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Colorado Open Records Act (CORA)

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About CORA

The Colorado Open Records Act, (CORA) C.R.S. § 24-72-201 to 206, provides that all public records shall be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times, except as provided in part 2 or as otherwise specifically provided by law.  It is the intention of CDOR to apply this Act in a uniform and reliable manner to comply with its provisions.
 

Records requests or requestors that cite the federal Freedom of Information Act shall be treated as though they were made pursuant to the Colorado Open Records Act. Public records are those writings kept by a State Agency as required by law or administrative rule involving the receipt or expenditure of public funds.  See CRS 24-72-202 (6).  Costs may be assessed for a records request according to the service.   

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CORA?

The Colorado Open Records Act, (CORA) C.R.S. § 24-72-201 to 206, provides that all public records shall be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times, except as provided in part 2 or as otherwise specifically provided by law. It is the intention of CDOR to apply this Act in a uniform and reliable manner to comply with its provisions.

How long does it take to get an answer to my CORA request?

C.R.S. §24-72-203 requires that responsive documents be made available within three working days, or seven working days if extenuating circumstances exist. The statute suggests a reasonableness standard for the time necessary to prepare, gather and make records available in both instances. CDOR’s three day period to respond corresponds with the date the request was received if received prior to 3:00 p.m. during normal business hours.  The time period begins to run the next business day for requests received after 3:00 p.m.  With large requests, the records custodian may extend the timeframes for response as reasonably necessary for the protection of the records and to prevent undue interference with the regular discharge of duties.

Is there a cost to obtain records pursuant to an open records request?

For requests requiring a paper response, there is a charge of $0.25 per page after the first 25 pages (or actual costs, whichever is greater). If the records are maintained in an electronic format, records may be transmitted to the public by electronic mail.  In either instance, if retrieving, reviewing or producing records consumes more than one hour of staff time, the Department will charge $30 an hour after the first hour of staff time expended. This fee also applies to requests requiring specialized skills to research, retrieve, review, locate, compile or produce records, including the use of third-party contractors to fulfill requests. C.R.S. §24-72-205(5)(a).

Will CDOR staff interpret/explain the documents provided in response to a CORA request?

Interpretation of records provided pursuant to an Open Records Request is beyond the scope of the Open Records Act. The Open Records Act requires government agencies to produce responsive, open records, but employees are prohibited by law from offering opinions or analysis regarding the records produced. Requesters who desire or need opinions regarding records produced should seek private, professional assistance.

What information is excluded from release under the Act?

Personally identifiable information (PII) such as place and date of birth, home address, social security number, physical description, photograph, or signature of any person is always redacted prior to release of public records. Likewise, electronic mail addresses provided by a person to the department to aid in future communication are not disclosed to the public. Some records, such as tax or driving records, may be protected from disclosure to anyone but the person in interest, while other records are entirely exempt from public inspection due to statutes that specifically prohibit their release.

Can I request taxpayer information through CORA request?

No. By statute, The Department of Revenue may not divulge any information contained in any document, report, or return filed in connection with any taxes paid. See C.R.S. §39-21-113(4)(a).  As a result, employees are required to adhere to strict confidentiality requirements with respect to the release of tax records.  In limited circumstances, the Department may release raw, depersonalized and aggregated data in a given category to researchers on request.

How do I contact the CORA Records Custodian?

Send CORA requests through the online request form:

Fax: 303-866-2400
Email: dor_cora@state.co.us
Postal Mail: PO Box 17087, Room 406, Denver CO 80217-0087, Attn: CORA Records Custodian

 

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Frequently Requested Items

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Submit a CORA Request

In order to respond to your requests as efficiently as possible, please read and follow the instructions:

All requests must be presented in writing and include:

  • the date
  • requestor’s name 
  • mailing address
  • company name (if applicable)
  • phone number
  • e-mail if available
  • a detailed list or description of the specific information being requested

Online Request Form  

Auto Industry Division Form  

Liquor Enforcement Division Form

Contact Us

Fax: 303-866-2400
Email: dor_cora@state.co.us
Postal Mail: PO Box 17087, Room 406, Denver CO 80217-0087, Attn: CORA Records Custodian