Arapahoe County Criminal Records

An Arapahoe County background check starts at the Sheriff's Office Records Section. This county sits south of Denver and is home to more than 655,000 residents. Most criminal record requests in Arapahoe County go through an online portal at recordsrequest.arapahoegov.com. The Records Section handles criminal history searches, clearance letters, and fingerprint cards. Walk-in traffic is no longer served for records, civil, or warrants. All background check requests must be placed through the web portal or by phone. The main Arapahoe County office is at 5334 S. Prince Street in Littleton, Colorado.

Arapahoe County Background Check Portal

The Sheriff's Office runs an online records and payment portal for Arapahoe County background check requests. This system lets you ask for criminal history reports from home. You pay with a credit card, debit card, or electronic check. The Arapahoe County portal is fast. It cuts out the need to visit the office, which is now closed to walk-in traffic for criminal records and background check pickups.

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office online records portal is found at recordsrequest.arapahoegov.com, where you can start a new background check request.

Once you place a background check request, you can track its status through the same Arapahoe County portal and get your criminal history results by mail or at the office.

For help with online payments, call Point&Pay at 888-891-6061 and press Option 1. Their team can walk you through card or check issues. The Arapahoe County Records Section staff can be reached at 303-795-4711 for questions about a background check request or the status of a pending criminal history search.

Note: The Arapahoe County Records, Civil, and Warrants sections are all closed to walk-in traffic. Use the online portal or call ahead.

Arapahoe County Clearance Letters

A clearance letter is a key part of any Arapahoe County background check. This document shows you have had no contact with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office or the City of Centennial police. Many people need a clearance letter for life events or legal steps. The letter proves a clean criminal record with local law enforcement in Arapahoe County.

These clearance letters serve a few key needs in Arapahoe County. People use them for adoption cases, immigration filings, and when a government body asks for proof of a clean criminal history. The clearance letter does not search state or federal criminal record databases. It only covers the Arapahoe County Sheriff and Centennial. For a broader criminal history check, you would also need to run a background check through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Arapahoe County clearance letters from the Sheriff's Office are often used for:

• Adoption proceedings in state or family court
• Immigration petitions and visa applications
• Presentation to a government entity or licensing board
• Personal criminal record verification

Request your Arapahoe County clearance letter through the online portal. Staff will run a records check and draft the letter. Allow time for processing. Plan ahead if you have a court date or filing deadline tied to your Arapahoe County background check results.

Fingerprinting for Arapahoe County Checks

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office provides fingerprinting for background checks by appointment only. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM. There is no Friday service. The office takes up to 10 walk-ins each day, but slots fill fast. Book ahead to get your Arapahoe County criminal history check done on time.

A fingerprint-based background check is the most precise way to search criminal records in Arapahoe County. Prints tie results to one person. This removes the risk of false matches that can happen with a name-based records check. The Arapahoe County Sheriff sends prints to the CBI for a criminal history search. Background check results come back in days for most Arapahoe County requests.

The Arapahoe County Sheriff also accepts online crime reports through a separate portal. You can view the online reporting system at citizenonlinereporting.arapahoegov.com.

This tool is used for non-emergency crime reports but is part of the same Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office system that handles background check records.

If the Arapahoe County schedule does not work for you, use a CBI Approved Vendor for fingerprinting. IdentoGO runs sites across Colorado. Colorado Fingerprinting is another choice. Both can take your prints and send them to the CBI for an Arapahoe County background check or a statewide criminal record search. Costs and hours vary by vendor.

Note: Arapahoe County fingerprinting at the Sheriff's Office is by appointment only, with walk-ins capped at 10 per day.

Arapahoe County Concealed Carry Background Check

Arapahoe County runs background checks for concealed handgun permit (CHP) applications. The process can take up to 90 days. This is a thorough criminal history check. It digs into criminal records, mental health records, and other factors that could bar a person from holding a permit. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office handles all CHP background checks.

Once approved, a concealed handgun permit from Arapahoe County is good for five years. Renewal requires a new background check. The same 90-day window applies. Start your renewal early to avoid a gap. Fees and forms are on the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office website. Bring a valid ID and proof of training when you apply for a concealed carry permit through the Arapahoe County background check process.

An Arapahoe County concealed carry background check reviews several types of records:

• Criminal history records at the local, state, and federal level
• Mental health holds and involuntary commitments
• Restraining orders and protection orders
• Drug-related criminal records and convictions
• Outstanding warrants in Arapahoe County and beyond

The Arapahoe County Records Section does not keep court dispositions. If you need case outcome details tied to a criminal record found during your background check, contact the clerk of court. The Colorado Courts docket search tool can help you look up criminal case records online.

Note: An Arapahoe County concealed carry background check can take up to 90 days, so apply well before you need the permit.

Statewide Criminal History Check

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation runs a statewide criminal records check that goes beyond Arapahoe County data. The CBI maintains the state's central criminal history database. This background check pulls criminal records from all 64 Colorado counties. It is a good step if you need a full picture of someone's criminal past beyond what an Arapahoe County background check alone can show.

You can run a CBI criminal history search through the Internet-based Criminal History Check (ICHC) portal. Visit cbirecordscheck.com to start a statewide background check.

The CBI portal returns criminal record results based on name and date of birth, pulling from the state's central repository of arrest and conviction data.

The CBI also has a main page at cbi.colorado.gov with details on fingerprint-based checks, name-based checks, and how to read your criminal history results. A fingerprint-based background check is more precise than a name search. It ties criminal records to a single person. For Arapahoe County background check needs that reach past local records, the CBI criminal history search is the standard tool. Results come back in days for most name-based checks.

Note: A CBI name-based background check costs around $6.85 and covers all Colorado counties, not just Arapahoe County.

Arapahoe County Criminal Record Access Laws

Colorado law sets rules for who can view criminal records and how background checks work. C.R.S. 24-72-304 covers inspection of criminal justice records. It allows public access to certain criminal records while shielding others. Arrest records, conviction data, and basic case facts are mostly public in Arapahoe County. Sealed or expunged records are not part of a standard Arapahoe County background check.

Colorado also has a record sealing law under Title 24, Article 72 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. If a case was dismissed, a person may ask the court to seal those criminal records. A not-guilty verdict also qualifies. Sealed records will not show up in an Arapahoe County background check or a CBI criminal history search. Drug offenses, certain misdemeanors, and petty offenses may also qualify for record sealing after a wait period. Check with a lawyer to see if your Arapahoe County criminal record is eligible. Sealing a record removes it from all future background checks in Arapahoe County and across Colorado.

Arapahoe County Background Check Contacts

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office has two main locations. The admin building is where the Records Section processes background checks. This is the place to handle your criminal record search needs in Arapahoe County.

Keep in mind that the Arapahoe County Records Section is closed to walk-ins. Use the phone or web portal for all background check requests. Staff can guide you to the right form and tell you what fees apply. Payment for your Arapahoe County criminal record search is taken through the online system with a credit card, debit card, or electronic check.

Arapahoe County Cities and Records

Arapahoe County has several large cities. Criminal records from these cities may show up in a county-level background check. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office covers unincorporated areas. City police handle their own calls. All serious offenses are filed at the Arapahoe County court level and appear in criminal history searches.

Other cities in Arapahoe County include Englewood, Sheridan, Greenwood Village, and Cherry Hills Village. Each has its own police force, but all feed criminal records into the county and state systems used for an Arapahoe County background check.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Arapahoe County. If you need a criminal background check that covers more than one county, run record searches in each one or use the CBI statewide criminal history tool.