Colorado public records law: how to make a request
Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), C.R.S. §§ 24-72-201 to 24-72-309. Rules below are quoted or closely paraphrased from the linked official pages, and each shows the date it was last checked (2026-10-18). Jurisdiction code: CO.
Build a request letter Official source
Statute and who may ask
The General Assembly's own open records policy describes CORA as sections 24-72-201 to 24-72-309 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.
Source: Colorado General Assembly: Legislative Policies Related to Open Records Requests and Email (PDF, March 18, 2025) · last verified 2026-10-18The summary says the definition of "public records" in the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) is expansive and applies to virtually all levels and types of government in Colorado except the federal and tribal governments. It includes writings, books, papers, photographs, tape recordings and electronic mail made, maintained or kept by the state, any agency, institution or political subdivision, and any elected or appointed official for use in exercising functions required or authorized by law or involving public funds.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18CORA says "any person" may inspect public records; "person" includes natural persons, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and associations. The summary advises treating communications as potentially releasable, including records kept on a personally owned device.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18A "custodian" is the official custodian or any authorized person with personal custody and control of a public record; depending on the record, that may be a person or an agency or department.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18A custodian must allow inspection unless CORA sets a specific ground for denial, such as inspection being contrary to state or federal statute or regulation or prohibited by court order. The summary lists categories the custodian may deny as contrary to the public interest (for example law enforcement investigations and licensing exam data) and categories the custodian must deny, other than to the person in interest (for example personnel files except applications and performance ratings, letters of reference, and trade secrets and privileged information).
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18
Response deadline
Records must be made available for inspection within three business days after receipt of the request. (Colorado Law Summary on CORA)
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18The three-day period can be extended by seven more days when extenuating circumstances exist: a broadly stated request for all or substantially all of a large category of records that lacks the specificity needed to prepare the records within three days; such a request when the agency must devote its resources to an impending deadline or a period of peak demand that is unique or not expected more than once a month (or, for the General Assembly, when it is in session); or a request involving so many records that the custodian cannot provide them within three days without substantially interfering with other public service duties.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18
Fee rules
A custodian may charge no more than $0.25 per standard page for a printed copy, or no more than the actual cost for a copy, printout or photograph in another format. It may not charge a per-page fee for records provided in digital or electronic format, and may not charge a transmission fee for sending records by email. If another law sets a specific fee for a certified or other copy, that fee applies.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18If the custodian has posted or published a written policy on research and retrieval conditions and fees, it may charge a nominal per-hour fee for research and retrieval time after the first hour, and may require a deposit equal to the estimated staff time before completing a request that will take more than one hour; the final charge is adjusted up or down against the deposit.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18If a custodian lets the public pay for other services or products by credit card or electronic payment, it must let a requester pay a records fee or deposit that way, and may pass on the processor's charge.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18
Appeal path and remedies
If a court determines that a custodian has improperly denied the right of inspection under CORA, the court must award court costs and reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party, according to the summary. The misdemeanor penalty that once applied to willful violations was repealed in 2017.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18
Request-letter wording notes
Address the request to the custodian of the records (the agency, department or official that keeps them). Identify the records as specifically as you can, because a broadly stated request can qualify for the seven-day extension.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18Say whether you want to inspect the records or receive copies, and ask for electronic copies: the summary says no per-page fee applies to records provided in digital form and no fee applies to emailing them.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18Ask for the records within three business days and, if more time is needed, for the reason in writing.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18If any part is withheld, ask the custodian to state in writing which law or ground it relies on; the summary says a custodian must allow inspection unless a specific ground for denial in CORA applies.
Source: Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services: Colorado Law Summary, Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) (PDF; last reviewed 09/18/2024; the summary says it is not an official legal opinion) · last verified 2026-10-18
Not yet researched or not verified
- The text of C.R.S. §§ 24-72-201 to 24-72-206 on the General Assembly's statute site could not be read (its statute PDFs were not retrievable, and some Colorado state web pages could not be read automatically and were not retried), so this entry rests on the legislature's own summary dated 09/18/2024
- The rules for a written statement of the grounds for a denial and for the written notice required before asking a court to order inspection (C.R.S. § 24-72-204(4)-(5)), which were seen only on unofficial copies of the statute and are not summarized here
- The hourly research and retrieval rate and any state agency fee schedules; the exact wording of the extension and written-finding requirements in § 24-72-203(3)
- Criminal justice records (C.R.S. § 24-72-301 and following), the full list of exceptions, and election-related extensions for county clerks
This is legal information from public sources, not legal advice. Laws and agency practices change; read the linked official source and consult a lawyer about your situation. Local agencies may have their own forms and contacts.