DUI and DWI Programs in Denver

What DUI program does Colorado require after a Denver conviction, and who licenses it?

After a Denver DUI conviction, Colorado requires one of two program types, Level I Education or Level II Education and Therapy (which includes a Level II Four Plus track), and both are delivered by providers licensed by the Behavioral Health Administration. Level I is a class, while Level II adds therapy sessions.

Clinical addiction treatment is a separate service that may be ordered on top of a class. Required hours depend on your track, so ask your evaluator or probation officer for the number assigned to you. Statewide rules are covered on the Colorado DUI and DWI programs page.

The track comes from a mandatory alcohol and drug evaluation, which looks at your history and recommends education, therapy or treatment. Online or virtual classes only count when the court, probation and the state licensing agency accept them, so getting that answer in writing before enrolling avoids trouble later.

Class fees and treatment costs are billed separately, and treatment may be covered by private insurance or Health First Colorado, the state’s Medicaid program. When you contact a provider, ask how attendance reaches probation and confirm it holds a state license for DUI education. Getting a license back may involve further state conditions, such as an ignition interlock.

How the Denver evaluation works

Colorado law makes the alcohol and drug evaluation mandatory after a DUI or DWAI conviction, and the Judicial Department conducts it in each judicial district. The evaluator looks at your alcohol and drug use history and recommends a level of education, therapy or treatment. Denver District Court also runs RESTART, a felony DUI treatment court, alongside the DIVERT adult drug court. Programs that take these referrals appear under court-ordered rehab in Denver.

Can a Denver DUI evaluation lead to outpatient or residential treatment?

Yes. A court can order clinical treatment, and Denver providers that accept DUI referrals list outpatient care, intensive outpatient programs and residential treatment, and some list medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder. An online or virtual class only counts if your court, your probation officer and the state licensing agency accept it, so get their answer in writing before you enroll.

Getting to appointments is easier in Denver than in much of Colorado. Every program here is in an urban setting, and the Regional Transportation District runs more than 100 bus routes and 10 rail lines. Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport is the nearest airport for about four in five programs, a median of 11.8 miles away. If you need classes or counseling in Spanish or with an interpreter, see Spanish-speaking rehab in Denver.

How do you pay for a DUI program or treatment in Denver, and what should you bring?

DUI class fees and treatment costs are paid separately. The education or therapy course is billed by the provider. Treatment may be covered by private insurance or by Health First Colorado, Colorado’s Medicaid program, and Denver County members get behavioral health services through the regional organization Colorado Access. If you have no insurance or limited coverage, Signal Behavioral Health Network runs the regional safety-net access line for Denver, Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties at 888-607-4462. Providers that charge by income are listed under sliding scale rehab in Denver.

Bring your court paperwork, your evaluation results, your completion deadline and the name of the person who must receive proof of completion. Ask the provider how attendance is reported to probation and whether it holds a Behavioral Health Administration license for DUI education. Finishing the program is often one of several conditions for getting your license back, and others, such as ignition interlock, are set by the state, so ask your attorney or the motor vehicle office which ones apply to you.

If you need support today, call or text 988, which connects to 988 Colorado. You can also call the national treatment referral line for free, confidential referrals. Other local options are on the Denver treatment page.