Colorado Public Records

How the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) Actually Works

Colorado's public records law is codified at Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-72-201 (Colorado Open Records Act (CORA)). It gives any person — resident or not, citizen or not, journalist or not — the right to inspect and copy public records held by state and local agencies. In most cases, you do not have to explain why you want the record.

Response time: 3 working days, extendable to 7 for 'extenuating circumstances'. The agency's response is not necessarily a deadline to deliver records — it tells you whether the records exist and when they'll be produced.

Fee rules: research/retrieval up to $33.58/hour after first hour (2024 cap); $0.25/page copying. Agencies cannot inflate charges to discourage requests.

If your request is denied or unreasonably delayed, the law typically provides a mechanism to appeal — either administratively or by filing a petition in state court. Many states award attorney's fees to requesters who prevail on a wrongfully denied request.

What You Cannot Get in Colorado (the honest answer)

Many directory sites promise things Colorado law specifically restricts. Here's what's actually true:

• Rap sheet access: Subject only via fingerprint. Third-party "instant background check" sites that promise a full Colorado criminal history are typically aggregating older court data — not the official state record.
• Sealed and expunged records: records cleared under Colorado's expungement law (C.R.S. § 24-72-701 et seq. (sealing) and § 24-72-706 (expungement)) are removed from public criminal history reports.
• Juvenile records are generally confidential under Colorado law and not available without court order.
• Active investigation records, attorney-client privileged documents, draft notes, and personnel files are exempt under standard exceptions to the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA).
• Booking photos (mugshots) have increasingly restricted commercial use across Colorado and most states — paid "mugshot removal" sites are exposed to civil liability in many jurisdictions.

Expungement and Record Clearing in Colorado

Colorado's record-clearing law is found at C.R.S. § 24-72-701 et seq. (sealing) and § 24-72-706 (expungement).

Eligibility: many records sealable after 1-3 years; HB19-1275 expanded automatic sealing for many offenses.

The petition or application is typically filed in the court of conviction. Filing fees, waiting periods, and exclusions vary by offense type — serious violent crimes and most sexual offenses are commonly excluded. Many states are moving toward automatic ("Clean Slate") sealing for qualifying records.

If you believe your Colorado record contains an error or includes an offense that should have been cleared, you have the right to challenge it through the state criminal history repository — typically by submitting a written claim with documentation.

How to Get Your Own Colorado Criminal Record

If you need your own Colorado criminal history — for an employer, a licensing board, an immigration application, or just to know what's there — the state record is maintained by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Walkthrough:

1. Choose your method: CBI Identix Print Locations + $11.50 name-based or $39.50 fingerprint.
2. Complete the required form (most states use a standard request form available from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation website).
3. Submit your request along with the fee. Fingerprint-based methods provide the most complete and accurate record but take longer.
4. Turnaround: name-based: same day online; fingerprint: 2-3 weeks.
5. Review the response. If you find errors, the law at C.R.S. § 24-72-301 provides procedures for correcting or challenging inaccurate criminal history information.

Fingerprint-based criminal history checks are considered the official record. Name-based checks are faster and cheaper but can miss records or include records belonging to people with similar names — verify identity carefully.

Notable Colorado Record Laws You Should Know

• SB21-271: Misdemeanor reform reduced many to petty offenses, eff. March 2022.
• C.R.S. § 24-72-301: the statute governing the maintenance, dissemination, and inspection of state criminal history records in Colorado.
• Federal interaction: the FBI maintains a separate national criminal history database (the Identification, Information & Investigation Services / NGI). Some Colorado background checks include a fingerprint forward to the FBI for $13–$32 additional fee, depending on purpose.