Colorado is an open records state with one of the most accessible statewide criminal history search systems in the country. For just $5, anyone can run a name-based search through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's online system and get results immediately. That low barrier to entry makes Colorado stand out compared to states that require fingerprints, waiting periods, or significantly higher fees. This guide covers how the system works, where to look for recent arrests, and what you are actually seeing when a record comes back.
What Makes Colorado Arrest Records Public
The Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act, codified in Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-72-301 through 24-72-309, establishes the framework for public access to criminal justice records. Colorado is an open records state under this statute, and arrest records are treated as public documents subject to inspection with specific exceptions.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation, known as CBI, is a division of the Colorado Department of Public Safety and serves as the central repository for criminal history record information in the state. Every arrest in Colorado that includes fingerprinting goes into the CBI's database. The CBI maintains the Colorado Crime Information Center, which stores all fingerprint-based criminal history record information statewide.
Exemptions from public access include juvenile arrest records, which are not released to the public under Colorado Revised Statutes Section 19-1-301, traffic arrests for those under 16, and records that have been sealed by court order. Consumer reporting agencies also face a specific limit: they cannot report arrests that are more than seven years old, which is a meaningful practical protection even though the record itself may still exist in the CBI database.
What a Colorado Arrest Record Contains
An arrest record is a booking document, not a verdict. It captures the facts of an arrest as recorded by law enforcement at the time of booking and carries no presumption of guilt.
A Colorado arrest record typically includes the person's full legal name, date of birth, physical description, the arresting agency, the date and location of the arrest, charges filed at booking, and booking number. Booking photographs are generally accessible through county sheriff online booking systems.
The CBI criminal history record, formally called Criminal History Record Information or CHRI, is more comprehensive. It includes arrest records with charges and case outcomes, court filings and docket data, and Department of Corrections sentence information when the CBI has fingerprint data linked to that person. One important limitation: if disposition information for a case is marked "unknown" in the CHRI, it means the court or agency never submitted the outcome to CBI. A missing disposition does not mean the case was dismissed -- it means the record is incomplete. To update a CHRI with missing disposition data, official documentation from the court must be submitted to CBI.
How to Search Colorado Arrest Records
The CBI Internet Criminal History Check, known as the ICHC, is the main public tool at cbirecordscheck.com. It is an online name-based search that anyone can use. You enter the person's first and last name along with date of birth, and the system returns results from the CBI database immediately. Each search costs $5, charged per query regardless of results. If you want to view a specific record from the results, there is an additional $5 charge per record viewed. For a notarized certified copy, you can submit a written request to CBI for $13 per name, with a reply mailed within three to five business days. CBI can also be reached by phone at 303-239-4208.
The ICHC is name-based rather than fingerprint-based, which means it is faster and more accessible but slightly less precise for common names. Fingerprint-based searches through approved CBI vendors such as IdentoGO provide a more definitive match and are required for certain licensing and employment purposes.
Colorado Courts also maintain an online case search through the Colorado Judicial Branch website. This is a free resource for searching criminal case filings by name, case number, or citation. It provides case dockets, charge information, and dispositions and is particularly useful for confirming how a case resolved -- especially when CHRI disposition data is incomplete.
County sheriff offices are the right tool for recent arrests. Colorado has 64 counties and most county sheriffs maintain online booking rosters that are publicly accessible and updated frequently. For anyone taken into custody in the past 24 to 72 hours, the county sheriff website is where to look first.
For broader multi-source searches that aggregate public record data across Colorado's 64 counties and other jurisdictions without searching each individually, TruthFinder is a practical option that returns results considerably faster than county-by-county queries.
VINELink at vinelink.com provides real-time custody status and connects to both the state DOC system and many county facilities. You can register for free notifications when an individual's status changes -- transfer, release, or court date.
County Jail Records in Colorado
Colorado has 64 counties and each county sheriff manages the local detention facility. County jails hold people who have recently been arrested, those awaiting trial, and individuals serving short sentences. For any recent arrest, start at the county level.
Most Colorado county sheriff offices publish free online booking rosters. Searching by name returns the facility, charges as booked, bail amount, and current custody status. Denver County, El Paso County, and Jefferson County are among the larger systems with robust online access. Smaller counties may offer PDF rosters or require a phone call.
When someone is convicted of a felony and sentenced to state prison, they move from county custody into the Colorado Department of Corrections, known as CDOC. The CDOC Offender Search at doc.state.co.us is the official free public tool for state prison inmates. You can search by name or DOC number. Results show the current facility, sentence information, and parole board hearing dates where applicable. For in-person assistance, CDOC headquarters is located at 1250 Academy Park Loop, Colorado Springs, CO 80910.
Federal Arrests in Colorado
Federal arrests in Colorado are made by agencies including the FBI, the DEA, U.S. Marshals, ATF, and Homeland Security Investigations. Colorado is also home to some notable federal facilities -- including ADX Florence, the federal administrative maximum security prison in Florence, Colorado, which houses the highest-security federal inmates in the country.
The BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the official free tool for finding anyone serving a federal sentence. Search by name or BOP register number. For case-level records, the PACER system at pacer.gov provides access to federal court filings with a registered account.
Federal arrests and sentences are not part of the CBI criminal history database. A CBI ICHC search will not surface federal charges. If the person was arrested on federal charges in Colorado, start with PACER and the BOP locator.
