Colorado Inmate Search | CDOC Inmate Locator

Key Resources for Colorado Inmate Search

Before you rely on any online result, compare it with information from Colorado Department of Corrections or the relevant county jail, because transfers and case updates can change a person’s status quickly.

Finding inmate and offender information in Colorado requires piecing together records from the statewide corrections system and local county jails. This page walks you through how to use official tools, starting with the state-level resources linked from Colorado Public Records, and when to shift to county searches instead.

For the best results, be ready with a full name, date of birth, and, if possible, a Colorado DOC Number. Statewide tools focus on people in the custody of Colorado Department of Corrections, while many recent arrests and brief county stays never move into the prison system. This guide is informational only, is not a government site, and does not provide legal or tax advice or guarantee that any particular record will be available.

Inmate Search in Colorado: Statewide Starting Points and Coverage

The Colorado Department of Corrections operates the state prison system and maintains an online offender search covering people in its custody or under its supervision. These statewide tools are designed around DOC records, not city or county jail systems, and they are separate from court dockets and county booking logs.

Someone in Colorado can be held in a state prison, a county jail, a community-based program, or already released. Statewide inmate and offender lookups generally show the state side of that picture: people processed into Colorado Department of Corrections or otherwise tracked by that agency. They usually do not include very recent arrests, people still in municipal custody, or short county sentences, and updates can lag when a person is being transferred.

Because of those limits, treat online search results as a convenient snapshot rather than a final answer. If you need to understand court orders, sentence length, or legal options, you may need to consult the courts or a licensed attorney instead of relying only on corrections search tools.

Checking Colorado State Custody Through the CDOC Offender Search Portal

When you use the CDOC Offender Search, the DOC Number (often shown as DOC#) is the single most precise way to identify a person. It is a numeric identifier assigned by Colorado Department of Corrections and is the primary key in their system. You may also search by last name, first name, date of birth, and gender, but name-based searches can return many matches, especially for common names or families that share similar spellings.

Tip: If you know the DOC Number, try searching with that alone first; it often finds the correct record even when the person’s name is misspelled, hyphenated, or has changed since their original arrest.

To see whether someone is in state custody, go to the official search page and access the CDOC offender database. Enter the DOC Number if you have it, or combine last name with first name and, when available, date of birth. The name boxes work from the start of the name, so entering only the first few letters will bring back everyone whose name begins with that sequence.

If you are unsure of a person’s gender, it is safer to leave that filter set to all rather than guess, and remember that the name on file is typically the name used at arrest or prosecution rather than a newer legal name. Once you open a record, look for custody or supervision status and any facility information that is displayed to see whether the person is in a long-term prison, in an intake unit, on some form of community supervision, or otherwise assigned within the Colorado Department of Corrections system.

Colorado Department of Corrections vs County Jail Custody

County sheriffs in Colorado manage local jails that hold people after arrest, during court proceedings, or on short county sentences. When a court orders a prison sentence with Colorado Department of Corrections, the person is eventually transferred from the county jail into state custody and will appear in the CDOC Offender Search once intake and processing are complete.

Everyone entering state custody first goes to the Denver Complex for intake and classification. Men are processed at Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center, and women at Denver Women’s Correctional Facility. During several weeks of intake, staff review criminal history, education, health, and program needs before assigning a long-term facility. While this is happening, the person’s online record may show one of these intake facilities rather than the prison where they will ultimately live.

Because intake and transfers can take three to six weeks, jail records, court records, and the statewide offender search may not line up perfectly at every step. If you know someone has just been sentenced or moved, it can be useful to check both the relevant county jail roster and the CDOC Offender Search, and to allow some time for the new location or status to appear online.

When to Switch to County Jail Searches in Colorado

If you are looking for someone who was just arrested, is waiting for trial, or is serving a short county sentence, the statewide corrections search may never list them. Those individuals are usually under the authority of a county sheriff, and you will need to consult the jail roster or inmate search tool for the county where the arrest or active case occurred.

Colorado statewide offender tools mainly track people who have been sentenced to the Department of Corrections, not every person who has been arrested. For up to date booking details, you need to choose the specific county sheriff or jail below, because each county maintains its own local custody records.

County Inmate Search
El Paso County Search

County jail websites vary widely. Some publish searchable inmate lists, others post daily booking reports, and some provide only basic contact information. If you cannot find an online roster for a particular county, call the jail or sheriff’s office directly and ask how they handle inmate lookup and public records requests.

Visiting and Supporting an Incarcerated Individual: Official Guidance Overview

Visitation rules for people in Colorado Department of Corrections custody are set by statewide policy. To visit in person or by video, most friends and family members must complete a visiting application, attach a copy of a valid government photo ID with a matching address, and be approved by the facility before any visit can be scheduled.

Each prison has its own visiting office and facility page on the CDOC website explaining where to send applications, how to schedule appointments, dress code expectations, and when contact or non-contact visits are available. Special visits, hospital visits, and professional visits such as attorneys, notaries, health-care providers, or clergy follow additional procedures and generally require advance approval by facility leadership.

For ongoing communication, CDOC allows letters mailed directly to the person’s assigned facility, electronic messages through Securus eMessaging, and outgoing phone calls to people on an approved phone list. Mail and publications must follow detailed content rules and come from approved sources, and some facilities photocopy incoming mail when contraband concerns have been identified by the Office of the Inspector General.

Money deposits are handled through three contracted vendors—JPay, Western Union, and GTL—rather than by mailing cash or money orders. Deposits go into an inmate account used for canteen purchases, phone time, and basic supplies, and a portion of each deposit may be withheld to pay court-ordered fines, fees, restitution, or child support. Department policy also restricts sending electronic funds between people who are connected to other inmates, so always review the inmate banking rules before you send money.

Packages and property are tightly regulated. Books and similar materials must usually be new and shipped from verified retailers or publishers, and care packages for many inmates are ordered through Union Supply Direct as described on CDOC’s canteen and care-package information. Because vendors, rules, and security restrictions can change, check the latest instructions on the state site before ordering or mailing anything.

Coverage Gaps and Notices: Verifying Custody Information in Colorado

  • Colorado Department of Corrections: 1250 Academy Park Loop, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 (View on Google Maps)
  • Phone: 719-579-9580

The Colorado offender search and related online tools do not display every type of record. They may omit very recent bookings, some short county sentences, and categories of information restricted for privacy or safety, such as detailed medical records or internal classification notes. More specialized records can require a medical-records request or a formal CORA or CCJRA public records request to Colorado Department of Corrections.

Status and location details can also change quickly. Intake at the Denver Complex, transfers between facilities, sentence computation by the Time and Release office, and decisions by the Colorado Parole Board all affect where someone is held and what dates appear in official records. Online information is a helpful starting point, but the corrections and parole agencies themselves are the final authority on custody status.

This site is not a Colorado government agency and does not provide legal, sentencing, or tax advice. It is a general information guide to help you find official inmate search tools. Always verify results directly with Colorado Department of Corrections, the relevant sheriff’s office, or the courts before making important decisions, and understand that no online search can guarantee a complete or current record.

Why can't I find someone in the CDOC Offender Search?
The person may still be in a county jail, recently released, using a different name, or in a status that has not yet been updated online. Try checking the appropriate county jail roster, confirm the DOC Number or spelling, and contact Colorado Department of Corrections if you still cannot verify custody.

How reliable are the parole or release dates shown online?
Dates shown in online records are informational estimates that can change based on sentence computation, earned or lost credits, court orders, or Colorado Parole Board decisions. For the most accurate status, contact the Time and Release office or a parole officer identified by Colorado Department of Corrections.