Search Greeley Public Records

Greeley is the county seat of Weld County and serves as the central location for many public records in the area. With about 109,000 residents, Greeley has both county and city offices that maintain different types of records. Court cases, property deeds, and vital records are at Weld County offices. City records like permits, licenses, and council documents are at Greeley City Hall. When you look for public records in Greeley, identify which office has what you need. Both follow the Colorado Open Records Act. Standard response time is three working days. The first hour of research is free. Fees apply after that for staff time and copies. Some records are online while others need a written CORA request.

Weld County Public Records

Most official records for Greeley residents are at Weld County offices. The county keeps court records, property deeds, marriage licenses, and recorded documents. The Weld County Clerk and Recorder office is in downtown Greeley. This is where you file new documents and get copies of recorded items. The office is open weekdays during business hours.

Weld County follows the Colorado Open Records Act for public records requests. You must submit your request to the custodian of the records you want. Different offices handle different types of records. The Clerk and Recorder has property documents. The Sheriff's Office has arrest records. The court system maintains case files. Each office has its own contact for CORA requests.

Response time is three working days under C.R.S. § 24-72-203. 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. The first hour of research and retrieval is free. After that, the county charges up to $41 per hour. Paper copies cost $0.25 per page. Electronic records sent by email are usually free.

Property records for Greeley homes and businesses are searchable through the Weld 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. Oversize documents like plats cost more. Certification adds a small fee per document.

Court records in Greeley are part of the 19th Judicial District. This includes Weld County only. The courthouse is in downtown Greeley at 901 9th Avenue. 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 Greeley Records

The City of Greeley 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 Community Development Department. Business licenses and local tax information are kept by the City Clerk's office. These records are separate from county files.

Greeley 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 Greeley Police Department handles records related to law enforcement within city limits. This includes incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records for cases handled by Greeley 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, not through the general CORA portal.

Greeley also has records for parks, public works, water 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.

Online Records Access

Several records for Greeley are online. Weld 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 Greeley residents. The Colorado Secretary of State keeps business filings, UCC documents, and notary records. You can search business entities and UCC liens online for free. Certified copies require a fee and a formal request.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has a statewide criminal history database. You can run a background check through the CBI online system for $5. This shows Colorado arrests and convictions but not records from other states. The search is name-based and returns results instantly.

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 Greeley is governed by the Colorado Open Records Act. 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 state law. 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 C.R.S. § 24-72-205. 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

Greeley is in northern Colorado near other large cities. Fort Collins is about 25 miles to the west. Loveland is between Greeley and Fort Collins. All of these cities use county systems 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.