How to Find a Cause of Death in Colorado (2026)

In Colorado, a person's cause of death is recorded on the medical certification of the death certificate and, for investigated deaths, in the coroner's autopsy report. It is not open to the general public. Eligible family members and others with a direct and tangible interest can obtain it from CDPHE; the public can read older records once they age.

How Do You Find Someone's Cause of Death in Colorado?

You find a cause of death in Colorado by reading the death certificate, which records it on the medical certification, or by obtaining the coroner's autopsy report if the death was investigated. The death certificate is restricted while it is recent, so an eligible family member usually has to order the certified copy from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).

If you are not an eligible requester, your practical options are narrower. You can check the published obituary or newspaper coverage, ask the family, file a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request with the county coroner for an autopsy report, or wait until the record ages into the public domain.

For an overview of how Colorado handles all death records, see our Colorado Death Records guide.

Is the Cause of Death Public in Colorado?

No. The cause of death is not openly public in Colorado for recent deaths. Vital records are confidential under Colorado Revised Statutes 25-2-117, so the death certificate and the cause of death it carries are released only to eligible requesters, not to anyone who asks.

This tracks Colorado's broader rule. A death certificate stays confidential for 75 years after the death, and only then does it become a public record that anyone may order. Until that point, you must show a direct and tangible interest to obtain the certified copy that shows the cause.

The coroner's autopsy report is treated differently. It is a county record subject to CORA, so members of the public can request it, though the coroner may withhold or redact parts tied to an open investigation. For the bigger national picture, see Are Cause of Death Records Public?.

Where the Cause of Death Is Recorded

The cause of death is recorded in two main places in Colorado: the death certificate and, when applicable, the autopsy report. The death certificate is the primary legal record, while the autopsy report is the detailed forensic record behind it.

On the Death Certificate

Every Colorado death certificate includes a medical certification of death. A certifying physician, or the county coroner in coroner cases, completes and signs this section, listing the immediate cause, any underlying conditions, and the manner of death.

This is why a certified copy of the death certificate is the most direct document for confirming how someone died. The informational copy and the certified copy both carry the cause, but only eligible requesters can buy them while the record is restricted.

In the Coroner or Autopsy Report

For sudden, violent, suspicious, or unexplained deaths, the county coroner investigates and determines the cause and manner of death. Under C.R.S. 30-10-606, the coroner conducts an inquiry and signs the medical certification, and may order a forensic autopsy under C.R.S. 30-10-606.5.

The autopsy report explains the findings in far more detail than the certificate. Because it is a county record, it is obtainable through a CORA request to the coroner's office in the county where the death occurred.

How to Request Records That Show the Cause of Death

To request records that show a cause of death in Colorado, start with the source that fits your situation. Eligible family members usually order the death certificate; anyone may file a CORA request for a coroner's autopsy report.

To order a certified death certificate from CDPHE, you submit a completed application, a copy of your photo ID, and proof of your eligibility, such as documentation of your relationship or legal interest. CDPHE and county vital records offices apply the direct-and-tangible-interest standard under C.R.S. 25-2-117.

To obtain an autopsy report, send a CORA request to the county coroner's office that handled the death. Identify the deceased, the approximate date of death, and the records you want. The office may charge a research or copy fee and may redact material connected to an active case.

Finding the Cause of Death for Older or Historical Deaths

For older deaths, the cause of death becomes easier to find as the record ages. A Colorado death certificate becomes a public record 75 years after the death, so anyone may then order a copy that shows the cause without proving a relationship.

Colorado began statewide death registration around 1908, and the Colorado State Archives holds historical death records for genealogical and research access. For deaths in the genealogical window, CDPHE can issue copies marked for genealogical use, which display the cause of death recorded at the time.

For the fact and date of a death, the Social Security Death Index is a useful free tool, but it does not include the cause of death. Pairing the index with an obituary, an archive record, or an aged certificate is the usual path for historical cases. To compare other states, start at our Death Records by State hub.

Colorado Cause of Death Records at a Glance

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Access rules, fees, and forms change. Verify current requirements with CDPHE or the relevant county coroner's office before you rely on them.

Sources

This page draws on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment vital records program, Colorado Revised Statutes 25-2-117 and 30-10-606, the Colorado Coroners Association, and the Colorado State Archives.