Search Colorado Busted Mugshots
Colorado busted mugshots are public records. Sheriff offices and state agencies hold them across all 64 counties. Each county keeps its own booking photos and arrest data at the local jail. You can search these records through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Or check a county jail roster directly. The state has an online criminal history check tool. It costs $6 per search. Results show up right away. Many county sheriff offices also post daily arrest reports and inmate lists on their own sites. This guide covers the best ways to look up mugshots in Colorado, the laws that apply to arrest records, and how to find booking photos at the county level.
Colorado Busted Mugshots Quick Facts
Colorado Mugshot Records Online
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation handles criminal history records for the whole state. CBI runs the Internet Criminal History Check. It is a tool anyone can use from a computer or phone. A single search costs $6 and results come back fast. They show arrests, charges, and case outcomes for anyone with a Colorado criminal history. The system skips juvenile arrests for those 17 and younger. Traffic arrests for people under 16 stay out as well. Sealed records do not appear in the results. If someone sits on the sex offender list right now, that gets flagged too. CBI notes that results from this check cannot be notarized. Keep that in mind if you need official copies of Colorado mugshot records for something formal.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation website shows the full range of criminal record services the state offers.
This site links to arrest record tools, forensic services, and other resources for searching Colorado busted mugshots.
You can find more about what CBI holds at their records and background checks page. It walks through both fingerprint-based and name-based search options for Colorado arrest records.
Both search types start from this page on the CBI site.
County sheriff offices also keep mugshot records in Colorado. Each of the 64 counties runs its own jail. Many post daily booking reports online. Adams County, Denver, El Paso, Jefferson, and Weld County all have searchable inmate databases. Some show booking photos right on the page. Others just list names, charges, and bond amounts. The level of detail varies by county. Most jail rosters update all day long but only show people currently in custody. Once someone gets released, their info may drop off the roster. For older arrest records in Colorado, you need to contact the sheriff office directly or submit a formal records request.
The Internet Criminal History Check portal is the fastest way to search Colorado busted mugshots at the state level.
Colorado is an open records state. Anyone can pay $6 and pull up arrest data through this tool.
Colorado Arrest Records Law
Two laws control access to mugshots and arrest records in Colorado. The Colorado Open Records Act, known as CORA, covers public records in general. You can read the full text at C.R.S. 24-72-201. It says most government records must be open. The Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act goes further for arrest data. The CCJRA under C.R.S. 24-72-301 splits records into two groups. Records of official action, such as arrests, charges, and court outcomes, must be open to the public. Other criminal justice records may be open, but the agency that holds them gets to decide. This means Colorado busted mugshots and booking photos are often available. Access can still vary from one agency to the next though.
There are rules to keep in mind. Agencies can deny your request if you plan to use the records for direct business solicitation. You may need to sign a form that says you will not use Colorado arrest records for pecuniary gain. The first hour of staff time to pull records is free under CORA. After that, agencies can charge up to $41.37 per hour. Copies cost $0.25 per page. Agencies must give you an initial response within three business days.
The Colorado Judicial Branch public records guide explains how courts handle access to criminal case files in the state.
Court records follow slightly different rules than what law enforcement agencies use in Colorado.
The CBI page on CORA and CCJRA breaks down how that agency handles requests for Colorado criminal records.
CBI can only share records that belong to CBI itself. For records from a local arrest, contact the arresting agency.
The Colorado Attorney General CORA policy page lays out rules all state agencies follow for records requests.
This page defines what counts as an official action and spells out response timelines for Colorado agencies.
Note: CBI does not keep arrest records from other agencies, so you need to go to the arresting agency for those Colorado mugshots.
How to Get Mugshots in Colorado
There are a few ways to get busted mugshots in Colorado. The method depends on what you need and how fast you need it. Online tools work for quick searches. In-person visits or written requests work better for official copies or older records that have not been put online yet. Each approach has its own steps.
For a quick statewide search, use the ICHC at cbirecordscheck.com. Pay $6 and get results right away. For county-level mugshots, go to the sheriff website for that county. Most large counties have their own inmate search tools. Adams, Boulder, Denver, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Pueblo, and Weld County all let you look up current inmates by name on their sites. Some post daily booking reports with new arrests. Released inmate data appears on some county sites too. The statewide victim notification system at VINELink tracks inmate custody status across Colorado. You can sign up there for alerts when someone is released or moved to a new facility.
For a formal records request, write to the agency that made the arrest. Be specific. Include the person's name and the approximate date of arrest. Name the agency that was involved if you know it. The Colorado State Patrol central records unit handles requests for state patrol arrest data and keeps photos from investigations, body camera footage, and dash camera recordings.
All records requests to CSP fall under the CCJRA. You may need to sign a pecuniary gain form before they release Colorado mugshot records.
Mugshot Removal Laws in Colorado
Colorado has strong laws on mugshot removal and record sealing. The Criminal Records Sealing Act under C.R.S. 24-72-703 lets people ask a court to seal their arrest records. Sealed records do not show up in public searches. Courts, law enforcement, and prosecutors can still see them, but the general public cannot. Sealing does not vacate a conviction. It just blocks public access. The filing fee for a sealing petition is $224, though that can be waived for people with low income.
Colorado also has automatic sealing for some records. Under C.R.S. 24-72-704, arrests that did not lead to filed charges get sealed on their own. For arrests after January 1, 2022, CBI must seal those records within 60 days once a year has passed with no charges. Drug conviction records can qualify for automatic sealing under certain conditions too. These sealed mugshots and booking photos become invisible to public searches across Colorado.
On top of sealing, Colorado passed House Bill 14-1047 to crack down on predatory mugshot websites. This law makes it a misdemeanor to request mugshots from law enforcement with the intent to post them on pay-to-remove sites. Anyone who asks for booking photos has to sign a sworn statement that they will not use them for commercial removal schemes. If a site charges you to take down your Colorado mugshot, you can sue for up to $1,000 per violation plus court costs. News organizations are exempt from this law. Read more at the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition page on mugshot websites.
Note: If your mugshot shows up on a third-party site and you were not convicted, send a written removal request citing Colorado HB 14-1047.
Colorado Corrections Records Search
The Colorado Department of Corrections runs an offender database you can search online. Look up anyone who is or was in state prison. The CDOC Offender Search lets you search by name, DOC number, or gender. Results show the inmate's photo, current facility, and conviction details. Data updates within 24 hours when someone gets transferred. The main CDOC phone number is (719) 579-9580 if you need help with your search.
The CDOC offender search at doc.state.co.us/oss is the main tool for state prison records in Colorado.
This database covers all state correctional facilities across Colorado.
For historical records, the Colorado State Archives holds older corrections data. That includes mugshots for most inmates from past decades. Records are organized by inmate number. The State Archives corrections records collection has materials from the state penitentiary and other facilities going back many years.
The archive holds prisoner files, administrative records, and historical booking photos from Colorado correctional institutions.
Browse Colorado Mugshots by County
Each county in Colorado has its own sheriff office that handles bookings and mugshot records. Pick a county below to find local inmate search tools and arrest record info.
Colorado Busted Mugshots by City
Major Colorado cities rely on their county sheriff offices for jail services and booking records. Pick a city to find mugshot search resources for that area.