, 2026)
- CareScout: Cost of Care Survey 2025, Ranked Median Costs by State (2026) (checked October 22, 2026)