Colorado One-Party

Licensing & Regulation

Colorado requires PI licensure through the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations, under C.R.S. §12-160-101 et seq. Two tiers exist: Level I (basic) and Level II (advanced), with the latter requiring 4,000 hours of experience plus a jurisprudence examination. All applicants undergo a fingerprint background check. Renewal is biennial. Attorneys and accountants performing investigative work in the scope of their primary occupation are exempt.

Physical Surveillance

Surveillance in public is permitted. Colorado's GPS tracking statute (C.R.S. §18-9-111(7)) criminalizes placement of a tracking device on a motor vehicle without consent, with exceptions for the registered owner and law-enforcement use. Drone surveillance is constrained by FAA Part 107 and state-level privacy torts. Trespass on private land is criminal even for investigative purposes.

Audio & Video Recording Consent

Colorado is a one-party-consent state under C.R.S. §18-9-303 (eavesdropping). The recording party must be a participant. Photographing or videotaping private parts in private areas is a separate felony under C.R.S. §18-7-801.

Domestic, Marital & Infidelity Investigations

Colorado is a no-fault, equitable-distribution state. Marital misconduct is rarely directly relevant. PIs nonetheless commonly investigate cohabitation in maintenance/alimony contexts. Accessing a spouse's separately maintained accounts is unauthorized computer access under C.R.S. §18-5.5-102.

Cybersecurity, Hacking & Digital Investigations

C.R.S. §18-5.5-102 (computer crime) closely mirrors the CFAA. Colorado's data-breach notification law (C.R.S. §6-1-716) and the Colorado Privacy Act impose significant obligations on data handlers. OSINT is permitted; pretexting financial institutions is barred under GLBA.

Missing Persons, Skip Tracing & Harassment

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation maintains the state missing-persons clearinghouse. PIs may supplement law-enforcement efforts but should never represent themselves as police. C.R.S. §18-3-602 (stalking) is broad and applies to surveillance that causes serious emotional distress.