Colorado's grievance system requires you to try to resolve your complaint informally before you can file a formal grievance. That informal step is documented on a separate form, and the documentation must exist before your Step 1 grievance will be processed. The formal process then runs three steps -- Step 1 at the facility level, Step 2 with the administrative head, and Step 3 with the Offender Grievance Officer in the Office of Legal Services -- and the Step 3 Officer's decision is the final agency action. There is no further internal appeal after Step 3.
The critical trap in Colorado is the 5-calendar-day window to move between steps. You have 30 calendar days to file your Step 1 grievance from the date of the incident. But once any response arrives, you have only 5 calendar days to move to the next step. And if no response arrives on time, you have only 5 calendar days from the date the response was due to proceed. Five calendar days is not generous. Count the day after receipt as day one.
Another trap specific to Colorado: you cannot add new issues or change your requested remedy at a later step. Whatever you put in Step 1 is what the case is. If you hold something back, you waive it.
Colorado's grievance system is governed by Administrative Regulation 850-04 (AR 850-04), Grievance Procedure. The CDOC website confirms AR 850-04 as the operative policy as recently as 2026. Colorado also passed HB 25-1013 in 2025, which triggered policy updates. Verify the current version of AR 850-04 in the facility law library before you file.
Why the Process Matters: The PLRA
The Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995, 42 U.S.C. section 1997e(a), requires you to exhaust all available administrative remedies before a federal court will hear a lawsuit about prison conditions. In Colorado, that means completing all three steps of the AR 850-04 grievance process and receiving a final decision from the Step 3 Grievance Officer. That officer certifies in the response whether you have exhausted. If your Step 3 grievance is denied on procedural grounds rather than on the merits, the officer certifies that you have NOT exhausted. A procedural denial at Step 3 is not exhaustion.
The Supreme Court in Woodford v. Ngo (2006) held that proper exhaustion requires following all procedural rules. Skip the informal step, miss the 30-day filing window, fail to renew all issues in each subsequent step, or miss the 5-day window between steps, and your grievance can be rejected on procedural grounds and you will not have exhausted.
The PLRA exhaustion requirement applies to conditions of confinement claims. It does not apply to habeas corpus petitions challenging the fact or length of your sentence.
Overview of Colorado's Grievance System
AR 850-04 provides a broad scope. You may grieve: policies and conditions within the facility that personally affect you, actions by employees and offenders, incidents within the facility that personally affect you, health care concerns, and calculations and awards of meritorious and earned time credits.
What cannot be grieved under AR 850-04:
- Code of Penal Discipline convictions (use the disciplinary appeal process)
- Administrative segregation placements (use the separate appeal process)
- Parole Board decisions (governed by the Parole Board's own rules)
- Classification (entirely at administrative discretion; not grievable)
- Sex offender designation (requires judicial review)
- Sentence computation (requires judicial review)
- Reading Committee decisions (have their own appeal process)
- Decisions of the Step 3 Grievance Officer (final; not further grievable)
- Requests for records under the Colorado Open Records Act or the Criminal Justice Records Act
File a grievance only on grievable issues. Grievances on non-grievable issues will be discussed informally with you and noted in your record, but they will not be processed through the grievance steps.
One problem per grievance, with one exception: problems arising from the same incident or set of facts may be combined on one grievance form, even if they involve multiple DOC employees. Separate, unrelated complaints require separate forms.
Every grievance must request a remedy and that remedy must remain consistent at every step. You cannot change what you are asking for as the process moves forward.
Step One: The Informal Complaint (Required First)
Before you can file a Step 1 formal grievance, you must attempt to resolve the issue informally with staff in the area where the problem arose. This is documented on Form 850-04A, the Colorado Department of Corrections Informal Resolution Form.
How it works: Discuss the issue with your case manager, CPO, or other relevant DOC employee. On Form 850-04A, write the subject of your grievance and the remedy you are requesting. Both you and the staff member sign and date the form. The staff member notes whether the issue was resolved, whether a Step 1 grievance will be issued, or whether the issue is non-grievable.
