Access Colorado Background Check Records
Colorado background check records are kept by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. The CBI manages the state criminal history database and handles requests from the public in all 64 Colorado counties. You can run a search online through the Internet Criminal History Check or submit fingerprints through approved vendors for a full report. This guide covers how to search Colorado background check records, what shows up on a check, the fees for each type, and where to go in your county for help.
Colorado Background Check Quick Facts
Colorado Bureau of Investigation Records
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is the state agency that runs background checks. The CBI manages the Biometric Identification and Records Unit, known as BIRU. This unit stores fingerprint data in the Multimodal Biometric Identification System. It also runs the Colorado Crime Information Center, which holds all fingerprint-based criminal history record information. Every arrest in Colorado that includes fingerprints goes into this database. The CBI main office is at 690 Kipling Street in Lakewood. Walk-in hours are 8am to 5pm on weekdays. Regional offices in Arvada, Grand Junction, and Pueblo West also take Colorado background check requests from the public.
The CBI records and background checks page is the starting point for any Colorado background check request.
This page links to the online search tool, vendor info, fee lists, and forms for Colorado background check requests.
The CBI processed about 200,000 fingerprint-based Colorado background check requests last year. That number grows each year. More than 70 professions in Colorado require a check. Demand for Colorado criminal history records keeps rising across the state.
Note: Contact the CBI at (303) 239-4208 for questions about Colorado background check records.
Online Background Check in Colorado
The Internet Criminal History Check is the fastest way to run a Colorado background check. The ICHC pulls from the CBI database and returns results right away. Each result costs $6.00. You search by first name, last name, and date of birth. Common names may return more than one match. Each match you open costs $6.00. The ICHC covers only Colorado records. It does not include data from other states or the FBI. You can learn more at the CBI ICHC page for full details on how the Colorado system works.
The CBI ICHC page at cbi.colorado.gov explains the rules and limits of the online Colorado background check.
It covers what records appear and what stays out of public Colorado background check results.
To start a search, go to cbirecordscheck.com. Type in the name and date of birth. The system checks the Colorado CBI database and shows matches. Pick which ones to view. Each costs $6.00. These results cannot be notarized. If you need a notarized copy of a Colorado criminal history record, use the CBI mail-in or in-person process instead. For technical help with the ICHC portal, call LogiKco at (844) 662-4146.
The search portal at cbirecordscheck.com is where you run a Colorado background check online.
Anyone can use it. No special account is needed to search Colorado criminal history records through the ICHC.
The ICHC is open to all. It is the cheapest and fastest option for a Colorado background check at just $6.00 per result. You can search from any device at any time of day.
Fingerprint Checks in Colorado
Fingerprint-based checks give more complete results than a name search in Colorado. The CBI uses two approved vendors to collect prints statewide. These are IdentoGO by IDEMIA and Colorado Fingerprinting by American BioIdentity. Both run fixed and mobile sites across the state. You book an appointment and bring a valid photo ID. Accepted forms include a driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, or permanent resident card. The vendor takes your prints and sends them straight to the CBI for processing. Results go through the Secure Document Delivery System. A Colorado-only fingerprint check costs $16.50 to $17.50. A combined Colorado and FBI nationwide check costs $39.50. Vendor fees are added on top of these state amounts. The CBI background checks page has the full fee breakdown and booking steps for a fingerprint Colorado background check.
The CBI page at cbi.colorado.gov lists all reasons for a fingerprint-based Colorado background check and links to both vendors.
Pick your reason, choose a vendor, and follow the steps to book your Colorado background check appointment.
IdentoGO has locations across Colorado. Book at uenroll.identogo.com or call 844-539-5539. Colorado Fingerprinting is the other option. Their site is coloradofingerprinting.com/cabs, and you can reach them at 833-224-2227. Both vendors offer mobile service for large groups at a set location in Colorado. The CBI no longer accepts paper fingerprint cards from in-state applicants. All prints must go through one of these two approved vendors for a Colorado background check.
The IdentoGO portal at uenroll.identogo.com lets you pick a site and time for your Colorado fingerprint appointment.
Find a location near you and book your slot for a Colorado background check.
Colorado Fingerprinting at coloradofingerprinting.com is the second CBI-approved vendor for Colorado background check fingerprints.
Both vendors send prints to the CBI. Neither one sees your Colorado background check results.
You have 30 days to request a reprint if your letter is lost. After 30 days, you must submit new prints and pay again for your Colorado background check.
Note: Vendors do not see your Colorado background check results at any point in the process.
What Colorado Background Checks Show
A Colorado background check returns criminal history record information called CHRI. This includes arrest records with charges and case outcomes. Court filings and docket data show up too. Department of Corrections sentences appear when the CBI has fingerprint data from the DOC. Under C.R.S. 24-72-304, criminal justice records in Colorado may be open for public inspection. The custodian of those records has some say in access. Only active sex offender registrations show on a public Colorado background check. Once a person is no longer registered, that flag is removed from the Colorado record.
Some records stay off a public Colorado background check. Under C.R.S. 19-1-301, juvenile arrests are not released to the public in Colorado. The only exceptions are when a juvenile was charged as an adult. DUI and traffic offenses also show if the person was 16 or older. Records sealed by court order will not appear on a Colorado background check. Traffic arrests for anyone under 16 are blocked from public view as well.
