License protection

What happens if a complaint is filed against your Colorado nursing license

Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources

A complaint is not a finding. Here is how the Colorado Board of Nursing actually handles a complaint, from intake to resolution, with the board's own published process.

The arc of a complaint

Intake and jurisdiction review

The board first decides whether it CAN act: is the subject a licensee, and would the allegation, if true, violate the nurse practice act? Complaints about rudeness, billing, or matters outside the act commonly close here without the nurse ever being investigated.

Investigation

If the complaint advances, the board notifies the nurse, gathers records, and may request a written response or interview. The nurse usually keeps practicing during this stage unless the board seeks an emergency action.

Resolution

Three broad endings: dismissal or closure with no action; a negotiated agreed/consent order with terms; or, in the minority of cases, a formal hearing. Only final actions become public discipline in Nursys.

Framework per NCSBN's discipline resources; the Colorado Board of Nursing runs its own version, summarized below.

The Colorado board's published process

Board-sourced

A complaint is filed with the Division of Professions and Occupations online or by paper and is reviewed to determine whether a probable violation occurred; if so it is resolved by the Board or Program or referred for further investigation (including to the Office of Investigations), and for nursing licensees specifically the Board sends the nurse a letter with the allegations, the nurse submits a written response by a stated due date, and the case is then prepared for review by Board members at the next available monthly meeting. Possible outcomes include dismissal, a Letter of Admonition, referral to the Office of Expedited Settlement, probation, continuing education, a fine, suspension, revocation, or referral to the Attorney General for legal action.

Timeline: The board publishes only a partial timeline: the Division states the initial intake process may take up to 10 days before a complainant receives confirmation of receipt, after which an acknowledgment letter with a case number is sent. Beyond that, the Board of Nursing's own FAQ page does not publish a stage-by-stage timeline for investigation or resolution, only that the case is reviewed at "the next available monthly meeting" after the nurse's response is due.

Complaints are confidential unless and until the Board has taken disciplinary action, at which point final actions are reported on the DORA website; the Board also explicitly states it lacks jurisdiction over facilities, only over individual nurses, nurse aides, and psychiatric technicians.

Requirements verified against the Colorado Board of Nursing FAQ (Division of Professions and Occupations), "Information on Complaints," supplemented by DPO "File a Complaint" page · last checked Jul 8, 2026 · How RenewRN verifies its data

This is descriptive, not legal advice. If you have received notice of a complaint, the Colorado Board of Nursing is the authoritative source, and a licensed attorney can advise on your specific situation.

Colorado board complaint FAQ

How does the Colorado Board of Nursing handle a complaint against my license?: A complaint is filed with the Division of Professions and Occupations online or by paper and is reviewed to determine whether a probable violation occurred; if so it is resolved by the Board or Program or referred for further investigation (including to the Office of Investigations), and for nursing licensees specifically the Board sends the nurse a letter with the allegations, the nurse submits a written response by a stated due date, and the case is then prepared for review by Board members at the next available monthly meeting. Possible outcomes include dismissal, a Letter of Admonition, referral to the Office of Expedited Settlement, probation, continuing education, a fine, suspension, revocation, or referral to the Attorney General for legal action.
How long does a nursing board complaint take in Colorado?: The board publishes only a partial timeline: the Division states the initial intake process may take up to 10 days before a complainant receives confirmation of receipt, after which an acknowledgment letter with a case number is sent. Beyond that, the Board of Nursing's own FAQ page does not publish a stage-by-stage timeline for investigation or resolution, only that the case is reviewed at "the next available monthly meeting" after the nurse's response is due. Nationally, NCSBN describes investigations running from a few weeks to over a year depending on complexity, and a nurse usually keeps practicing during the investigation unless the board seeks an emergency action.
Is a complaint against my Colorado nursing license public?: A pending complaint is generally not public. Only a final disciplinary action becomes part of your public record and appears in Nursys. Complaints are confidential unless and until the Board has taken disciplinary action, at which point final actions are reported on the DORA website; the Board also explicitly states it lacks jurisdiction over facilities, only over individual nurses, nurse aides, and psychiatric technicians.
Where do I file or respond to a complaint in Colorado?: Complaints and responses go through the Colorado Board of Nursing, which is always the authoritative source. A complaint is not a finding: many close at intake for lack of jurisdiction. Practicing on a lapsed or restricted license, or ignoring a board notice, is what turns a complaint into discipline.

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The arc of a complaint

Intake and jurisdiction review

Investigation

Resolution

Framework per NCSBN's discipline resources; the Colorado Board of Nursing runs its own version, summarized below.

The Colorado board's published process

Board-sourced

Colorado board complaint FAQ

How does the Colorado Board of Nursing handle a complaint against my license?

How long does a nursing board complaint take in Colorado?

The board publishes only a partial timeline: the Division states the initial intake process may take up to 10 days before a complainant receives confirmation of receipt, after which an acknowledgment letter with a case number is sent. Beyond that, the Board of Nursing's own FAQ page does not publish a stage-by-stage timeline for investigation or resolution, only that the case is reviewed at "the next available monthly meeting" after the nurse's response is due. Nationally, NCSBN describes investigations running from a few weeks to over a year depending on complexity, and a nurse usually keeps practicing during the investigation unless the board seeks an emergency action.

Is a complaint against my Colorado nursing license public?

A pending complaint is generally not public. Only a final disciplinary action becomes part of your public record and appears in Nursys. Complaints are confidential unless and until the Board has taken disciplinary action, at which point final actions are reported on the DORA website; the Board also explicitly states it lacks jurisdiction over facilities, only over individual nurses, nurse aides, and psychiatric technicians.

Where do I file or respond to a complaint in Colorado?

Complaints and responses go through the Colorado Board of Nursing, which is always the authoritative source. A complaint is not a finding: many close at intake for lack of jurisdiction. Practicing on a lapsed or restricted license, or ignoring a board notice, is what turns a complaint into discipline.