Important: The informal resolution attempt does NOT extend or alter the 30-calendar-day deadline for filing your Step 1 grievance. Time spent on informal resolution counts against your filing window. Start the informal process immediately.
The informal resolution form shall NOT be attached to the Step 1 grievance form. It is documented separately in your offender chronological record.
Sexual abuse exception: You are not required to attempt informal resolution before filing a grievance about sexual abuse.
Step 1: Formal Grievance
Once the informal attempt is documented (or if you are filing for sexual abuse), you file a formal grievance using Form 850-04B, the Colorado Department of Corrections Offender Grievance Form.
Deadline to file: Within 30 calendar days of when you knew, or should have known, about the incident or condition giving rise to the grievance. The informal resolution attempt does not extend this deadline.
How to fill it out:
- Complete all identifying data legibly
- State the basis for your grievance clearly in the space provided
- State the specific remedy you are requesting
- Sign and date the form
- Do not write beyond the space provided on the form. Additional pages or attachments are NOT considered at Step 1 or Step 2. The narrative must fit in the space provided. One line of dialogue per lined space, typed or handwritten. Do not add extra lines to the form.
Where to submit: Submit to your case manager or CPO, or another DOC employee designated by the administrative head. The case manager records the date received on the form and forwards it to the Facility Grievance Coordinator for processing. Do not mail it directly to the Grievance Officer -- grievances submitted that way will be returned.
The Grievance Coordinator logs your grievance in the electronic grievance database and assigns a tracking number. You are entitled to a free photocopy of each answered grievance for your personal records.
Step 1 response: The Step 1 responder is a DOC employee, contract worker, or volunteer appointed by the administrative head. Response must be issued within 25 calendar days of the case manager's receipt of your grievance.
If no response within 25 calendar days: You may proceed to Step 2 within 5 calendar days of the date the Step 1 response was due. Document this in your Step 2 filing.
Step 2: Formal Grievance Appeal
If you are not satisfied with the Step 1 response, you may appeal to Step 2.
Deadline: Within 5 calendar days of receiving the Step 1 response. Five calendar days. Count the day after you receive the response as day one.
Use the same Form 850-04B. Complete the grievance number (which was assigned at Step 1). The form has a box to circle: Step 1, Step 2, or Step 3. Circle Step 2.
You must renew every issue and every remedy from Step 1 in your Step 2 filing. If you do not include an issue or a requested remedy from Step 1, that element is waived. You cannot raise anything new at Step 2 that was not in Step 1.
Submit to your case manager or CPO, who forwards to the Facility Grievance Coordinator. The Step 2 responder is the administrative head or designee.
Step 2 response: Within 25 calendar days of receipt. If no response within 25 calendar days, you may proceed to Step 3 within 5 calendar days of the date the Step 2 response was due.
Step 3: Final Grievance (Offender Grievance Officer)
Step 3 is the final step in Colorado's internal process.
Deadline: Within 5 calendar days of receiving the Step 2 response, or within 5 calendar days of the date the Step 2 response was due if no response was received.
Use the same Form 850-04B, completing the grievance number and circling Step 3.
You must again renew every issue and every remedy from Steps 1 and 2. Anything not renewed is waived.
Exhibits at Step 3: Unlike Steps 1 and 2, at Step 3 you may attach up to 3 pages of relevant exhibits. These must be actual supporting documents, not a continuation of your grievance narrative. The narrative body still must fit in the form's provided space.
Submit to your case manager or CPO, who forwards to the Facility Grievance Coordinator, who routes to the Offender Grievance Officer.
Step 3 responder: The Offender Grievance Officer, a DOC employee in the Office of Legal Services. The Grievance Officer may deny the grievance on the merits (and certifies in the response that you HAVE exhausted), or may deny on procedural grounds (and certifies that you have NOT exhausted). The Officer may also recommend granting relief to the executive director, who has 5 working days to determine what relief to provide.
Step 3 response deadline: Within 45 calendar days of receipt by the Grievance Officer. The Grievance Officer's decision is the final agency action.
