Ambulance Licensing and County Authorization

Due to Senate Bill 22-225, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) will be over ground ambulance service licensing and ground ambulance vehicle permitting beginning July 1, 2024. All county-licensed ambulance services must submit a ground ambulance license onboarding application to CDPHE by May 1, 2024.

Please visit the CDPHE website for additional information and to review Chapter 4 of 6 CCR 1015-3 for rules pertaining to licensure of ground ambulance services. 

Prior to July 1st, ambulance services must obtain a county license. After July 1st, ground ambulances wishing to operate on a regular basis within Teller County must obtain county authorization to operate in addition to applicable state licensing and permitting. 

If, on or before August 1, 2024, a county or city-and-county has not implemented the issuance of authorization to operate and has not opted out of issuing authorization to operate, licensed ground ambulance services operating on a regular basis in those jurisdictions shall be considered to have obtained authorization to operate from those jurisdictions until:

  • The county or city-and-county implements an authorization to operate process; or
  • The county or city-and-county opts out of issuing authorization to operate.

After July 1, the CDPHE rules specify that ground ambulance services that do not operate on a regular basis are not required to obtain county authorization to operate. A ground ambulance is not considered to be operating on a regular basis in the following instances:

  • Ground ambulance services that initiate, or are expected to initiate, a patient transport in the jurisdiction governed by the local authorizing authority 11 or fewer times in a calendar year;
  • Transports that are initiated under circumstances in which locally authorized ground ambulance services are unavailable;
  • Transports by an emergency responder, that provides ambulance services as part of/in conjunction with the Colorado-coordinated regional mutual aid system or the statewide mutual aid system
  • Transports conducted pursuant to mutual aid agreements

For additional information regarding county authorization to operate, please contact the Office of Emergency Management at 719-686-7935 or oem@tellercounty.gov.

Beginning January 1, 2023, all secure transportation businesses must be licensed by the county in which they operate. All Secure Transportation Service businesses must be licensed, and all secure transportation vehicles must be permitted. The Board of County Commissioners conducts hearings and makes findings on whether to grant or deny a license or permit application.

Read the County Policy (PDF).

Secure Transportation Services can be licensed as either Class A (may use physical restraint) or Class B (no physical restraint).

Secure Transportation Vehicles can be permitted as either Type 1 (partitioned) or Type 2 (non-partitioned).

If you are submitting a new or renewal application for a secure transportation business in Teller County, please schedule an appointment with the Licensing Coordinator by emailing the Office of Emergency Management at oem@tellercounty.gov or calling 719-686-7935.

View the Code of Colorado Regulations (PDF) on Secure Transportation Standards.

To file a formal complaint regarding a licensed Secure Transportation Service or concerns about an unlicensed service or unpermitted vehicle operating in Teller County, please complete the Complaint Form (PDF) and email it to the Licensing Coordinator at oem@tellercounty.gov, or mail it to:

Teller County Office of Emergency Management
Attention: Secure Transportation Services Licensing Program (STSLP) Licensing Coordinator, 
P.O. Box 959 
Cripple Creek, CO 80813.