I own a home in Colorado
Property taxes, valuation notices, exemptions, and deeds.
COLORADO GUIDE
Life in Colorado comes
with its own rules.
Know what comes next.
From TABOR and the senior homestead exemption to water rights, wildfire season, and starting a business, CountyOffices gives you clear Colorado-specific guidance for the things that matter.
Reviewed against official Colorado government sources • Updated as laws and requirements change
What brings you here today?
I own a home in Colorado
Colorado's Clerk & Recorder holds your deed, but two other county offices matter more day to day: the Assessor, who determines your property's value, and the Treasurer, who bills and collects the tax. Colorado reassesses property every two years (odd-numbered years), which means valuation notices can bring bigger jumps than annual-reassessment states, especially in fast-growing counties. If you're 65 or older and have owned and lived in your home for at least 10 consecutive years, the state-funded Senior Homestead Exemption can exempt 50% of the first $200,000 of your home's actual value from property tax - worth applying for by the July 15 deadline even if the state hasn't fully funded it in a given year, since approved applications carry forward once funding resumes. If you disagree with your valuation, county-level protest deadlines are tight and generally fall in the weeks right after your notice arrives, so don't sit on a valuation notice that looks off.
Sources: Colorado Division of Property Taxation, county Assessor offices
I'm buying or selling property
Closings, title searches, deeds of trust, recording, and property records.
I'm buying or selling property
Colorado real estate uses deeds of trust rather than traditional mortgages in most transactions, and that has a real consequence: the deed of trust names the county's Public Trustee, not a private party, as trustee - a Colorado-specific role that exists in every county. Closings go through a title company, and deeds and deeds of trust are recorded with the county Clerk & Recorder, who also collects a documentary fee based on the sale price at recording. Before closing, a title search confirms there are no competing liens on the property. Once you buy, expect a new valuation cycle for the property at your purchase price, though Colorado only reassesses every two years (odd years), so your first tax bill as a new owner may still reflect the prior assessment cycle depending on timing. If you're buying with an existing deed of trust still in place, the Public Trustee's office is also where a formal release gets recorded once that loan is paid off.
Sources: county Clerk & Recorder offices, county Public Trustee offices
I'm preparing for wildfire season
Evacuation plans, defensible space, insurance documents, and county alerts.
I'm preparing for wildfire season
Colorado's wildfire season runs roughly summer through fall, though drought years can extend that window. If your property is in the wildland-urban interface, know your defensible space requirements before fire threatens - rules and enforcement vary by county and fire protection district, so check with your local fire district rather than assuming statewide uniformity. Evacuation zones are set by your county's Office of Emergency Management, separate from any flood zone designation, and it's worth knowing your zone before an evacuation order rather than during one. After a wildfire, your county Assessor can adjust a damaged or destroyed property's valuation, and Colorado's property tax classification for destroyed property can provide relief starting the year of the loss. FEMA individual assistance, when a federal disaster is declared, runs on its own application timeline separate from insurance, and doesn't require you to have coverage first.
Sources: Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, FEMA, county Office of Emergency Management
Someone passed away
Probate, wills, estates, and county filing steps.
Someone passed away
Probate in Colorado is filed with the District Court in the county where the deceased lived, and Colorado's version of the Uniform Probate Code offers a relatively streamlined informal process for straightforward, uncontested estates, alongside formal probate for anything contested or complicated. Colorado also offers a small estate affidavit for estates under a statutory value threshold, letting heirs collect certain assets without opening a full probate case. If the deceased owned real property, deeds and any deed of trust records are held by the county Clerk & Recorder, a separate office from the court handling the estate itself. If the deceased qualified for the Senior Homestead Exemption on their home, that exemption doesn't automatically transfer to an heir - whoever inherits and wants to claim it needs to independently meet the 65+ and 10-year ownership/occupancy requirements themselves, which most heirs won't on day one.
Sources: Colorado Judicial Branch, Colorado Revised Statutes Title 15 (Probate)
I'm getting married or divorced
Marriage licenses, divorce filing, name changes, and official records.
