Colorado Inmate Search
CDOC Offender Search, All 64 County Jails and Free Official Tools (2026)Colorado’s correctional system runs through the Colorado Department of Corrections for state prisons and 64 separate county sheriff systems for local jails. Colorado also has a major federal prison complex in Florence, including ADX, that is often confused with the state system. This guide covers all three and explains exactly where to search.
To find someone in a Colorado state prison, use the CDOC Offender Search at doc.state.co.us/oss. Enter the full legal name or DOC number. For county jails, each of Colorado’s 64 counties runs its own roster through the local sheriff. For ALL federal prisons in Colorado (ADX Florence, USP Florence, FCI Florence, FPC Florence), use the BOP inmate locator at bop.gov. Federal inmates will not appear in CDOC’s system.
CDOC offender information phone: (719) 226-4880.
Why Your Colorado Search Returned Nothing
| What Happened | Why It Happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Searched CDOC but person is in county jail | CDOC only covers state prison. County inmates awaiting trial or serving shorter sentences are never in CDOC’s database. | Search the county sheriff roster for the county where the arrest happened. |
| Person at Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center not yet in system | DRDC is the intake and classification center for most Colorado state sentences. Inmates there may not appear in CDOC Offender Search during the classification process. | Wait and check again after a few weeks. Call (719) 226-4880 for manual assistance during this period. |
| Searching CDOC for someone at ADX Florence or another federal prison | ADX Florence is a federal Bureau of Prisons facility, not a CDOC facility. Federal inmates are in an entirely separate system. | Use bop.gov federal inmate locator to search federal facilities in Colorado. |
| Name entered does not exactly match CDOC records | CDOC uses the legal name from court documents. Nicknames, maiden names, or spelling variations return no results. | Use the full legal name and add DOC number if available from court paperwork. |
| Person recently sentenced, not yet transferred from county | Transfer from county jail to state prison takes time after sentencing. Neither database may show a result during transport and intake. | Check both county and CDOC. Call (719) 226-4880 if both are empty after several weeks. |
| No centralized Colorado county jail system | Colorado has no single statewide county jail database. Each of the 64 counties runs its own roster separately. | Search the specific county sheriff website for the county where the arrest occurred. |
Which Colorado System Should You Search?
| Your Situation | Where to Search | Database |
|---|---|---|
| Arrested within the last few days | County Jail | County sheriff website for the arrest county |
| Awaiting trial, bond hearing, or arraignment | County Jail | County roster (not CDOC) |
| Sentenced to state prison, felony conviction | State Prison | CDOC Offender Search |
| Recently sentenced, not in either system yet | County + CDOC | Check both. Call (719) 226-4880 if neither returns a result. |
| At ADX Florence, FCI Florence, or USP Florence | Federal BOP | bop.gov federal inmate locator (not CDOC) |
| Federal crime: drug trafficking, bank robbery, federal charges | Federal BOP | bop.gov federal inmate locator |
| Possible immigration hold or ICE detention (Aurora facility) | ICE / Federal | ICE Detainee Locator at ice.gov |
Colorado Inmate Search by Name
Searching CDOC by Name
Enter last name and first name. You can also filter by gender to narrow results for common names. If you have a DOC number from court documents, use it for an exact match. CDOC returns photo, current facility, sentence details, and parole eligibility. The system covers current inmates and parolees under active supervision.
Searching County Jails by Name
Each county system works differently. Denver accepts name, booking number, or CD number. El Paso County accepts last name or booking number. Some smaller counties may not have online tools and require a phone call to the sheriff’s booking desk. Search the county where the arrest occurred first.
When Names Do Not Match
CDOC matches on the exact legal name from court records. Try the full first name, not a nickname. Try alternate last name spellings. If still nothing, call CDOC at (719) 226-4880 with the person’s date of birth for a manual check. For federal searches at bop.gov, you can filter by race, age range, or sex to narrow down common name results.
Colorado CDOC State Prison Search
What CDOC Search Shows
- Full name, DOC number, and photo
- Current facility and custody level
- Offense details and sentence information
- Parole eligibility date
- Supervision status for parolees
What CDOC Search Does Not Show
- County jail inmates (separate system)
- Federal prison inmates (BOP, not CDOC)
- ICE detainees (Aurora facility)
- Juvenile records (restricted by law)
- Recent admissions still at DRDC intake
How Colorado Custody Works
Arrest
Local police or sheriff books the person into county jail. A booking number is assigned. Most counties post booking data online within hours.
County RosterPre-Trial
Arraignment, bond hearings, and trial occur while the person remains in county custody under the sheriff.
County SheriffDRDC Intake
After sentencing to state prison, most go first to Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center for testing and classification before a permanent assignment.
Transitional (weeks)State Prison
Classified and assigned to a permanent CDOC facility based on security level, programming needs, and sentence length.
CDOC Offender SearchStep-by-Step: Find Anyone in Colorado Custody
Determine which system holds them
Was the arrest recent? Start with the county jail. Was the person sentenced to state prison for a felony? Use CDOC. Is the charge federal or are they at Florence ADX, FCI Florence, or USP Florence? Use bop.gov. These three systems are completely separate. A search in the wrong one will always return empty.
Search the county roster for recent arrests
Find the sheriff’s website for the county where the arrest happened. Denver has a dedicated search at denvergov.org/inmatesearch, reachable at (720) 913-3600. El Paso County, Colorado’s second-largest, has an online search at epcsheriffsoffice.com. For smaller counties, a phone call to the sheriff’s booking desk may be needed. See the county grid below for direct links.
Search CDOC Offender Search for state prison inmates
Go to doc.state.co.us/oss. Enter the last name and first name. Add a DOC number if you have one from court documents for an exact match. Results show current facility, offense information, sentence details, and parole eligibility date. Clicking a name shows additional conviction details and a photo.
