Boulder County Criminal Record Search

Boulder County sits along the Front Range of Colorado, home to roughly 330,000 residents. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office holds the primary role in managing criminal records for the unincorporated parts of the county. A background check in Boulder County often starts at the Sheriff's Records Section. That office stores investigative reports, arrest photos, and jail records. The City of Boulder Police Department also keeps its own records, though it has scaled back some public services in recent years. This guide walks through the main ways to search Boulder County background check records, from local offices to state-level tools run by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Boulder County Sheriff Records Section

The Boulder County Sheriff's Records Section is the main office for criminal record requests in Boulder County. It sits at 5600 Flatiron Parkway in Boulder, CO 80301. Hours run from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. You can call 303-441-3600 with questions or to check on a background check request. The staff handles a range of criminal record types tied to incidents and arrests made by the Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Records Section page on the Boulder County website shows the full scope of what this office provides for a criminal background check search.

This page lists all available criminal record types along with fees and the steps to submit a Boulder County background check request through the Sheriff's Office.

Criminal records held by the Boulder County Sheriff's Office include investigative reports, arrest photos, and jail records. Each type has its own fee. A record search costs $5 per report and covers up to 10 pages. Pages beyond that cost $0.25 each. Mugshots cost $5 for persons over the age of 18. These fees apply to most Boulder County background check requests made through this office. Victims who are indexed in a report can have their fees waived.

Some criminal records are not held at the Sheriff's Office. Reports filed by other law enforcement agencies in Boulder County belong to those agencies. Court records are held by the Boulder County clerk of court, not the Sheriff. If you need court records for a Boulder background check, you will have to contact that office directly.

Note: All record requests must include a signed statement that the records will not be used to solicit business for profit.

Boulder County Fingerprinting for Background Checks

Fingerprinting in Boulder County is handled in a few different ways. The Sheriff's Office at 5600 Flatiron Parkway offers fingerprinting by appointment only. This service is limited to three groups: people with court-ordered prints, those applying for concealed carry permits, and Boulder County employees. Call 303-441-3600 to set up a time.

For all other fingerprinting needs, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office directs people to coloradofingerprinting.com. This is one of two vendors approved by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation under the CABS program. The other is IdentoGO. Both have locations across the state and submit criminal record prints to CBI for processing. Results come back through a secure online system, which speeds up the Boulder County background check process for those who need a fingerprint-based criminal history search.

The City of Boulder Police Department once offered public fingerprinting as part of its background check services. That changed on October 1, 2018. Boulder PD stopped its public fingerprinting service as part of the statewide shift to the CABS program. Now, the Boulder police only provide court-ordered fingerprints.

For a court-ordered print through Boulder PD, you must call 303-441-3300 to book an appointment. Bring the court order and a photo ID. Walk-ins are not accepted for criminal record fingerprints. Keep in mind that Boulder PD cannot process felony arrest fingerprints. Those must go through the Boulder County Jail instead.

The City of Boulder fingerprinting page spells out these rules in full detail.

The page confirms that the city no longer offers public fingerprinting and points residents to third-party vendors for most Boulder County background check needs.

Note: Felony fingerprints can only be done at the Boulder County Jail, not at the City of Boulder Police Department.

Requesting Crime Reports in Boulder County

Crime reports are a key part of any Boulder County background check. The Boulder Police Department handles criminal record report requests for incidents within the city of Boulder. You can start a request online or by mail. The department provides a downloadable form for Boulder background check requests in both English and Spanish. Send completed forms by email to pdrecords@bouldercolorado.gov, by fax to 303-441-4330, or by mail to 1805 33rd Street, Boulder, CO 80301.

The Boulder crime reports request page walks through each step of the process.

This resource covers the types of criminal records available from Boulder PD for background check purposes, including police reports, body camera footage, and CAD incident logs.

Criminal records you can get from Boulder PD include police reports, photographs, body camera and dash camera videos, 911 audio, and CAD dispatch logs. A research fee may apply based on the scope of your Boulder County background check request. For crimes that happened outside city limits but still within Boulder County, the Sheriff's Office is the right contact. Each agency only holds criminal records for incidents it responded to.