I'm getting married or divorced
Marriage licenses are issued by the county Clerk & Recorder, both parties apply together with photo ID, and Colorado has no waiting period, so you can marry the same day you get the license, which stays valid for 35 days. Colorado also uniquely allows self-solemnization - a couple can marry without an officiant present, simply by both signing the license themselves, which isn't an option in most states. Divorce, legally "dissolution of marriage," is filed with District Court in the county where either spouse resides, requires at least 91 days of Colorado residency before filing, and Colorado imposes a mandatory 91-day waiting period from filing before a divorce can be finalized. Colorado is a no-fault state, using "irretrievably broken" as the standard grounds. Property records and any deed of trust affected by a divorce settlement are recorded separately with the county Clerk & Recorder.
Sources: Colorado Judicial Branch, county Clerk & Recorder offices, Colorado Revised Statutes Title 14
I own a mountain or vacation home
Short-term rental rules, second-home taxes, and land records.
I own a mountain or vacation home
Colorado's mountain resort communities have layered short-term rental rules on top of state and county baselines, and they vary significantly from town to town - a rental license that works in one county may not satisfy another's requirements just a few miles away, so check the specific municipality, not just the county. Some mountain counties and towns cap the number of short-term rental licenses available or require the property to be the owner's primary residence for at least part of the year; others are more permissive. Property tax classification matters too: Colorado taxes residential property at a lower assessment rate than most other property types, but a vacation home used primarily for short-term rental income can sometimes be reclassified for tax purposes depending on usage, so check with your county Assessor about how your specific use is classified. Land records and any deed of trust on a mountain property are recorded with that county's Clerk & Recorder, the same as anywhere else in the state.
Sources: county Assessor and Clerk & Recorder offices, individual municipal short-term rental ordinances
I need an official record
Birth, death, marriage, court, property, and business records.
I need an official record
Birth and death certificates are held at both the state level (Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment) and by the county Vital Records office where the event occurred; either can typically issue certified copies. Marriage records are held by the county Clerk & Recorder in the county where the license was issued - Colorado's self-solemnization option doesn't change where the record ends up, just how the ceremony itself happens. Property records - deeds, deeds of trust, liens - are recorded and searchable through the county Clerk & Recorder, generally free to search online with a fee for certified copies. Court records for civil, criminal, family, and probate cases are held by the District Court Clerk in the county where the case was filed; Colorado doesn't have one single statewide portal covering every county's case records in full detail. Business entity records are filed with the Colorado Secretary of State, searchable statewide.
Sources: Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment, county Clerk & Recorder offices, Colorado Judicial Branch, Colorado Secretary of State
I'm starting or running a business
Licenses, permits, EIN, sales tax, and local requirements.
I'm starting or running a business
Registering a business in Colorado starts online through the Secretary of State's website - Colorado is one of the more streamlined states for this, with LLC filing fees among the lowest in the country and same-day processing common for online filings. Beyond initial formation, Colorado requires a Periodic Report each year (similar to an annual report in other states) to keep your entity in good standing, filed with the Secretary of State for a modest fee. Under TABOR, any new statewide business tax needs voter approval, which has kept Colorado's state-level business tax structure comparatively stable. Local requirements vary by city and county: many municipalities require their own business license separate from state registration, and if you're selling taxable goods or services, you'll need to register with the Colorado Dept. of Revenue for state sales tax and, in many cases, register separately for city and county sales tax given Colorado's unusually fragmented local sales tax system, especially in home-rule cities.
Sources: Colorado Secretary of State, Colorado Dept. of Revenue
How-To Guides for Colorado
Colorado Statewide Probate Guide
Read guide →How do I access court records?
Read guide →How do I appeal my property tax assessment?
Read guide →How do I find an inmate or search a jail roster?
Read guide →How do I find and access senior services?
Read guide →How do I get a business license?
Read guide →How do I get a copy of a birth certificate?
Read guide →How do I get a copy of a death certificate?
Read guide →How do I get a marriage license?
Read guide →How do I pay my property taxes?
Read guide →How do I register to vote or check my registration?
Read guide →How to Research Your Family History in Colorado
Read guide →Open Records
Read guide →Colorado works differently. Here's what to know.
