Colorado Free Public Records Directory

Colorado, the 38th state to be admitted to the Union, is a land of geographic contrasts. Eastern Colorado – nearly half of the state’s area – is a continuation of the Great Plains; it is mostly flat prairie, with some rolling hills. Moving westward, the land rises gently until it meets the Rocky Mountains, which split the state into eastern and western halves. Immediately to the west of the Rockies are three large, flat basins called “parks”: North Park, Middle Park, and South Park. The south-central part of the state is occupied by the San Luis Valley, home to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. The San Juan Mountains cover most of southwestern Colorado, while the northwest is a mix of high mesas, deserts, and canyons.

Colorado’s climate is tied to its topography, with the mountains experiencing cold temperatures and heavy snowfall, while the rest of the state is mostly semi-arid. Temperature differences between day and night are often extreme, thanks to many clear days. Average monthly temperatures in various parts of the state range from lows below zero to highs in the upper 90’s. Irrigation allows agriculture to thrive on the eastern plains, where raising wheat, corn, hay, and livestock are the main activities. Industry and commerce in the rest of the state are as diverse as the topography, and include tourism, mining, and scientific research. Colorado produces more beer than any other state, and the federal government’s presence includes the United States Air Force Academy, several large military bases, four National Parks, and two major federal prisons.

The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 included much of present-day Colorado, although its boundary was contested by Spain. In an 1819 treaty that included the purchase of Florida, the United States ceded much of the territory to Spain. After Mexico won its independence from Spain, that territory became Mexican until Mexico was forced to surrender it in 1848 at the conclusion of the Mexican-American War. Most early westward-bound settlers bypassed Colorado, favoring less-mountainous routes to the north. The discovery of gold in the 1850’s spurred the Pikes Peak Gold Rush and a population boom. Colorado was admitted as a state in 1876, during the United States’ own centennial – giving Colorado its nickname: The Centennial State.

Colorado’s present borders are Nebraska and Kansas on the east, Wyoming on the north, Utah on the west, and New Mexico (and a sliver of Oklahoma) on the south. At 104,094 square miles, it is the 8th largest state by area. Its population of five and a half million makes it the 21st most populous state and the 37th most densely populated. Most of the population is concentrated in the cities in the Front Range region, along the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains, from Fort Collins in the north through Denver and Colorado Springs to Pueblo in the south. Denver is the capital and largest city, with a population of nearly 705,000.

Thanks to its abundant natural resources, beautiful natural environment, and recreational opportunities, Colorado’s economy is currently ranked #1 and its business environment #3. With most of its population concentrated in ten counties in the Front Range urban corridor, most of the state’s 54 other counties are sparsely populated. Unlike most other states, Colorado’s counties are not subdivided into townships. Its counties, cities, and towns are the locus of public records. To find those records, see our directory below of all types, including recorded documents, county courthouse locations, vital statistics, and arrest records.

Abbreviation	CO
Capital	Denver
Population	5,540,545 (2016 est.)
Area size	104,094 sq. mi
Demonym	Coloradan
Primary languages spoken	English, Spanish
Governor	John Hickenlooper
Lieutenant Governor	Donna Lynne
U.S. Senators	Michael Bennet, Cory Gardner
U.S. House Delegation	4 Republicans, 3 Democrats
Time Zone	Mountain: UTC −7/−6

*The map and data in the table are from Wikipedia.

Browse by Public Record Category

There are two types of public records: 1) personal public records that document major life milestones such as birth certificates, death certificates, divorce records, and marriage records, etc.; and 2) government records that are made public such as property tax records, recorded land records, voter records, crime data, jail inmate records, and court records. The Freedom of Information Act is a national law that releases government agency public records and makes it possible to view most public records. Since there are a multitude of records available, it can be difficult to know how or where to access them.

Colorado’s first public records law was enacted in 1969, and only covers records that are maintained for a government function of other official reason.

When you are ready to start your search, you’ll find our Public Records Directory website easy to use since all of the records can be searched by federal, state, county, city, town or type of record. The links provided will connect you to the best website for the record search, provide details about the record, or provide contact information for those records without search capabilities.