Large record requests may need a deposit before work begins. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office charges $40 per hour for staff time spent on research and retrieval of criminal records. Credit card payments come with a small surcharge of $0.75 plus 2.25% of the total. Cash and checks are also accepted at both the Boulder County Sheriff's Office and Boulder PD.

Statewide Background Checks for Boulder Residents

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation runs a criminal record database that covers the whole state. A CBI background check pulls criminal records from every county, not just Boulder County. This makes it the best tool when you need a broad record search. The CBI offers both name-based and fingerprint-based background checks. Each has its own process and cost.

A name-based search is the fastest option for a Boulder County background check through CBI. Go to cbirecordscheck.com and run an online query. Results come back right away. This type of background check scans Colorado criminal history records. It does not cover federal crimes or records from other states. Sealed cases, juvenile arrests, and traffic stops for those under 16 will not appear in the results.

Fingerprint-based background checks are more thorough. They tie criminal records to a specific person through biometric data. This cuts down on false matches that can happen with common names. Since Boulder County agencies have shifted most fingerprint services to third-party vendors, CBI-approved sites like Colorado Fingerprinting and IdentoGO are the main options for Boulder residents. Prints taken at these sites go straight to CBI for processing. Learn more at cbi.colorado.gov.

CBI processes around 200,000 fingerprint-based background checks each year for over 70 licensed professions across the state. Results are sent through a secure online system. For most Boulder County residents, combining a local criminal record search with a CBI statewide background check gives the most complete picture.

Boulder County Records and State Law

Colorado law governs how criminal records are released in Boulder County. The Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act sets the rules for every background check. Under C.R.S. 24-72-304, agencies must allow public inspection of official action records. This covers arrests, charges, and case outcomes. Some criminal records can be withheld if release would cause harm or if a case is still active.

Boulder County agencies follow these rules when they process a background check request. Basic arrest record data is usually public. Detailed investigative files may be restricted. If a Boulder County record request is denied, the agency must provide a written reason. You can appeal a denial in court.

Sealed criminal records will not show up in a Boulder County background check. Colorado allows certain records to be sealed after a set time. Once sealed, the criminal record is hidden from public view. This applies to background check searches through the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, Boulder PD, and the CBI alike.

Note: Criminal court records in Boulder County are managed by the 20th Judicial District and can be searched separately at courts.state.co.us/dockets for a more complete background check.

Boulder County Background Check Fees

Costs for a Boulder County background check depend on the type of criminal record and the agency involved. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office uses a simple fee structure for most record requests. Here is a breakdown of common Boulder County background check fees:

• Criminal record search: $5 per report (up to 10 pages)
• Extra pages: $0.25 per page beyond the first 10
• Arrest mugshot photo: $5 per image (persons 18 and older)
• Staff research time: $40 per hour for large record requests
• Credit card surcharge: $0.75 base fee plus 2.25%

Victims indexed in a Boulder County criminal record report do not have to pay the search fee. Cash, checks, and credit cards are all accepted at the Sheriff's Office. For mail-in record requests, include payment with your signed form. The office will reach out if the total exceeds what you sent.

The Boulder Police Department may charge a research fee for background check requests as well. That cost varies based on the scope of the criminal record request. Large or detailed Boulder County background check requests take more staff time, which drives the cost up. Both Boulder agencies accept walk-in visits during normal business hours. Plan to arrive before 4:30pm to allow enough time for processing.

Cities in Boulder County

Boulder County includes several cities and towns. Each city may have its own police department with separate criminal records for background check purposes. If an incident took place within city limits, contact that city's police department for records. For all other areas in Boulder County, the Sheriff's Office handles criminal record requests.

Nearby Counties

Several counties border Boulder County. If a crime or arrest took place outside Boulder County lines, you may need to run a background check in a neighboring county. Each county keeps its own set of criminal records and court files.