TABOR: Voters Approve Taxes
Under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, new taxes and rate increases need voter approval.
TABOR: Voters Approve Taxes
Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, passed by voters in 1992, is unlike anything most states have: it requires voter approval before any state or local government can raise tax rates, introduce a new tax, or in many cases even keep revenue collected above a set growth limit. In practice, this means county commissioners and city councils can't simply vote to raise your property tax rate or create a new local tax the way officials can in most states - they have to put it to voters on the ballot, usually at a general election. TABOR is also why Colorado sometimes issues "TABOR refunds," when government revenue exceeds constitutional limits and has to be returned to taxpayers rather than spent or saved by the state. This affects everything from school district funding measures to local infrastructure taxes, so if you see a tax-related question on your Colorado ballot, that's TABOR at work, not an unusual local practice.
Sources: Colorado Constitution Article X Section 20, Colorado Legislative Council
Clerk & Recorder Does It All
One county office handles vehicle registration, document recording, and elections.
Clerk & Recorder Does It All
Colorado consolidates several functions that many states split across separate offices into a single elected county Clerk & Recorder. This one office records deeds, mortgages, and liens; issues marriage licenses; administers county elections, including Colorado's mail-ballot voting system; and handles vehicle titling and registration, a function many states assign to a separate DMV. In most other states, you'd deal with a Recorder for property documents, a separate Clerk for marriage licenses, a Board of Elections for voting, and a DMV for your car - in Colorado, it's one office, one website, and typically one phone number for all four. This consolidation is genuinely convenient once you know it exists, though it also means the Clerk & Recorder's office tends to be one of the busiest in county government, handling a wide range of unrelated requests through the same staff.
Sources: county Clerk & Recorder offices, Colorado Secretary of State
The Public Trustee
Colorado is the only state with Public Trustees, who handle deed of trust releases and foreclosures.
The Public Trustee
Colorado is the only state in the country with a Public Trustee system - a government office, one per county, created by an 1894 state law to act as a neutral intermediary between borrowers and lenders. When you take out a mortgage in Colorado, the loan is typically secured by a deed of trust naming your county's Public Trustee, not a private trustee or title company, as the party holding legal title in trust. The Public Trustee's main jobs are releasing deeds of trust once a loan is paid off and administering foreclosure proceedings if a borrower defaults - including advertising the sale, conducting it, and issuing a confirmation deed once redemption periods expire. In many rural counties, the Treasurer also serves as the Public Trustee; in Colorado's more populous counties, it's often a separate office. Because the Public Trustee is a government office rather than a private company, Colorado's foreclosure process is generally faster and cheaper than the judicial foreclosure process used in most other states, while still giving borrowers a defined opportunity to cure a default or redeem the property.
Sources: Colorado Revised Statutes Title 38, county Public Trustee offices
Water Rights Are Separate
Water rights can be owned apart from land and run through Colorado's water courts.
Water Rights Are Separate
Colorado follows the "prior appropriation" doctrine - "first in time, first in right" - rather than the riparian rights system most Eastern states use. That means owning land next to a stream doesn't automatically give you rights to use that water; instead, a water right is a distinct legal property right, established by whoever first put the water to beneficial use, and it can be bought, sold, or transferred entirely separately from the land itself. Senior water rights (established earlier) get satisfied before junior rights in dry years, which matters enormously for agricultural and rural property. Any change to a water right, or a dispute over one, goes through Colorado's specialized water court system rather than regular District Court - Colorado has seven water divisions statewide, each with its own water court. If you're buying rural or agricultural property in Colorado, don't assume water rights come with the land; verify what water rights, if any, are actually being conveyed as part of the sale.
Sources: Colorado Division of Water Resources, Colorado Constitution Article XVI
Senior Homestead Exemption
Longtime homeowners 65 and older may exempt part of their home's value.
