Are Divorce Records Public in Colorado? Complete 2026 Guide

Yes, most Colorado divorce court records are public. District Court case files—including the Decree of Dissolution—are open for inspection under Chief Justice Directive 05-01, while separate vital statistics divorce verifications remain confidential under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 25-2-117. Two systems, two access rules.

Key Facts: Colorado Divorce Records

Data current as of January 2026. Verify fees with your local clerk of court and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).

Are Divorce Records Public in Colorado?

Divorce records in Colorado are generally public through the District Court that handled the case, governed by Chief Justice Directive 05-01, which presumes court records are open for inspection. The full case file—including pleadings, the register of actions, and the final Decree of Dissolution of Marriage—is accessible to any member of the public unless a judge has sealed it. This is the direct answer most people searching "are divorce records public Colorado" need.

Colorado operates two entirely separate record systems, and confusing them causes most access mistakes. First, the District Court in each of the state's 64 counties keeps the complete divorce case file with every document filed during the proceeding. Second, CDPHE keeps a vital statistics index that records only the basic facts of each divorce—names, county, and date. The court file is broadly public; the vital statistics record is confidential under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 25-2-117. Understanding this two-system structure is the foundation of any public divorce filings search in Colorado.

What Is Governed by Chief Justice Directive 05-01?

Chief Justice Directive 05-01 establishes the presumption that Colorado court records are open to public inspection, meaning divorce case files are accessible unless a specific privacy exception applies. Under this directive, the public may view the register of actions and most filed documents in a dissolution of marriage case without proving any personal connection to the parties.

The directive treats divorce filings the same as most other civil court records: presumptively open. A person conducting a divorce records search does not need to be a party, relative, or attorney to view the public portions of a District Court file. However, the directive works alongside Colorado Rule of Civil Procedure 121 § 1-5, which lets a judge limit access when privacy interests outweigh the public's interest in disclosure. The practical result is that the existence of a divorce, the names of the parties, the filing date, and the final decree are almost always public, while specific sensitive attachments may be restricted. This balance between transparency and privacy defines how public divorce filings are handled across Colorado's district courts.

Why Are Vital Statistics Divorce Records Confidential?

Colorado vital statistics divorce records are confidential under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 25-2-117, meaning CDPHE releases divorce verifications only to eligible applicants with a direct and tangible interest, not to the general public. The verification confirms that a divorce occurred but does not reveal the substantive terms of the case.

This confidentiality is the single biggest exception to Colorado's open-records default. When a divorce is finalized, Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-120 requires the Clerk of the District Court to notify the state registrar of vital statistics, and the clerk forwards a report of each dissolution to CDPHE. A $3 tax is also levied on each dissolution filing under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 25-2-107. CDPHE then holds an index entry that is protected. Eligible requesters include the divorcing parties, their attorneys, and others with a legal interest; commercial data brokers do not qualify. CDPHE issues only a verification of divorce—never a certified copy of the decree—which underscores the divorce records privacy protections built into Colorado's vital statistics law.

What Divorce Information Stays Sealed or Redacted?

Even within a generally public court file, Colorado automatically suppresses or allows sealing of specific sensitive categories, and a judge may seal broader portions under C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-5 when privacy harm outweighs public interest. The court, not the parties, decides what remains hidden. The following information is commonly restricted from a public divorce filings search:

• Personal identifying information of minor children, including full birthdates and Social Security numbers
• Adoption records and certain child custody agreement details
• Personal information of victims of domestic abuse or violence
• Mental health and psychological evaluations submitted during the case
• Sensitive financial account numbers and certain property disclosures
• Protection order details tied to the dissolution

Each of these categories reflects a legislative judgment that the privacy harm from disclosure outweighs the public's interest in access. A party who wants additional protection must file a motion asking the court to seal part or all of the record. Sealing is never automatic and requires compelling justification, such as documented safety concerns or proprietary business information. If the judge grants the motion, those documents become accessible only by later court order, which is how a person can seal divorce records in Colorado.

How Do You Seal Divorce Records in Colorado?

To seal divorce records in Colorado, a party files a motion under C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-5 asking the District Court to restrict access, and the judge must find that the harm to privacy interests outweighs the public interest in disclosure before granting it. There is no automatic right to seal an entire divorce file.