This is the final step. When the Grievance Officer's decision is issued and certifies exhaustion, your administrative remedies are exhausted and you may proceed to federal court.
Deadlines at a Glance
All deadlines in calendar days unless noted.
Informal resolution attempt: Before Step 1; does not extend Step 1 filing deadline
Step 1 filing deadline: within 30 calendar days of the incident
Step 1 response deadline: within 25 calendar days of case manager's receipt
Step 2 filing deadline: within 5 calendar days of receiving Step 1 response (or 5 days after Step 1 response was due if no response received)
Step 2 response deadline: within 25 calendar days of receipt
Step 3 filing deadline: within 5 calendar days of receiving Step 2 response (or 5 days after Step 2 response was due if no response)
Step 3 response deadline: within 45 calendar days of Grievance Officer's receipt
Emergency (non-sexual-abuse): written response within 3 business days
Emergency (sexual abuse): initial response within 48 hours; final Step 3 decision within 5 calendar days
Sexual abuse grievances -- all steps: Step 1 response 25 days; Step 2 response 25 days; Step 3 response 40 days; total not to exceed 90 days
Missing the 30-day Step 1 window can make your grievance untimely. Missing any 5-day window between steps can prevent you from moving to the next level. If the Step 3 Grievance Officer denies on procedural grounds, exhaustion is not certified and you cannot sue.
What to Put in Your Grievance
Colorado's format rules are more restrictive than most states:
No additional pages for the narrative. Everything must fit in the provided space on Form 850-04B. One line of dialogue per line of the form. Do not alter the form by adding extra lines or writing in margins. A continuation page is not allowed for the narrative.
Be specific and precise: State exactly what happened, when, where, who was involved, and what harm resulted. State your requested remedy specifically. The remedy must stay the same at every step.
Include everything at Step 1: Issues or remedies not raised at Step 1 cannot be added later. Write your complete complaint at the first step.
At Step 3 only: You may attach up to 3 pages of exhibits -- actual documents supporting your grievance. Use them strategically.
Keep a copy: AR 850-04 entitles you to a free photocopy of each answered grievance form. Request copies and keep them. If you have family on the outside, send copies to them after each step.
Families: You may not file a grievance on behalf of another person for standard complaints. The grievance must be filed by you in your own name. For sexual abuse grievances only, third parties including family members, attorneys, and outside advocates may file on your behalf, but you must agree to proceed and must personally pursue each subsequent step. Your family can help from the outside by keeping copies, tracking the 5-day windows between steps, and contacting outside organizations after you have exhausted.
When the System Fails
No response within the deadline: If Step 1 or Step 2 fails to respond within 25 calendar days, you may move to the next step within 5 calendar days of the date the response was due. Note the non-response at the beginning of your next filing. If Step 3 fails to respond within 45 calendar days, document the non-response and consult legal resources about your options.
Procedural deficiencies: If your grievance is procedurally deficient, you will be asked to cure the deficiency and resubmit. If you cannot correct it or refuse to, it will be accepted, scanned, assigned a number, and denied on procedural grounds. A procedural denial at Step 3 does not exhaust your remedies. Fix deficiencies when given the chance.
Frivolous grievance restrictions: If you are found to be filing multiple frivolous grievances, you may receive a warning letter and then face restrictions limiting you to one grievance per calendar month for periods of 90 days, 180 days, or one year. The standard for sexual abuse grievances is higher: you can be disciplined only if you filed in bad faith. Emergency grievances and sexual abuse grievances are not restricted.
Retaliation: Prohibited under AR 850-04. You may file a grievance alleging that a reprisal occurred. Staff conduct subject "Retaliation" is a listed subject category on the grievance subject list. Document the date, who did it, what they did, and the harm, and file a separate grievance immediately.
Federal Prisons in Colorado
Colorado has some of the most significant federal correctional facilities in the country. The Federal Correctional Complex in Florence includes the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum (ADX Florence), the highest-security federal prison in the United States, as well as USP Florence and FCI Florence. The Denver area hosts FCI Englewood and FMC Englewood (the Federal Medical Center, which houses people with serious medical and mental health needs from across the federal system).
