State guide
Advance Directive Forms in Colorado
By Jason Su · Sources last confirmed September 14
We link to official sources only. We are not a law firm and we never write legal documents. The form you sign must come from an official or authorised source in your state.
What this document does
An advance directive is where you write down the healthcare treatment you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself. In most states it also names a healthcare agent — the person who speaks for you when you cannot.
Where to get the Colorado form
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment publishes the current form here: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/advance-care-planning
Colorado has no single required state form; the MDPOA names your agent.
In Colorado, the document that carries the weight is the MDPOA
Colorado uses an abbreviation you will not see in most other states: the MDPOA, or Medical Durable Power of Attorney. It names the person who makes healthcare decisions for you, and it is the document that carries the legal authority.
Alongside it, Colorado recognizes a living will, where you record the treatment you would and would not want. But the order matters here. If you complete only one, make it the MDPOA, because an agent with authority can act, while written wishes with nobody to act on them frequently cannot.
Colorado also does not require a particular form. The wording is not prescribed by the state, which means the document your hospital or doctor hands you can be perfectly valid, and so can one you write yourself, as long as it meets the legal requirements.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment maintains guidance and a widely used version on its advance care planning page, which is the safest starting point if you would rather not draft anything yourself.
Colorado prescribes no form, so you may be offered several different-looking documents. What matters is that the MDPOA clearly names your agent. If a document leaves that unclear, keep looking.
National resources
- USA.gov — Official U.S. government portal.
- Medicare.gov — Official Medicare information.
After you sign it
- Sign it the way Colorado requires. Many states need witnesses or a notary. The form itself says which — follow the form, not a blog.
- Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor. A form nobody can find is a form that does not work.
- Keep the original somewhere reachable — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
- Add it to your checklist so your trusted contact knows it exists and where it lives.
Frequently asked
Is the Colorado advance directive form free?
Yes. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment publishes the current form free of charge, and we link to the official source only.
Do I need a lawyer to complete the Colorado form?
No. You can complete the form yourself. It must be signed the way Colorado law requires — usually with witnesses or a notary — so follow the instructions printed on the form itself.
Where should I keep my signed Colorado advance directive?
Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor, and keep the original somewhere reachable at home — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
Next: build your checklist and record where this form is kept.