The process starts with a written motion filed in the same District Court that handled the dissolution, identifying exactly which documents or information should be sealed and explaining why. Colorado courts apply a demanding standard because Chief Justice Directive 05-01 favors openness. Judges routinely seal narrow items—financial account numbers, children's identifiers, medical evaluations, or evidence of abuse—while denying blanket requests to seal the fact that a divorce occurred. Compelling reasons include physical safety, protection of trade secrets, or preventing identity theft. If a request is granted, the sealed materials leave the public divorce filings that would otherwise appear in a divorce records search, though the redacted register of actions typically still shows the case exists. Because the standard is strict, many parties work with an attorney to draft a motion that meets the privacy-versus-public-interest test.

How Do You Search Colorado Divorce Records Online?

Colorado does not offer a free statewide public portal for divorce case files; instead, you access court records through approved third-party vendors or by contacting the specific District Court where the case was filed, with online record requests typically processed within three business days. The Colorado Judicial Branch website itself does not provide direct case-file search.

A divorce records search in Colorado generally follows one of three paths. First, you can contact the clerk of the District Court in the county where the divorce was filed and request records in person, by mail, or through the court's online records request. Second, you can use a commercial vendor authorized to display a real-time register of actions for state court records. Third, for a divorce verification only, you can request records from CDPHE if you are an eligible applicant. Uncertified copies of public court documents are available to the public at no charge, while certified copies require a formal request and payment. Because access routes and pricing differ by county, confirming procedures directly with the district court clerk is the most reliable method for any public divorce filings request.

How Do You Get a Certified Copy of a Colorado Divorce Decree?

A certified copy of a Colorado divorce decree comes only from the Clerk of the District Court in the county where the divorce was finalized—not from CDPHE, which issues verifications rather than certified decrees—and certified copies typically cost $20 to $25 per copy. The certified decree is the most complete divorce record available.

The Decree of Dissolution of Marriage is the final court order that legally ends the marriage and addresses parental responsibilities, child support, spousal maintenance, and property division. A judge signs it once the case concludes. To obtain a certified copy, you contact the specific District Court clerk, provide the case number or the parties' names and approximate decree date, present valid government-issued photo ID, and pay the certification fee. Certified copies are the versions accepted for legal purposes such as name changes, remarriage, immigration, and retirement account division. CDPHE's $17 divorce index verification, by contrast, only confirms a divorce occurred and does not substitute for a certified decree. As of January 2026, verify current certified-copy fees directly with the district court clerk, since amounts vary by county.

What Are Colorado's Divorce Filing Requirements?

To file for divorce in Colorado, at least one spouse must be domiciled in the state for 91 days before filing under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-106, the filing fee is $230 as of January 2026, and the court cannot finalize the decree until 91 days after service. Colorado is a strict no-fault state.

The only ground for divorce is that the marriage is irretrievably broken under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-110; Colorado courts do not consider fault such as adultery or abandonment when granting the dissolution itself. Two separate 91-day periods apply: a 91-day residency requirement to establish jurisdiction, and a 91-day waiting period that runs after the respondent is served, signs a waiver, or the couple files a joint petition. Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-106, the residency period is jurisdictional and cannot be waived. Domestic relations cases are heard in District Court, not County Court. Property is divided by equitable distribution—a fair, not necessarily equal, split. These filing details determine which court holds the public divorce filings you may later search.

Colorado Divorce Costs and Fees (2026)

Data as of January 2026. Verify with your local clerk and CDPHE, as fees change periodically. Fee waivers are available under Form JDF 205 for applicants below 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or those receiving SSI, SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid; an approved waiver covers filing, copy, jury, and e-filing fees for the duration of the case.

How Long Are Colorado Divorce Records Kept and Restricted?

Colorado District Courts retain divorce case files long-term, and the Colorado State Archives restricts archived divorce records for 100 years, meaning only the Decree of Dissolution is publicly accessible for records under a century old unless the requester is a party or their attorney. Full historical files open completely after 100 years.

This timeline matters for genealogists and researchers conducting a public divorce filings search of older Colorado cases. For divorce records under 100 years old held at the State Archives, the only publicly accessible document is the Decree of Dissolution of Marriage—and only if that decree does not contain parenting agreements or financial agreements. To view any other portion of a case less than 100 years old, the requester must be a party or the legal representative in that case. Once a file passes the 100-year mark, the entire case file becomes available to the public. Recent cases, by contrast, are accessed through the originating District Court under the openness presumption of Chief Justice Directive 05-01. These layered retention rules balance long-term transparency with the divorce records privacy of living individuals.