Senior Homestead Exemption
Colorado voters created the Senior Property Tax Exemption, commonly called the Senior Homestead Exemption, through a 2000 constitutional amendment. For a qualified senior, it exempts 50% of the first $200,000 of a primary residence's actual value from property tax - the state itself pays the exempted portion to your local taxing authorities, rather than reducing local government revenue. To qualify, you must be 65 or older as of January 1 of the application year, and have both owned and occupied the home as your primary residence for at least 10 consecutive years before that date; a surviving spouse of a previously qualified senior can also apply. One important wrinkle: the legislature can decline to fund the exemption in tight budget years (it has happened before, including a stretch after the 2008 recession), though the state has fully funded it in recent years. Applications go through your county Assessor by the July 15 deadline, and once approved, you generally don't need to reapply each year unless something disqualifying changes.
Sources: Colorado Division of Property Taxation, Colorado Constitution Article X Section 3.5, county Assessor offices
Ballots Come by Mail
Colorado elections are mail-ballot by default, run by your Clerk & Recorder.
Ballots Come by Mail
Colorado runs elections differently than most states: every active registered voter automatically receives a ballot in the mail for every election, without having to request one - there's no separate "absentee" or "mail-in" application process, because mail voting is simply the default. Ballots can be returned by mail, dropped at a secure drop box, or brought to a Voter Service and Polling Center in person, where you can also vote in person if you prefer or need same-day registration. Colorado allows same-day voter registration, including on Election Day itself, at any Voter Service and Polling Center in the state, not just your home county's location. All of this is administered by the county Clerk & Recorder, the same office that handles property recording and marriage licenses - election questions, ballot tracking, and registration all route through that one office.
Sources: Colorado Secretary of State, county Clerk & Recorder offices
The questions Colorado residents actually ask
Colorado county records online availability is strong compared to most states. Many counties, particularly along the Front Range, offer online deed and document searching through the Clerk and Recorder's website. The Colorado Secretary of State provides free online business entity searching. The Colorado Judicial Branch portal provides some court case information online. Vital records require ordering through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. For Colorado county records not available online, CORA at Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-72-201 provides a clear framework with a three-business-day response requirement.
Colorado birth and death certificates from 1910 onward are maintained by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Vital Records Section in Denver. Certified copies can be ordered online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person at the Denver office. Birth records are restricted to the individual named, immediate family members, and legal representatives. Pre-1910 births and deaths are found in county registers and church records, with many collections held by the Colorado State Archives. Some Colorado counties maintained local birth and death registers before state-level recording began that are held at the county level or by the State Archives.
Colorado county records for real property are held by the Clerk and Recorder in the county where the property is located. The Clerk and Recorder indexes and maintains deeds, deeds of trust, mortgage releases, plats, and other recorded instruments. Most Front Range counties provide free or low-cost online deed searching through the Clerk and Recorder's website. Property tax assessment data is maintained separately by the County Assessor, and property tax payment records are held by the County Treasurer. Researchers need to contact all three offices for a complete picture of a property's ownership, assessment, and tax history within Colorado county records.
The Colorado Judicial Branch provides some online access to court case information through its public portal at courts.state.co.us. Coverage and depth vary by judicial district and case type. Colorado county records for court cases are maintained by the District Court Clerk in the judicial district covering the relevant county. For complete case files, orders, and judgments, contact the District Court Clerk directly. Note that Colorado's judicial districts span multiple counties, so the relevant courthouse may not be in the county seat of the county where the case originated. Fees for certified copies are set by state statute.
The Colorado State Archives in Denver is the primary repository for historical Colorado county records statewide, holding transferred deed books, court minutes, naturalization records, and vital records from many of the state's 64 counties. The History Colorado Center in Denver holds additional manuscript and photograph collections. FamilySearch has digitized portions of Colorado county records microfilm. County libraries and genealogical societies across the state maintain local collections. For mining-era research, the BLM Colorado State Office in Lakewood holds federal mining claim records that supplement Colorado county records at the Clerk and Recorder.
Colorado's Open Records Act (CORA) at Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-72-201 provides public access to government records held by state and local agencies including county offices. Submit a written request to the custodian of records at the relevant agency. The agency must respond within three business days, either providing access, citing an exemption, or notifying the requester that additional time is needed. Fees are limited to actual reproduction costs plus, in some cases, research time. No reason for the request is required. Disputes can be pursued in district court, and courts have awarded attorney fees in cases of wrongful denial.
