Change of Ownership (CHOW) Application

First Steps in the CHOW Process

1. Letter of Intent (LOI)

Responsible Party: Current Licensee/Seller

The LOI is a two-part process. First, the current owner/seller is required to submit the LOI Form using the link on our website. This will prompt the Department to send the requester instructions on the process for granting the proposed owner/buyer access in COHFI. Granting the proposed owner/buyer access in COHFI allows them to complete the remaining steps of the CHOW process, including submitting the CHOW application and fees. 

The current owner/seller must assign rights in COHFI to one representative selected by the proposed owner/buyer entity. If the proposed owner/buyer representative already has a COHFI account, the COHFI Account Manager for the current owner/seller entity should add that individual to the facility in question using the email address linked to that representative’s existing COHFI Account. If the proposed owner/buyer entity representative does not already have a COHFI account, the Facility’s COHFI Account Manager should create an account for them, assigning them to ALL licensed facilities/agencies included in the CHOW. The COHFI Account Manager must make sure they also check the box to assign ONLY CHOW rights for the assigned representative. This will allow the individual to see only the CHOW applications, without granting them access to the rest of the Facility/Agency information. You may assign additional rights if you choose to do so, but be aware that will allow the user to see all information in that area. 

2. Create & Complete the CHOW Request

Responsible Party: Proposed Owner/Buyer

The representative with CHOW rights from the proposed owner/buyer entity will then log into COHFI, select the Facility/Agency in question, and navigate to the Licenses menu. Using either the CHOW Workbench or CHOW Applications page, they will create a new application request. 

Required Items for submission of initial request:

• Projected closing date (estimates are acceptable)

• Post-closing EIN/Tax ID 

• Contact information for proposed owner/buyer entity 

• Business Ownership Organizational Charts - 

  • You are required to attach and submit both a pre-CHOW organizational chart for the current owner/seller’s ownership structure as well as a post-CHOW organizational chart for the proposed owner/buyer’s ownership structure. 

  • Ensure the business structure organization charts submitted include ALL owners and entities. Clearly identify full names of business entities and individuals, including percentages owned for all direct and indirect ownership. 

  • Do not provide your employee structure, as this has no bearing on the CHOW. 

Be sure to SUBMIT the request when the form has been completed. Once the application has been submitted, CDPHE will review and confirm that the change being made meets the regulatory definition of a CHOW and will accept the request. Once the CHOW request has been accepted, the assigned CHOW user will be able to complete the full CHOW application. If CDPHE determines that the change being made does not meet the definition of a CHOW, the request will be declined. Changes that do not meet the definition of a CHOW should be submitted through the Request to Change Information (LOI) Update application process.

3. Complete & Submit CHOW Application and Fees 

Responsible Party: Proposed Owner/Buyer

The proposed owner/buyer is responsible for completing and submitting the CHOW application and fees. This is essentially an initial license application for the proposed owner. DO NOT provide information for the current licensee on this application. All information entered into this CHOW application should be specific to how the facility/agency will operate under the proposed owner/buyer. 

Ensure you review the Required Documents Checklist for a full list of required documents for the facility/agency type for which you are submitting a CHOW application. Fully executed documents are not required at this stage; however, they must be submitted and reviewed prior to a license being issued. Failure to submit all required documents will result in processing delays. 

Creating & Submitting the CHOW Application in COHFI

Only COHFI users with CHOW rights assigned to then will have access to create, view, and interact with CHOW applications

• Select on Licensing in the top menu bar.

• Select Applications or Workbench

• Click on +Create Request button.

• Select Change of Ownership Application in the Application Type dropdown, then select Submit and I'm Sure when prompted.

  • The Change of Ownership Request will be created for the facility/agency. 

• Select Continue for the Change of Ownership phase.

• The CHOW Request is intended to collect basic information about the change so that we can identify whether it is truly a CHOW, and whether it would be a direct or indirect CHOW. 

  • Complete the Projected Closing Date, as this gives us an idea of your timeline.

  • Complete the Post Transaction EIN, which should be the EIN for the business entity for the proposed owner

  • Enter contact information so that we are able to reach out if additional questions or clarification is needed. We may also send messages directly through the application. 

  • REQUIRED: The applicant must submit a pre-change and post-change business ownership structure to allow CDPHE to see where the change will be occuring within the ownership structure. Please do not submit employee/staff organizational charts. Please work with the seller to obtain a current organizational chart.

  • When all fields have been completed and all documents submitted, please select Submit CHOW Request at the bottom of the screen. This will submit the request to CDPHE for our review.

• Once CDPHE approves the request, the applicant will be notified, and will then have access to begin the application. This application should be treated as an initial license application. 

• To begin the application, select the Start button for the Preparing to Apply/Forms and Instructions phase. This section has documents that will help you navigate the initial licensing process, and may include documents you need to download, complete, and return via the Required Document Section. Please take the time to review the documents provided in this phase/section.

• Select READY TO APPLY, then I'm Sure when prompted.

• From here, you must select Details for each phase/section of the application. Complete all phases/sections of the application. You must select Submit Section at the bottom of each to save the information and mark that phase/section as Completed. The system will not save the data if you are missing information, as there is validation in place.

  • General and Demographic

  • Additional Locations (not applicable to all facility/agency types)

  • Ownership Information

  • Management Company Information

  • Background

  • Required Documents

    • Required Documents allows you to upload documents. Please make sure after attaching the documents you select the green Upload Files button, otherwise the document will not save.

  • Payment.

    • Pay online using the State of Colorado Payment portal or by check in the mail. The link to the Payment Portal is found in the blue box labeled Useful Links on the Payment phase/section.

    • Select Create Payment to record your payment information. 

  • Sign and Submit 

    • This phase/section is only available when ALL other sections have been completed.