Colorado Adoption Law
The Colorado Constitution and Colorado Revised Statutes are available online at: www.michie.com/colorado
Brief Summary of Access to Adoption Records:
Adoption Finalization Date Access Conditions
Prior to July 1, 1951 Mutual consent or court order
(NOTE: AIS/CTC has received word that courts are also beginning to grant access to records for adoptions finalized before 1949 based on wording in the new Court of Appeals Case. See related FAQ under Adoption Records.)
July 1, 1951 - June 30, 1967 Direct access for the adoptee
July 1, 1967 - September 1, 1999 Mutual consent or court order
September 1, 1999 - present Direct access for most adoptees
Colorado's Children's Code is found under Title 19. Article 5 deals with relinquishment and adoption, and Part 3 of Article 5 addresses access to adoption information.
See Section 19-5-304 for the Confidential Intermediary Law
See Section 19-5-305 for laws regarding access to adoption records.
Colorado Open Records Laws are found under Title 24, Article 72 (but generally do not apply to adoption records).
Rules governing adoption records for the Colorado Department of Human Services are found under 7.306.34 and 7.306.35. A new emergency rule was approved and effective Nov. 6, 2009, allowing the release of records for adoptions finalized between July 1, 1951 and July 1, 1967. Final wording was approved early in December, 2009.
For more detailed information about access to adoption records, please see our FAQ section.