If you are incarcerated at any of these BOP facilities, the Colorado CDOC process described in this article does not apply to you. Federal inmates use the BOP Administrative Remedy Program running BP-8 through BP-11 under 28 CFR Part 542. All BOP facilities in Colorado fall under the North Central Regional Office at Gateway Complex Tower II, 8th Floor, 400 State Avenue, Kansas City, KS 66101-2492.
See the InmateAid federal grievance article for the complete BOP process, all deadlines, and the critical distinction between a rejection and a denial.
After Exhaustion: Where to Go Next
When the Step 3 Grievance Officer issues a decision certifying exhaustion, your administrative remedies are exhausted and you may proceed to federal court for conditions of confinement claims.
Disability Law Colorado (DLC): dlc.org. Colorado's federally mandated Protection and Advocacy organization for people with disabilities, including mental illness. Has federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect and to access CDOC facilities. If your complaint involves a disability, mental illness, inadequate mental health care, or disability accommodation failures, DLC can investigate independently and provides free legal services to Coloradans with disabilities.
ACLU of Colorado: aclu-co.org. Works on systemic prisoners' rights issues in Colorado, including conditions of confinement, solitary confinement, and medical care. Focuses on systemic issues rather than individual representation.
Colorado Lawyers Committee: Provides pro bono legal resources and may be able to connect you with counsel for conditions of confinement claims.
Be honest about capacity: These organizations are small relative to the need. Have a complete, organized grievance record before you contact them.
Jails vs. Prisons: Key Differences in Colorado
Colorado county jails are operated by county sheriffs and are not governed by CDOC's AR 850-04. Each county jail operates under policies set by its sheriff, and grievance forms, filing deadlines, appeal levels, and response times vary by facility.
If you are in a county jail in Colorado, ask for the jail's grievance policy in writing. Confirm the form to use, the deadline to file, how many steps the process has, and the response deadline at each step. If the jail has no written policy available, submit a written complaint anyway, document your attempt, and keep that documentation. The PLRA exhaustion requirement applies to pretrial detainees in county jails just as it applies to sentenced prisoners. You must exhaust whatever process exists at that specific jail before filing in federal court.
Special Circumstances
Sexual abuse grievances: No time limit to file. No informal resolution required. You may file without submitting to the staff member who is the subject of the complaint; they will not respond to any step. Third parties (family, attorneys, advocates) may file on your behalf; you must agree to proceed and personally pursue each subsequent step. Total response time for all three steps cannot exceed 90 days; extension of up to 70 days is available. If no response at any step, the grievance is deemed denied at that level, allowing you to proceed. Emergency sexual abuse: initial response within 48 hours; Step 3 final decision within 5 calendar days.
ADA and disability accommodations: The grievance procedure covers ADA complaints. Specific types of ADA grievances (designated ADA-M or ADA-A) involve the ADA Inmate Coordinator (AIC) in the Office of Legal Services. Step 1 responses for ADA-M grievances must be reviewed and approved by the AIC. Step 2 ADA-M grievances are assigned to the AIC as responder. Contact the AIC directly for disability accommodation issues and file an AR 850-04 grievance simultaneously.
Disciplinary appeals: Code of Penal Discipline convictions and administrative segregation placements have their own separate appeal processes and cannot be challenged through AR 850-04. Do not use the grievance process for disciplinary matters.
Health care: Health care concerns are grievable under AR 850-04 (explicitly listed as a covered subject). However, medical care complaints not related to ADA are forwarded to the Clinical Services grievance coordinator for processing -- a subspecialized track within the overall AR 850-04 framework.
Private prisons: Colorado uses private facilities for some CDOC-sentenced offenders. The CDOC grievance procedure applies to CDOC offenders housed in private facilities. The private facility staff fill the relevant roles in the process.
Parolees and community supervision: The AR 850-04 process extends to offenders on parole, community supervision, and ISP. Community Parole Officers (CPOs) play the case manager role in the process.
