Lakewood Background Check Guide
Lakewood is the fifth-largest city in Colorado and sits in Jefferson County just west of Denver. More than 157,000 people live in Lakewood. A Lakewood background check can be run through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation or through Jefferson County criminal records. CBI has its main office right in Lakewood, which gives Lakewood residents direct access to state criminal history checks and fingerprint services. Jefferson County also holds criminal justice records at the sheriff's office in Golden. This guide covers each way to get a background check in Lakewood, the fees, the records you can access, and what to expect.
Lakewood Background Check Facts
CBI Background Check Office in Lakewood
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation headquarters is in Lakewood at 690 Kipling St, Suite 3000, Lakewood, CO 80215. This is the state hub for criminal records and background checks in Colorado. CBI walk-in hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Lakewood residents can go in to ask about a background check, drop off forms, or get help with a criminal history request. The Lakewood CBI office is easy to reach from most parts of the city.
CBI runs the state criminal history check program called the ICHC. ICHC stands for Instant Criminal History Check. It pulls criminal records from the state database. A Lakewood background check through CBI covers arrest records and criminal charges from all 64 Colorado counties. The ICHC does not include out-of-state criminal records or federal cases. For a broader criminal history search in Lakewood, you need an FBI fingerprint check.
The CBI online portal at cbirecordscheck.com lets you run a name-based criminal history check from home. The cost is $6.00 per check. You enter a name and date of birth, pay by card, and get criminal records results fast. This is the most popular way to run a Lakewood background check. It is low cost and does not take long at all.
Note: CBI name-based criminal history checks show Colorado records only. They do not cover criminal records from other states or the FBI database.
Lakewood Fingerprint Background Checks
Some background checks in Lakewood require fingerprints. A fingerprint-based background check is more thorough than a name-based check. It links to the FBI criminal records database and can pull records from all 50 states. Jobs in health care, child care, schools, and state government often require a fingerprint background check. Volunteer roles that work with kids or at-risk adults may also need one.
Jefferson County provides fingerprinting only for two types of checks: liquor license background checks and concealed handgun permit background checks. All other fingerprint-based background checks in Lakewood must go through a CBI-approved vendor. The two main vendors are IdentoGO and Colorado Fingerprinting. Both have locations near Lakewood in the Denver metro area.
To use a fingerprint vendor for a Lakewood background check, you first get an ORI number from the group that needs your check results. Then you book a time at the vendor. They scan your prints and send them to CBI and the FBI for criminal records processing. Results go to the requesting group, not to you. The process takes a few days to a few weeks for Lakewood residents.
The image below shows the Colorado Fingerprinting portal, a CBI-approved vendor for Lakewood background check fingerprint services.
Colorado Fingerprinting offers walk-in and scheduled sessions at Lakewood-area sites. Fees vary by check type. Most fingerprint background checks for Lakewood residents cost between $10 and $50 at the vendor, plus CBI and FBI processing fees on top.
Lakewood Criminal Records at Jeffco
Lakewood falls under Jefferson County for all local criminal record keeping. The Jefferson County Sheriff Records Unit handles criminal justice records requests for the whole county, including Lakewood. Their office is at 200 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80401. You can call them at 303-271-5542. This is where to go if you need arrest records, police reports, or incident records tied to Lakewood.
| Agency | Jefferson County Sheriff Records Unit |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 Jefferson County Parkway Golden, CO 80401 |
| Phone | 303-271-5542 |
| Fee | $3.00 processing fee; first hour no research fee |
| Online Portal | jeffcosheriff.nextrequest.com |
The Jefferson County criminal justice records page shows what Lakewood records you can request and how the process works. There is a $3.00 processing fee. The first hour of research time is free. If your Lakewood records request takes more than one hour of staff time, added fees may apply. This is set by Colorado open records law.
You can submit a criminal records request through the NextRequest portal as well. This online tool lets Lakewood residents file a request, track the status, and get records by email. It is a good choice if you do not want to drive to Golden for a Lakewood background check. The portal covers all sheriff criminal records in Jefferson County.
Note: The Jeffco records unit handles criminal justice records only. For court case records tied to a Lakewood background check, use the state court docket search covered below.
Lakewood Court Records Search
Court records are a core part of any background check in Lakewood. Criminal cases, civil cases, and traffic cases in Lakewood all produce court records in Jefferson County. The First Judicial District covers Lakewood and all of Jeffco. You can search Lakewood court records and dockets for free on the Colorado Judicial Branch site.
The Colorado Courts docket search lets you look up criminal records by name or case number. It covers all state courts, so you can find Lakewood criminal cases filed in Jefferson County District Court or County Court. Results show case type, charges, hearing dates, and case status. This is a key resource when you check for criminal records as part of a Lakewood background check.
The CBI criminal records page shown below is the most common starting point for a Lakewood background check at the state level.
Court records in Colorado are public under C.R.S. 24-72-304, the state open records law. Some records are sealed or restricted by court order. Juvenile criminal records are not open to the public. Expunged or sealed adult criminal records will not show up on a background check in Lakewood or elsewhere in the state.
How to Run a Lakewood Background Check
There are several paths to run a background check in Lakewood. The right one depends on what you need. Here is a list of the main options for a Lakewood background check:
- CBI online criminal history check at cbirecordscheck.com for $6.00
- CBI walk-in background check at 690 Kipling St, Suite 3000, Lakewood
- Fingerprint background check through IdentoGO or Colorado Fingerprinting
- Jefferson County Sheriff criminal records request for $3.00
- Court docket criminal records search on the Colorado Judicial Branch site
For a quick check, the CBI online criminal history check is the best bet. It costs $6.00 and gives Lakewood residents state-level criminal records in minutes. If you need a fingerprint background check for a job or a license, use a CBI vendor like IdentoGO. For local police reports or arrest records in Lakewood, use the Jeffco sheriff records unit or the NextRequest portal.
No single source gives you all records for Lakewood. A full background check in Lakewood may pull data from CBI criminal records, Jefferson County records, Lakewood court records, and the FBI. Each source has its own fee, form, and wait time. Start with the CBI online check since it is fast and covers the whole state for criminal records.
Note: Jefferson County does fingerprinting only for liquor license and concealed handgun permit background checks. All other fingerprint background checks in Lakewood go through CBI-approved vendors.
Lakewood Records and Colorado Law
Colorado has strong open records laws that affect every background check in Lakewood. The Colorado Open Records Act, or CORA, gives the public the right to see most government records. This includes criminal justice records held by the Jefferson County Sheriff and criminal court records in the First Judicial District. C.R.S. 24-72-304 sets the rules for which criminal records are open and which are not.
Some records are off limits in a Lakewood background check. Sealed criminal cases do not show up in Lakewood or elsewhere. Active investigation files may be withheld. Criminal records tied to juveniles are closed. Mental health records are also not part of a public Lakewood background check. But most adult criminal records, court case records, and arrest records in Lakewood are available if you ask the right agency and pay the fee.
The $3.00 fee at Jefferson County for criminal records is set by county policy. The first hour of research has no charge. After that, the county can bill for staff time. Most simple Lakewood background check requests fall within the free hour. If your request is broad, you may get a cost estimate before work starts. CBI background checks have their own flat fee of $6.00 for the online criminal history check.
Jefferson County Background Checks
Lakewood is in Jefferson County. All local criminal records, court records, and sheriff records for Lakewood go through Jefferson County agencies. For more on county-level background checks, criminal records fees, contact details, and related resources, see the full Jefferson County background check page.