“CORA” stands for “Colorado Open Records Act.” In the spirit of open government and pursuant to Section 24-72-201 to 206 C.R.S., CORA requires that most public records be available to the public. Anyone can request information that is in the possession of a government office.

You must submit your request to the custodian of the record: the state, county or city office that actually holds the record itself. There is no central repository for public records or single office that fulfills public records requests in Colorado. For most governmental agencies, you can submit your request directly to the Public Information Officer of that agency.

A “public record” includes most writings made, maintained, or kept by our office. However, there are some exceptions concerning records made available under CORA.

You do not have to file a CORA request to receive information. It is the intent of the El Paso County Commissioners that our office provides documents and information to the public without requiring a CORA request.

Before making a CORA request, contact our office to request information from our staff. Many documents are readily available to the public. We would be more than happy to help you access these filings without asking you to make a CORA request.

Colorado Open Records Act Request Form

CLICK HERE

Colorado Open Records Act Payment Portal

CLICK HERE

El Paso County CORA Contacts

For General El Paso County CORA Information
(719) 520-6403

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I view the information in your office?

    If you just want to view the information, please state that in your written request. Once the documentation has been gathered, you will be notified by the Public Information Officer. We will then set up an appointment with you to come into our office and view the documents.
    Any information that is confidential by law or is exempt from the Colorado Open Records Act will be removed from the documents that you view.

  • Is there a fee?

    Yes. The first two hours of work to provide the CORA request are free. It is $29.50 per hour beyond that. You can inspect documents in our office for free. If you want paper or electronic copies of documents, there is a fee. All fees must be paid in advance. See the El Paso County CORA Policy for fee information.

  • I've sent in my CORA request. How long will it take?

    We have up to three working days to comply with your request. If extenuating circumstances exist, then we may extend up to seven working days (for a total of 10 days) to fill your request. You will be notified in writing when your request is complete.

  • What happens if I request confidential information? Can any information be excluded from my request?

    Some information is considered confidential or is excluded from the Colorado Open Records Act.
    Some examples of excluded public records include:
    • Criminal justice records or documents prepared for a criminal investigation.
    • Work product prepared for an elected official.
    • Trade secrets and proprietary software information, including programs and source code.