Boulder Public Records

Public records in Boulder come from both city and county offices. Boulder is the county seat of Boulder County with about 108,000 residents. Court cases, property deeds, and vital records are at Boulder County offices. City records like building permits, business licenses, and council documents are at Boulder City Hall. When you search for public records in Boulder, identify which office has the records you need. Both the county and city follow the Colorado Open Records Act. Standard response time is three working days. The first hour of research is free under state law. After that, fees apply for staff time and copies. Some records are online and free to search while others need a formal CORA request submitted in writing.

Boulder County Public Records

Most official records for Boulder residents are at Boulder County offices. Court records, property deeds, marriage licenses, and recorded documents are kept by the county. The main county offices are in downtown Boulder. Criminal and civil court cases are part of the 20th Judicial District, which includes Boulder County only.

Boulder County has an Open Records Center for CORA requests. This system lets you submit a request for public records. The county responds within three working days under state law. If the request is complex or involves many records, the county can extend this by seven more days. You will get a notice if more time is needed.

Before making a request, Boulder County recommends checking if the records are already online. The Recording Division has a public records database. County Commissioners' meetings and videos are archived online. Many documents are available without a formal request.

The first hour of research and retrieval is free under C.R.S. § 24-72-205. After that, Boulder County charges up to $41 per hour. Paper copies cost $0.25 per page. Electronic records sent by email are usually free. Certified copies and special handling cost extra. Payment is required before records are released.

Property records for Boulder homes and businesses are searchable through the Boulder County website. You can look up deeds, mortgages, and liens by owner name, address, or parcel number. The index is free to search. If you need certified copies, you must order them from the Clerk and Recorder office. Standard copies cost $0.25 per page. Certification adds a small fee per document.

Court records for Boulder are part of the 20th Judicial District. The Boulder County Justice Center is at 1777 6th Street. You can view case files in person at no cost. To get copies, contact the Clerk of Court. Many case indexes are also on LexisNexis Colorado Courts, a paid service that has summaries and some documents for civil and criminal cases.

City of Boulder Records

The City of Boulder maintains its own records for municipal operations. This includes city council minutes, ordinances, resolutions, and agendas. Building permits, zoning documents, and planning records are at the Planning and Development Services Department. Business licenses and local tax information are kept by the City Clerk's office. These records are separate from county files.

Boulder residents can submit CORA requests to the city for municipal records. The city follows the same response timeline as the county: three working days with a possible extension. The first hour of research is free. Fees for research time and copies are similar to other Colorado cities. Contact the City Clerk's office for questions about which records the city has and how to request them.

City council meetings are public. Agendas are posted online before each meeting. Minutes are available after they are approved. You can also find city budget documents, financial reports, and annual audits on the city website. Some of these records are posted as PDFs. Others may need a formal request.

The Boulder Police Department handles records related to law enforcement within city limits. This includes incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records for cases handled by Boulder officers. These records are subject to the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act, found in C.R.S. §§ 24-72-301 to 24-72-309. Some details may be withheld during active investigations or to protect victim privacy. Submit requests for police records directly to the department.

Boulder also has records for parks, public works, utilities, and other city services. If you need documents about a specific city project or service, contact the department that handles it. The city website lists phone numbers and email addresses for each department. Staff can tell you if the records you want are available and how to request them.

The Boulder Public Library also has a CORA policy. If you need records from the library, you can submit a request. The library charges $41.37 per hour after the first free hour for research and retrieval. A 25% deposit is required for requests estimated to cost over $500.

Online Records Access

Several records for Boulder are online. Boulder County has a property search database with real estate information. You can find who owns a parcel, when it was last sold, and if there are liens or judgments. This is free to search. Court indexes are on LexisNexis, which charges fees for access.

The Colorado Judicial Branch provides guidance on accessing court records. They explain which records are public and which are restricted. You can submit a records request form online. The form goes to the appropriate clerk based on the case type and location.

State agencies also have records that may relate to Boulder residents. The Colorado Secretary of State keeps business filings, UCC documents, and notary records. You can search business entities online for free. Certified copies require a fee and a formal request.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has statewide criminal history records. You can run a name-based background check through the CBI online system for $5. This shows arrests and convictions in Colorado but not from other states. Results are instant.

Vital records like birth and death certificates are at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Birth certificates cost $20 for the first copy. Death certificates are the same price. You must provide ID and prove you are eligible to get the record. Marriage licenses are at the county where the license was issued. Divorce decrees are at the Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

How to Submit CORA Requests

Public records access in Boulder is governed by the Colorado Open Records Act, found in C.R.S. §§ 24-72-201 to 24-72-206. This law requires most government records to be open to the public. You can request records by writing to the custodian. Include your name, contact information, and a detailed description of what you want. The more specific you are, the faster the response.

Custodians have three working days to respond under C.R.S. § 24-72-203. They can extend this by seven more days for large or complex requests. The response must provide the records, tell you when they will be ready, or explain why they are being withheld. Denials must cite a specific statute or court order.

The first hour of research and retrieval is free under state law. After that, fees can be charged. The current maximum hourly rate is $41, which is adjusted for inflation every five years. Paper copies cost $0.25 per page. Electronic records sent by email are usually free. Certified copies and special handling cost extra.

Some records are exempt from disclosure under C.R.S. § 24-72-204. This includes personnel files, medical records, attorney-client communications, and documents that would reveal security plans. Law enforcement records may be withheld during active investigations. Juvenile court records are generally not public.

If your request is denied, you can appeal. The custodian must tell you why and cite the law. You can then ask a court to review the decision. Many disputes are resolved without litigation.

Nearby Colorado Cities

Boulder is near other cities in Boulder County. Longmont is to the north. All cities in Boulder County use the county system for court and property records but have their own municipal records. If your search involves multiple cities or counties, you may need to submit separate CORA requests to each jurisdiction.