The Clerk and Recorder is the most records-diverse elected office in Colorado county government. Colorado county records held by the Clerk and Recorder include deeds, deeds of trust, mortgage releases, plats, liens, and other recorded property instruments; marriage licenses; voter registration rolls; election records including mail ballot records; and certain financing statements. The combination of property recording and election administration in one office is distinctive to Colorado. Researchers seeking property records, marriage licenses, or voter information all start at the Clerk and Recorder. The office does not maintain court case records, which are held by the District Court Clerk.
Marriage licenses in Colorado are issued by the Clerk and Recorder in the county where the license was obtained. To obtain a copy, contact the Clerk and Recorder with the names of both parties and the approximate marriage date. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment holds marriage records from 1900 onward and can provide certified copies. Historical marriage records before 1900 are found in county records and church records, with many collections held by the Colorado State Archives. FamilySearch provides indexed Colorado marriage records from many counties and territories predating statehood.
Colorado criminal history records are maintained by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) within the Colorado Department of Public Safety. The public can request a criminal background check through the CBI online portal for a fee. Individual county-level criminal case records within Colorado county records are accessible through the Colorado Judicial Branch public portal or by contacting the District Court Clerk in the judicial district covering the relevant county. Certified criminal history information requires a formal CBI request. Records of arrests not resulting in conviction may be sealed under Colorado law.
Access to Colorado county records for land varies by county. Many Front Range counties provide free online deed and document searching through the Clerk and Recorder's website. Rural and mountain counties may charge fees for online access or require in-person research. Searching in person at the Clerk and Recorder's office is generally free. The Colorado Secretary of State's business entity database is free online. Older Colorado county records digitized by the State Archives or FamilySearch are generally available free online. Federal mining claim records at the BLM are also free to search online through the BLM's General Land Office records portal.
Denver is both a city and a county, making it a consolidated city-county government unlike the 63 other Colorado counties. Colorado county records for Denver are maintained within the City and County of Denver's government structure, with the Denver Clerk and Recorder handling property recording and elections, the Denver District Court Clerk maintaining court records, and the Denver Assessor handling property valuation. Denver has its own separate school district and municipal court system as well. Researchers working on Denver matters should be aware that Denver's consolidated structure means some functions handled by separate county offices elsewhere are integrated into city departments in Denver.
Fees for Colorado county records vary by record type and county. CORA limits copying fees to actual reproduction costs, and some agencies may also charge for research time exceeding a threshold. Certified copies of deeds and recorded instruments carry per-page fees set by state statute. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment charges fixed fees for certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates. District Court fees for copies of case documents are set by court rules. Contacting the relevant county office before submitting a request is the best way to confirm current fee schedules and available delivery methods.
Not sure where to start?
Describe your situation and we'll point you in the right direction.
Get Help Now → Private. Secure. Always free.IMPORTANT IN COLORADO
Important Deadlines in Colorado
Colorado's property tax calendar runs on a genuinely tight spring schedule.
Important Deadlines in Colorado
Colorado's property tax calendar runs on a genuinely tight spring schedule. Your county Assessor mails the Real Property Notice of Valuation by May 1, and you have until June 8 to file a protest - a real, hard deadline written into state law (most counties require the protest postmarked or received, not just postmarked, so don't cut it close). Most Colorado property is reassessed only every odd-numbered year, so your valuation may stay flat in even years. If you're 65+ (or a disabled veteran), the Senior Citizen and Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption application is also due by July 15 - apply through your county Assessor, and note that once approved, most counties don't require annual reapplication as long as you continue to qualify and occupy the same home. Your actual tax bill, based on the current year's valuation, arrives the following January, with payment due either in a single installment by April 30 or in two halves (the first by the last day of February, the second by June 15). Because TABOR requires voter approval for new taxes or rate increases, ballot measures affecting your local tax rate are a genuine, recurring feature of Colorado elections - pay attention to what's on your ballot each cycle.