Frequently asked questions
What forms do I use for Colorado's grievance process?
Form 850-04A (Informal Resolution Form) for the required informal step. Form 850-04B (Offender Grievance Form) for all three formal steps -- the same form is used at Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3, with the grievance number completed at Steps 2 and 3 and the step circled. Both forms should be available through your case manager and the facility law library.
How long do I have to file the Step 1 grievance?
Thirty calendar days from when you knew or should have known about the incident or condition. The informal complaint attempt does not extend this deadline. Start the informal process immediately after an incident, document it, and file Step 1 promptly.
Can I add new issues at Step 2 or Step 3?
No. All issues and all remedies must be stated in Step 1 and renewed at every subsequent step. If you do not include an issue or requested remedy in Step 2 that was in Step 1, that element is waived. If you do not renew it in Step 3, it is waived. State everything at Step 1 and carry it forward at every step.
What happens if I receive no response at Step 1 or Step 2?
You may proceed to the next step within 5 calendar days of the date the response was due. Note the non-response at the beginning of your next step filing. If Step 3 fails to respond within 45 calendar days, consult the law library for your options.
What does it mean if the Step 3 Grievance Officer denies my grievance on procedural grounds?
A procedural denial at Step 3 means the Officer did not reach the merits of your complaint. It also means exhaustion is NOT certified in the response. A procedural denial does not exhaust your administrative remedies. You have not fulfilled the PLRA requirement. You need to identify the procedural problem, correct it if possible, and restart the process.
Can my family file a grievance for me?
For standard grievances, no. The grievance must be filed by you in your own name and pursued without the assistance of an agent or attorney. For sexual abuse grievances only, third parties including family members may file on your behalf, but you must agree to proceed and must personally pursue each subsequent step.
What is the Step 3 Grievance Officer and what do they do?
The Offender Grievance Officer is a DOC employee in the Office of Legal Services who is assigned to review, investigate, and issue final dispositions on Step 3 grievances. This officer may deny on the merits (and certifies exhaustion), deny on procedural grounds (and certifies non-exhaustion), or recommend granting relief to the executive director. The Officer's decision is the final agency action. --- INTERNAL LINKS TO PLACE: 1. Colorado inmate search (InmateAid Colorado page) 2. Family rights and advocacy in Colorado (FRA series Colorado article) 3. How the Colorado prison disciplinary process works (if spoke exists) 4. How Prison Works hub 5. Staying Connected hub --- SPEC NOTE / SOURCING (strip before publish): - Voice: formerly incarcerated narrator written TO the incarcerated person; family guidance woven in. No em dashes. No smart quotes. No double hyphens. Plain text. - Meta title char count: 50 (under 60). Meta description char count: 153 (in 150-160 range). All 7 FAQ headings under 60 chars, verified. - Defining hooks for Colorado: (1) 5-calendar-day window to move between steps -- one of the shortest inter-step windows in the series; (2) no additional pages for the narrative at Steps 1 and 2 -- must fit in form space, one line per line; (3) cannot add new issues or remedies at later steps -- complete waiver if not renewed; (4) Step 3 Grievance Officer certifies whether exhaustion has or has not occurred (procedural denial = NOT exhausted); (5) ADX Florence -- the highest-security federal prison in the US -- and FCC Florence complex as the BOP anchor for Colorado; (6) AR 850-04 updated by HB 25-1013 in 2025 (verify flag); (7) extends to parolees and community supervision (unusual -- most state systems only cover incarcerated people). - SOURCES: CDOC Administrative Regulation 850-04, Grievance Procedure, effective March 15, 2014 (full text fetched