Colorado, county records

Otero County, Colorado Public Records

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Find the right office in Otero County. Court cases, deeds and parcels, sheriff and jail records, vital records and county filings, each linked to the office that keeps them.

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Most requested Otero County records

Every card below goes to the government office responsible for that record. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.

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Showing 12 official sources

Official

City records

Otero County Business Information

Colorado Small Business Development Center network, a state program, showing which center serves Otero County: the East Colorado center, with offices in Greeley and Lamar.

sbdc.colorado.gov
Open official site Otero County Business Information
Official

State records

Otero County

Otero County: County's official site, on the official site of the office that keeps it.

oterocounty.colorado.gov
Open official site Otero County
Official

Property records

Otero County Property Tax Information

The Otero County Treasurer bills and collects the property taxes and keeps the record of what is owed and what has been paid on each parcel in the county.

oterocounty.colorado.gov
Open official site Otero County Property Tax Information
Official

Police & jail

Otero County Sex Offenders

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation registry lists the people required to register as sex offenders in Otero County and can be searched by name, city or county.

apps.colorado.gov
Open official site Otero County Sex Offenders
Official

City records

Woodruf Memorial Library

Woodruf Memorial Library is a public library in Otero County, open to the public with its catalogue, its online databases and the local collections it holds.

lajunta.colibraries.org
Open official site Woodruf Memorial Library

Everything else, organized

More official Otero County record sources

3 more Otero County sources not listed above.

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Local record guide

About public records in Otero County

County profile

Otero County at a glance

State
Colorado
County seat
La Junta
Population
18,690
Area
1,268 sq mi
Founded
1889
Cities and towns
6

Otero County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Otero County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining law and order in the unincorporated areas of Otero County.

Police Departments. In addition to Otero County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement in Otero County includes municipal police departments such as the La Junta Police Department and the Rocky Ford Police Department.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Otero County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of Otero County and operates Otero County Jail. Arrest records in Otero County are considered public records under the Colorado Public Records Act (C.R.S. § 24-72-201 et seq.), which mandates that government records be open for public inspection unless specifically exempted by law.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Otero County are maintained by Otero County Sheriff's Office. Residents and attorneys can request arrest records by contacting the Sheriff's Office directly.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Otero County are taken and retained by Otero County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These booking photos are part of the arrest records and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office. While the Sheriff's website may provide some information, third-party services might offer additional search capabilities for mugshots.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Otero County

Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.

From the old mine records

What is on record in Otero County

Old mine sites
26
Sites with no status in the records
41
Still producing
4
Main minerals
construction sand and gravel; Fire Clay (Refractory); Stone
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
71
Shafts and tunnels
0
What they are
gravel pit, quarry, gravel/borrow pit - undifferentiated, prospect pit
Maps surveyed
1953 to 1996
Records behind them
153 records for 142 sites, the rest are the same working written down more than once
Sources
USGS mineral file and USGS topographic mine features

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 71 named mine sites inside the county, 26 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 71 holes drawn inside the county, 0 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are construction sand and gravel; Fire Clay (Refractory); Stone.

A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area. Colorado's cover is a protection program run by DRMS, not an insurance policy sold by insurers.

Otero County: the boundary from the Census Bureau, and one dot for each old mine or hole on record inside it. Purple is a shaft or a tunnel. Hover a dot for its name.
Colorado mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Otero County (48 shown, 71 unnamed on the map)

Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.

Straight answers

Otero County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Otero County, Colorado?

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Otero County Sheriff or a city police department in Otero County. Ask that agency for its record. Under C.R.S. 24-72-305.5, it is unlawful to obtain a booking photograph knowing it will be posted on a website or in a publication that charges a fee to remove it; anyone requesting booking photos from a custodian must sign a statement that they will not be used that way.

How do I get a criminal background check in Otero County, Colorado?

The Colorado criminal history record comes from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Biometric Identification and Records Unit. Name and date of birth search online through the Internet Criminal History Check (ICHC), or a request by name or by fingerprints to the CBI for a notarized copy. Fee: $6.00 for each online Internet Criminal History Check (ICHC) search; $13.00 for a name based request by mail.

How can I look up sex offenders in Otero County, Colorado?

Search the Colorado Sex Offender Registry (CBI), or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How do I register to vote in Otero County, Colorado?

Register with the county clerk and recorder or through the Colorado Secretary of State. You can also register online with the state online registration. Voters may register through Election Day; to get a ballot by mail, register online or by mail through the 8th day before Election Day, then in person at a voter service and polling center.

How do I look up property records in Otero County, Colorado?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Otero County are kept by the Otero County clerk and recorder. Property values are set by the county assessor, and tax bills come from the county treasurer. Source: official state page.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Otero County, Colorado?

Certified birth and death certificates for Colorado come from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Office of the State Registrar of Vital Statistics. Birth and death certificates are also issued at the nearest Local Vital Records office, at the same fees. Online through GoCertificates or VitalChek as linked by the office, by mail to the address printed on the state application, or in person by appointment at the state office or at a Local Vital Records office. Fee: $25 for the first certified copy of a birth or death certificate; $20 for each additional copy ordered at the same time (fee schedule effective 1/1/2026).

How do I find business license records in Otero County, Colorado?

Business entity filings are searched with the Colorado Secretary of State. Some business licenses come from the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies; other licenses are issued through local city or county offices.

Same county

Cities, towns and neighboring counties

Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.

La JuntaRocky FordFowlerSwinkManzanolaCherawLas Animas CountyKiowa CountyCrowley CountyBent CountyPueblo County