Sources: Colorado Dept. of Local Affairs Division of Property Taxation, county Assessor and Treasurer offices, Colorado Revised Statutes Title 39
Valuation Protests in Colorado
If you disagree with your Real Property Notice of Valuation, mailed by your county Assessor by May 1, you have until June 8 to file a protest - a genuinely firm statutory deadline, not a suggestion.
Valuation Protests in Colorado
If you disagree with your Real Property Notice of Valuation, mailed by your county Assessor by May 1, you have until June 8 to file a protest - a genuinely firm statutory deadline, not a suggestion. Protests can be filed by mail (postmarked no later than June 8), in person, or in some counties online, and a change in the statewide residential assessment rate itself is explicitly not valid grounds for a protest - your case needs to focus on the actual value of your specific property. Bring real supporting evidence: comparable sales from the relevant 18-month data-gathering period the Assessor used, documentation of incorrect square footage or property characteristics in county records, or an independent appraisal. Your Assessor must notify you of their determination by the last working day in June in most counties (Denver and a few others using an alternate appeal process run on an extended timeline through mid-November). If you disagree with that determination, further appeal to your county's Board of Equalization, and beyond that to the state Board of Assessment Appeals or district court, remains available. Personal property (business equipment, oil and gas interests) follows a separate, later valuation and protest calendar, with notices mailed by June 15 and protests due by June 30.
Read the full property tax appeal guide →
Sources: Colorado Dept. of Local Affairs Division of Property Taxation, county Assessor and Board of Equalization offices, Colorado Revised Statutes §39-5-121 and §39-5-122
Public Records Access in Colorado
The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) gives residents genuinely broad access to records held by state and local government agencies, presuming that records made or maintained by public officials in the course of official business are open for inspection unless a specific exemption applies.
Public Records Access in Colorado
The Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) gives residents genuinely broad access to records held by state and local government agencies, presuming that records made or maintained by public officials in the course of official business are open for inspection unless a specific exemption applies. You generally don't need to state a reason for your request or demonstrate a personal stake in the records. Common exemptions include certain law enforcement investigative records, specific personnel and medical information, and other categories the legislature has carved out. Real estate records - deeds, deeds of trust, liens - are recorded and searchable through the county Clerk and Recorder, a genuinely broad Colorado office that also runs elections (including Colorado's default mail-ballot system) and vehicle registration all under one roof. Court records for civil, criminal, and probate matters come from the Clerk of Court for Colorado's judicial districts. Business entity records are filed with the Colorado Secretary of State, searchable statewide. Property valuation and protest records go through your county Assessor, a separate office from the Clerk and Recorder. If a records request is denied, the specific CORA exemption should be cited, and disputes can be taken to court for judicial review if unresolved.
Read the full open records guide →
Sources: Colorado Attorney General's Office, Colorado Revised Statutes §24-72-200.1 et seq. (CORA), county Clerk and Recorder offices
Wildfire & Storm Help in Colorado
Colorado's wildfire season genuinely peaks summer through fall, though drought conditions can extend real risk into other parts of the year, particularly in the foothills and mountain communities where dense forest meets residential development.
Wildfire & Storm Help in Colorado
Colorado's wildfire season genuinely peaks summer through fall, though drought conditions can extend real risk into other parts of the year, particularly in the foothills and mountain communities where dense forest meets residential development. Defensible space - clearing vegetation and flammable material around structures - is real, practical protection worth taking seriously if you're in or near forested terrain; check with your county or local fire district for specific guidance tailored to your area's fuel type and terrain. Know your evacuation zone and your community's specific warning system before fire season starts, since mountain and foothill communities often have limited road access that makes early evacuation genuinely more critical than in areas with multiple route options. Your county Office of Emergency Management coordinates local response and maintains current evacuation and fire information during active incidents. After a wildfire causes damage, your county Assessor can reassess destroyed or damaged property, and if a federal disaster is declared, FEMA assistance becomes available for individuals and local governments. Insurance claims should be filed promptly with documentation (photos, a written inventory), since claim processes carry their own timelines. Building permits for rebuilding after wildfire damage often involve updated fire-hazard codes, so check with your county or city building department before starting reconstruction.
Sources: Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, FEMA, county Office of Emergency Management and Assessor offices
New to Colorado?