Arrest Records Versus Conviction Records
An arrest record documents that law enforcement took someone into custody based on probable cause. A conviction record documents a court's finding of guilt. They are separate records in Colorado, and the arrest entry does not automatically update when the case resolves.
Charges can be dropped, cases can be dismissed, and juries acquit. In all of those situations the arrest entry remains in the CBI database and in county records unless the person pursues sealing through the courts. The arrest will appear on a CBI ICHC search and on third-party background checks until it is legally addressed.
Consumer reporting agencies face the seven-year lookback limit on reporting old arrests, which provides some practical protection for employment purposes. But the arrest record still exists -- it is the reporting that is limited, not the record itself.
A Note on Sealing in Colorado
Colorado law allows eligible individuals to petition the court to seal arrest and criminal records, making them inaccessible to the public. Once a judge grants a sealing order, CBI must receive the signed order to update its records. After sealing, the record remains accessible to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies but is removed from public view.
Eligibility for sealing depends on the offense type, the outcome of the case, and applicable waiting periods. Not all records qualify. The process runs through the court in the county where the case was heard.
If you have a Colorado arrest record and want to understand your options, InmateAid's guides on record sealing cover the framework in more detail. Mugshot removal is a separate concern addressed in InmateAid's resources on that topic -- Colorado county sheriff booking photos are widely published and may appear on third-party aggregator sites even after a record is sealed, which requires a separate takedown process.
Frequently asked questions
Are Colorado arrest records public?
Yes. Under the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act at CRS 24-72-301, arrest records are public documents. The CBI maintains the statewide criminal history database, and the public can access it through the ICHC online system for $5 per search. Exceptions include juvenile arrests, traffic arrests for those under 16, and records sealed by court order.
How do I search Colorado arrest records?
The CBI Internet Criminal History Check at cbirecordscheck.com is the main public tool -- $5 per name-based search, results returned immediately, no fingerprints required. The Colorado Judicial Branch court search is free and covers case filings and dispositions statewide. For recent arrests, check the relevant county sheriff website. For multi-source results, TruthFinder aggregates public record data across jurisdictions. For real-time custody status, VINELink at vinelink.com provides free notifications. For state prison inmates, use the CDOC Offender Search at doc.state.co.us.
What does a Colorado arrest record contain?
A Colorado arrest record from a county booking roster typically includes the person's full legal name, date of birth, physical description, the arresting agency, the date and location of the arrest, charges as filed, and booking number. The CBI CHRI report is more comprehensive and includes court filings, disposition data, and DOC sentence information -- though disposition fields may show as "unknown" if courts never submitted case outcomes to CBI.
Is an arrest the same as a conviction in Colorado?
No. An arrest documents that law enforcement took someone into custody. A conviction reflects a court's finding of guilt. You can have a Colorado arrest record with no accompanying conviction if charges were dropped, the case was dismissed, or you were acquitted. The arrest entry remains in CBI records and county databases until legally sealed.
How do I find someone in a Colorado county jail?
Check the sheriff's office website for the county where the arrest occurred. Most Colorado county sheriffs publish free online booking rosters searchable by name. VINELink at vinelink.com also connects to many county facilities statewide and allows free notification registration for status changes. For someone serving a state prison sentence, use the CDOC Offender Search at doc.state.co.us.
Can I search federal arrest records in Colorado?
Federal court records are available through PACER at pacer.gov. For someone serving a federal sentence, the BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the free official search tool. Federal arrests are not part of the CBI database, so an ICHC search will not surface federal charges or federal convictions.
How long does an arrest stay on record in Colorado?
The CBI maintains arrest and criminal history records indefinitely unless a court order to seal is received. Consumer reporting agencies face a seven-year limit on reporting arrests to employers and creditors under federal Fair Credit Reporting Act rules, but the underlying CBI record continues to exist. Sealing through the courts is the legal path to restrict public access.
Can a Colorado arrest record be sealed?
Yes, for qualifying records. Colorado law allows petitioning the court to seal arrest and criminal records under CRS 24-72-701 and related statutes. Once a sealing order is granted and submitted to CBI, the record is removed from public access. Law enforcement retains access. Eligibility depends on offense type, case outcome, and waiting periods. Not every arrest qualifies. InmateAid's sealing guides cover the framework in more detail.
What is the CBI Internet Criminal History Check?
The ICHC is the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's public online criminal history search system at cbirecordscheck.com. It allows anyone to search Colorado criminal history records by name and date of birth for $5 per search. Results return immediately from the CBI statewide database. Viewing a specific record from the results costs an additional $5. The search is name-based, not fingerprint-based, so results for common names may include multiple people. The ICHC excludes juvenile records, sealed records, and traffic arrests for those under 16.
Why does my record show an arrest but no conviction?
An arrest record is created at booking and reflects the charges filed at that time. If the case was later dismissed, charges were dropped, or you were acquitted, the arrest entry still exists in the CBI database unless sealed. Additionally, if disposition data is marked "unknown" in the CHRI, it may mean the court never submitted the outcome to CBI -- not that the record is incomplete because the case is unresolved. Cross-referencing with the Colorado Judicial Branch court search often clarifies what actually happened. ---
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