from Michigan Policy Clearinghouse -- current AR confirmed as still operative per CDOC cdoc.colorado.gov February 2026 news notice referencing AR 850-04 as the active policy; HB 25-1013 notice also from CDOC February 2026): all sections IV.A through IV.I and V confirmed: informal complaint required (IV.B); Form 850-04A informal, Form 850-04B formal; all three steps use same Form 850-04B; 30-calendar-day Step 1 filing deadline (IV.F.1.a); 25-calendar-day response at Steps 1 and 2 (IV.F.1.b); 45-calendar-day Step 3 response (IV.F.1.c); 5-calendar-day window between steps (IV.F.1.d); 5-calendar-day proceed window if no response received (IV.F.1.e); no additional pages for narrative at Steps 1-2, up to 3 pages exhibits at Step 3 only (IV.D.9.b); one problem per form except same-incident issues combined (IV.D.6); cannot add issues/remedies at later steps -- waiver (IV.D.7); Step 3 Grievance Officer certifies exhaustion or non-exhaustion (IV.E.3.c); Step 3 decision is final agency action (IV.E.3.d); emergency non-sexual-abuse: remedy within 3 business days (IV.G.1-2); emergency sexual abuse: 48 hours initial, 5 calendar days Step 3 final (IV.G.4); sexual abuse: no time limit, no informal required (IV.B.6, IV.F.3.a), third parties may file (IV.C.4), total 90 days max (IV.F.3.b), 70-day extension available (IV.F.3.c), if no response deemed denied (IV.F.3.b); ADA grievances: AIC reviews Step 1 ADA-M responses, AIC is Step 2 responder for ADA-M (IV.E.2); medical care not related to ADA sent to Clinical Services coordinator (IV.E.2.d); frivolous grievance restrictions (IV.H); reprisals prohibited (IV.A.3); parolees and community supervision included (IV.A.2); not available to offenders outside Colorado under Interstate Corrections Compact (IV.A.2); private facility offenders covered (IV.A.2); Step 1 responder = DOC employee/contract/volunteer appointed by admin head (IV.E.3.a); Step 2 responder = administrative head or designee (IV.E.3.b); Step 3 responder = Grievance Officer (IV.E.3.c); free photocopy of each answered grievance (IV.E.9); CDOC cdoc.colorado.gov/about/department-policies (confirms AR 850-04 listed as active); cdoc.colorado.gov news Feb 2026 (HB 25-1013 policy updates to AR 850-04 referenced -- specific changes not confirmed); BOP bop.gov/locations (ADX Florence, USP Florence, FCI Florence = FCC Florence; FCI Englewood + FMC Englewood = FCC Englewood; North Central Regional Office Gateway Complex Tower II 8th Floor 400 State Avenue Kansas City KS 66101-2492); dlc.org (Disability Law Colorado = CO P&A); aclu-co.org (ACLU of Colorado); Woodford v. Ngo 548 U.S. 81 (2006). - VERIFY FLAGS for Poorwa: (1) CRITICAL: CDOC announced in February 2026 that HB 25-1013 triggered policy updates to AR 850-04. VERIFY what specifically changed in the updated AR 850-04 -- get the current version from cdoc.colorado.gov/about/department-policies before publish. All deadlines and procedures in this article should be re-verified against the current posted version. (2) Confirm Form 850-04A (Informal Resolution Form) and Form 850-04B (Offender Grievance Form) are current form designations. (3) Confirm 30-calendar-day Step 1 filing deadline. (4) Confirm 25-calendar-day response deadlines at Steps 1 and 2. (5) Confirm 45-calendar-day Step 3 Grievance Officer response deadline. (6) Confirm 5-calendar-day between-step windows. (7) Confirm Step 3 exhibits rule (up to 3 pages of exhibits, no narrative continuation pages at any step). (8) Confirm BOP Colorado facilities: ADX Florence, USP Florence, FCI Florence (= FCC Florence), FCI Englewood, FMC Englewood (= FCC Englewood); North Central Regional Office address Kansas City KS. (9) Confirm Disability Law Colorado dlc.org + ACLU of Colorado aclu-co.org current. (10) Confirm sexual abuse total-90-day-response and 70-day extension rules are still current in any HB 25-1013 update. (11) Confirm county jail situation (sheriff-operated, no statewide standard, AR 850-04 does not apply). (12) Step 3 Grievance Officer is in the Office of Legal Services per AR 850-04 definition section -- confirm this structure still applies in current version. No volatile phone rates. No crisis-line specifics.