Colorado's county Clerk and Recorder handles vehicle registration alongside deed recording and elections, so once you've established residency, that's your destination for titling and registering your vehicle.
New to Colorado?
Colorado's county Clerk and Recorder handles vehicle registration alongside deed recording and elections, so once you've established residency, that's your destination for titling and registering your vehicle. Check with your specific county for current windows and requirements, since Colorado does expect new residents to register within a set period after establishing residency and requires an emissions test in certain counties (notably along the Front Range) before registration. For a driver's license, the Colorado Dept. of Revenue's Division of Motor Vehicles has its own specific window for new residents to transfer an out-of-state license - confirm the current requirement directly, since this can shift. If you've purchased a home, remember Colorado's property tax calendar runs on a genuinely specific spring schedule: valuation notices mailed by May 1, protests due by June 8, and if you're 65+ or a disabled veteran, the Senior Citizen and Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption application is due by July 15. Colorado runs elections by mail ballot by default - once registered, you'll automatically receive a ballot before each election, administered by your county Clerk and Recorder. Because TABOR requires voter approval for new taxes, pay attention to local ballot measures that could affect your property tax rate going forward.
Sources: Colorado Dept. of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles, Colorado Dept. of Local Affairs Division of Property Taxation, county Clerk and Recorder and Assessor offices
Find the services available in your county
Colorado laws apply statewide, but offices, services, procedures and local requirements can vary by county. Select your county for verified local offices, services and official resources.
All 64 Colorado counties
Browse every county and county seat.
Adams CountyBrightonAlamosa CountyAlamosaArapahoe CountyLittletonArchuleta CountyPagosa SpringsBaca CountySpringfieldBent CountyLas AnimasBoulder CountyBoulderBroomfield CountyBroomfieldChaffee CountySalidaCheyenne CountyCheyenne WellsClear Creek CountyGeorgetownConejos CountyConejosCostilla CountySan LuisCrowley CountyOrdwayCuster CountyWestcliffeDelta CountyDeltaDenver CountyDenverDolores CountyDove CreekDouglas CountyCastle RockEagle CountyEagleEl Paso CountyColorado SpringsElbert CountyKiowaFremont CountyCañon CityGarfield CountyGlenwood SpringsGilpin CountyCentral CityGrand CountyHot Sulphur SpringsGunnison CountyGunnisonHinsdale CountyLake CityHuerfano CountyWalsenburgJackson CountyWaldenJefferson CountyGoldenKiowa CountyEadsKit Carson CountyBurlingtonLa Plata CountyDurangoLake CountyLeadvilleLarimer CountyFort CollinsLas Animas CountyTrinidadLincoln CountyHugoLogan CountySterlingMesa CountyGrand Junction
Mineral CountyCreedeMoffat CountyCraigMontezuma CountyCortezMontrose CountyMontroseMorgan CountyFort MorganOtero CountyLa JuntaOuray CountyOurayPark CountyFairplayPhillips CountyHolyokePitkin CountyAspenProwers CountyLamarPueblo CountyPuebloRio Blanco CountyMeekerRio Grande CountyDel NorteRoutt CountySteamboat SpringsSaguache CountySaguacheSan Juan CountySilvertonSan Miguel CountyTellurideSedgwick CountyJulesburgSummit CountyBreckenridgeTeller CountyCripple CreekWashington CountyAkronWeld CountyGreeleyYuma CountyWray
No matches. Clear the filter to see the full list.
Sources and References
- Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-72-201 et seq.
- Colorado State Archives: sos.colorado.gov/pubs/archives
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Vital Records: cdphe.colorado.gov/vital-records
- Colorado Judicial Branch: courts.state.co.us
- Colorado Secretary of State, Business Center: sos.colorado.gov/business
- Colorado Division of Property Taxation: tax.colorado.gov
- Colorado Bureau of Investigation: cbi.colorado.gov
64COUNTIES COVEREDAcross Colorado
5.9M+RESIDENTS REPRESENTEDColorado population covered
1,000+TOPICS & GUIDESAnswers for real life
VerifiedSOURCED TO OFFICIAL RESOURCESEvery guide links to primary government sources