The Colorado ICHC covers state data only. For nationwide results, you need a fingerprint-based FBI check through the CBI. That combined Colorado and FBI background check costs $39.50.
Colorado Court Record Searches
Colorado courts hold records tied to background checks. The Colorado Judicial Branch runs public access systems for case lookups. County courts handle misdemeanors, traffic cases, and civil matters under $25,000 in Colorado. District courts handle felonies and larger cases. Court records show charges, filings, and outcomes that may also appear on a CBI Colorado background check. The court docket search covers trial courts by county and district across Colorado.
Search Colorado court dockets at courts.state.co.us to look up cases by name or number.
You can search by county, judicial district, or appellate court in Colorado.
The Colorado State Courts Data Access portal at jbits.courts.state.co.us is another resource. It covers most Colorado counties. Denver District Court records are included in this system. Denver County Court records are not and must be searched through the Denver City and County Court instead.
The public access system at jbits.courts.state.co.us shows court case data from across Colorado.
This system holds court data only. It does not replace a full CBI Colorado background check.
Note: Court records and CBI Colorado background check records may differ since they come from separate systems.
Colorado Sex Offender Registry
The CBI maintains the Colorado sex offender registry. Under C.R.S. 16-22-110, people convicted of certain offenses must register with local law enforcement in Colorado. The registry is public and free. You can search by name, address, or map. A current registration also shows on the person's CBI Colorado background check. When someone is no longer required to register in Colorado, that flag drops off the record.
Search the Colorado registry at apps.colorado.gov to find registered offenders in your area.
Results show the status and county of registration for each person in Colorado.
Only active registrations appear here. Past entries that have ended do not show on this search or on a Colorado background check.
Sealing Records in Colorado
Colorado law lets you seal certain criminal records. Under C.R.S. 24-72-701 through 708, you can petition to seal arrest records, conviction records, and records from human trafficking cases in Colorado. You file at the court where the case was heard. Self-help forms are on the Colorado Judicial Branch website. As of July 1, 2024, the CBI charges no fee for sealing a Colorado background check record. Other court costs may still apply.
The CBI recommends running a Colorado background check on yourself before you file to seal. Use the ICHC at cbirecordscheck.com to see your record. Search with your first name, last name, and date of birth. Mark any items you want sealed. Then file at the court in your Colorado county. For sealing questions, email cdps_cbi_seals@state.co.us or call (303) 239-4208 about your Colorado background check record.
Sealed records do not show on a public Colorado background check. Law enforcement can still view them. The general public cannot.
Fees for Colorado Background Checks
Colorado background check fees depend on the type of search you need. The CBI sets state rates. Vendor fees are added on top for fingerprint checks. The CBI fees and forms page has current costs and accepted payment methods. You can pay by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. Business checks work by mail. Cash is taken in person at the Lakewood office, but bills over $20 are not accepted. Phone payments by credit card are not allowed for Colorado background checks.
The fees and forms page at cbi.colorado.gov shows current pricing for all Colorado background check types.
Download the criminal history request form and credit card form from this page for your Colorado background check.
The main Colorado background check fees are:
- Internet Criminal History Check online: $6.00 per result
- Colorado-only fingerprint check: $16.50 to $17.50
- Colorado and FBI fingerprint check: $39.50
- Name-based check by mail: $13.00
- Local liquor license check: $38.50
Vendor fees add to these amounts for fingerprint checks in Colorado. The total shows at the end of the booking step before you pay. Fees can change, so check the CBI site before starting your Colorado background check.
Note: ICHC results cannot be notarized, so use the CBI mail-in process if you need a notarized Colorado background check.
Colorado Background Check FAQ
People often ask about fixing errors on a Colorado background check. If your record has wrong data, you can challenge it. Get a copy of your Colorado criminal history first. Then contact the arresting agency or file a record challenge with the CBI. You will submit new fingerprints through a CABS vendor. The CBI compares them to the record on file. If the prints do not match, the CBI sends a letter saying the record is not yours. This process helps fix identity theft and mix-ups on Colorado background check records.
The CBI FAQ page answers common questions about Colorado background checks.
Topics include record disputes, juvenile records, CABS vendors, and fingerprinting sites across Colorado.
The CBI does not give out warrant data. For arrest warrants in Colorado, contact the agency that issued the warrant. The Colorado Judicial Branch website also has court records that may tie to a background check. Each Colorado county court keeps its own case files for local searches.
Another common question is about the CABS program. CABS stands for Colorado Applicant Background Services. It is the statewide fingerprint program run by the CBI. Both IdentoGO and Colorado Fingerprinting are part of this program. The CABS system was created by Senate Bill 17-189 to make fingerprint-based Colorado background checks easier to access across the state.
Browse Colorado Background Checks by County
Each county in Colorado connects to the CBI for background check processing. Pick a county below to find local details and resources for Colorado background checks in that area.
Background Checks in Major Colorado Cities
Colorado cities fall under their county for background check services. Pick a city below to learn about Colorado background check access in your area.