Try name variations if searches return nothing
Use the full legal name, not a nickname. Try alternate spellings of the last name. If recently sentenced, the person is likely at DRDC for classification and may not yet appear in the Offender Search. This is normal. Call (719) 226-4880 during business hours for a manual check. Staff can look up records that the online system has not yet published.
Check federal custody for Florence complex or BOP facilities
Colorado’s Florence area hosts ADX Florence (supermax), USP Florence (high security), FCI Florence (medium), and FPC Florence (minimum). All four are federal BOP facilities, not state prisons. If someone is at any of these, they will not appear in CDOC. Search bop.gov by name or register number. For ICE immigration detention in Aurora, use the ICE Detainee Locator at ice.gov.
What Information Colorado Inmate Records Show
CDOC State Prison Records
- Full name and DOC number
- Photo and physical description
- Current facility and custody level
- Offense details and sentence length
- Parole eligibility date
- Active supervision status
County Jail Records (Varies by County)
- Full name and booking number
- Booking date and charges
- Bond or bail amount
- Current custody status
- Facility location
- Mugshot (where published)
Colorado County Jail Search by County
Colorado has 64 counties, each with its own jail roster. Click a featured county for the official search tool. Smaller counties may require a phone call to the sheriff’s booking desk.
Phone Only counties require a direct call to the sheriff’s booking desk. Always verify at the official county website. External links verified August 2026.
Colorado CDOC and Federal Facilities
CDOC state facilities plus the four federal BOP prisons in Colorado. Federal facilities (marked in red) require a search at bop.gov, not CDOC. Verify visiting at cdoc.colorado.gov/facilities.
Red-bordered cards are federal BOP facilities. Search at bop.gov for those, not CDOC. CDOC facility status verified at cdoc.colorado.gov/facilities.
Three Colorado Facts Competitors Miss
DRDC Classification Creates a Search Gap After Sentencing
Most people sentenced to Colorado state prison go first to the Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center (DRDC) for intake, testing, and classification. During this period, which can last several weeks, the person may not appear in the CDOC Offender Search even though they are technically in state custody. Families searching during this window find nothing and assume an error. This is a normal part of the Colorado intake process, not a system failure. Call (719) 226-4880 for manual confirmation during this period.
Colorado Abolished the State Death Penalty in 2020. Federal Still Applies.
In March 2020, Colorado signed Senate Bill 20-100, abolishing the state death penalty for crimes committed after July 1, 2020. The three people then on death row had their sentences commuted to life. This means CDOC no longer holds anyone on death row for state crimes. However, federal law still applies regardless of state law. ADX Florence in Fremont County is a federal supermax that houses people under federal capital punishment proceedings. The state and federal systems are entirely separate on this point.
ADX Florence is Federal, Not State. Searching CDOC Will Always Fail.
ADX Florence (the “Alcatraz of the Rockies”) is operated by the federal Bureau of Prisons, not by the Colorado Department of Corrections. The same applies to USP Florence, FCI Florence, and FPC Florence, all of which are federal BOP facilities in Fremont County. A family member searching for someone at any of these facilities who uses CDOC’s Offender Search will always get no results because those inmates are in an entirely different system. Search bop.gov for anyone at the Florence complex or any other federal prison in Colorado.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use the CDOC Offender Search at doc.state.co.us/oss. Enter the person’s full legal name or DOC number. Results show current facility, sentence details, and parole eligibility date. The tool is free and available 24/7. For phone assistance call (719) 226-4880.
A DOC number is the unique identification number assigned by the Colorado Department of Corrections to every person who enters the state prison system. Having the DOC number makes any CDOC search faster and more precise than searching by name alone. You can find it on court documents or sentencing paperwork.
Common causes: the person may still be in county jail (CDOC only covers state prison), they may be at the Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center during the classification period and not yet in the search system, or the name entered does not exactly match CDOC records. Try alternate spellings. Call (719) 226-4880 for manual assistance.
Yes. The CDOC Offender Search is completely free and requires no registration. Most Colorado county sheriff inmate rosters are also free. The Colorado Open Records Act makes incarceration information publicly accessible.
For recent arrests, search the county sheriff’s website for the county where the arrest happened. Denver has a dedicated search at denvergov.org/inmatesearch. Each of Colorado’s 64 counties runs its own roster. State prison searches only show people already sentenced and transferred from county custody.
CDOC runs Colorado state prisons. ADX Florence is a federal prison operated by the Bureau of Prisons, not CDOC. If someone is at ADX Florence, they will not appear in CDOC’s search system. Use the federal BOP inmate locator at bop.gov instead. This is a common and easily avoided mistake for Colorado families.
Transfer timing varies by case and classification. After sentencing, a person typically goes first to the Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center for classification before assignment to a permanent facility. This process takes time, and timing varies by case and classification. During that time the person may not appear in the CDOC Offender Search. Check both systems and call (719) 226-4880 if needed.
The CDOC search returns the person’s full name, DOC number, photo, current facility, custody level, sentence details, offense information, and parole eligibility date. Clicking on a name shows additional conviction and sentencing details. The system covers all active CDOC inmates and parolees under supervision.
Official Colorado Inmate Search Sources
Official Colorado Department of Corrections inmate locator. Free. Search by name or DOC number. Available 24/7.
Official list of all Colorado Department of Corrections facilities with addresses and contact information.
Official Denver Sheriff Department inmate search. Phone: (720) 913-3600.
Official El Paso County Sheriff’s Office inmate search. Booking desk: (719) 390-2151.
For ADX Florence, USP Florence, FCI Florence, and FPC Florence. Federal inmates only, not in CDOC.
Colorado Department of Corrections. Offender info line: (719) 226-4880.