Unless specifically exempted by regulation or statute, all possession, use, treatment and disposal of radioactive materials in Colorado is regulated under either a general or a specific radioactive materials license. Certain small quantities of radioactive materials in consumer products may be exempt from regulation.
Specific licenses
The department issues specific licenses for possession and use of radioactive material, including byproduct material, source material, special nuclear material, and in some instances TENORM materials.
Entities wishing to obtain a license to use radioactive materials must submit a license application and pay the applicable fee to the department.
Forms and applications for a specific radioactive materials license
Find fees for specific licenses in Part 12 of the regulations
Radiation control regulations
More information about specifically licensed devices
General license
Our regulations provide a general license for the use of radioactive material contained in certain products or devices, provided the device has been manufactured and distributed by a manufacturer that holds a specific license issued by a state or federal agency. Examples of GL devices include tritium exit signs, gas chromatographs, density gauges, fill-level gauges, and static elimination devices.
More information about generally licensed devices
Exempt materials/items
Consumer products containing radioactive material and source material used by the public are exempt from licensing requirements if they do not present an unreasonable risk to public health and safety or the environment. These items have built in radiation safety features or limit the amount of radioactive material, so they are of very low risk to users.