Bottom Line for Colorado Nonprofits
- ✓Volunteers in licensed childcare facilities and family daycare homes
- ✓Volunteers in residential care facilities and adult foster homes
- ✓Volunteers in domestic violence programs who work with children or youth
- +2 more covered roles below
State Laws That Apply to Volunteer Background Checks
Criminal Justice Records — Volunteer and Employee Criminal History Services
C.R.S. 24-72-305.3Authorizes the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to provide fingerprint-based criminal history information to qualified entities — public or private, for-profit or nonprofit — that provide care or care placement services to children, elderly, or persons with disabilities.
School District Background Check Requirements
C.R.S. 22-32-109.8Requires school districts to conduct criminal background checks on employees and, in certain circumstances, volunteers with unsupervised access to students.
Colorado 'Ban the Box' Law
C.R.S. 8-2-230Prohibits employers from advertising that they will not consider applicants with criminal records or inquiring about criminal history on an initial application; applies to paid positions but informs compliance posture for volunteer screening policies.
Who Must Be Screened in Colorado
!Legally Required to Be Screened
- •Volunteers in licensed childcare facilities and family daycare homes
- •Volunteers in residential care facilities and adult foster homes
- •Volunteers in domestic violence programs who work with children or youth
- •Volunteers with unsupervised student access in public school settings
- •Volunteers in programs serving elderly or disabled individuals under state contracts
Types of Background Checks Required in Colorado
How to Get Background Checks in Colorado
$5 per check — includes national criminal database, sex offender registry across all 50 states, SSN trace, and FCRA Certified Compliance Team review.
Start Free Today →Volunteer Screening in Colorado: What You Need to Know
Colorado's VECHS program is one of the most accessible state frameworks for nonprofits, allowing any qualifying care organization to request fingerprint-based checks regardless of for-profit status. The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) took over childcare licensing in 2023 and updated background check rules. Colorado's outdoor recreation and youth sports nonprofit sectors are large; organizations like scouts, camps, and ski programs should assess whether VECHS access applies. The Domestic Violence Program regulation specifically names volunteers as requiring checks when children are present.
Compliance Tips for Colorado Nonprofits
- 1
Determine whether your nonprofit is a 'qualified entity' under C.R.S. 24-72-305.3 — care or care placement for children, elderly, or disabled individuals qualifies; general civic volunteers do not.
- 2
Open a CBI VECHS account before conducting checks; the statutory citation 24-72-305.3 must appear in box 16 of the fingerprint card.
- 3
Childcare providers must use the Colorado Department of Early Childhood background check portal (cdec.colorado.gov) separately from the VECHS program.
- 4
Do not include criminal history questions on initial volunteer application forms if you treat volunteers similarly to paid staff — Colorado's 'Ban the Box' spirit applies to risk management optics even if technically inapplicable to volunteers.
- 5
Domestic violence organizations must maintain a written policy requiring both criminal and child abuse registry checks for volunteers working with children under Colorado's DV Program regulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Criminal Justice Records — Volunteer and Employee Criminal History Services apply to my nonprofit?
Colorado law applies to nonprofits with volunteers working in covered roles — typically involving direct, unsupervised contact with children, elderly individuals, or vulnerable adults. Colorado does not impose a blanket background check mandate on all nonprofit volunteers, but requires fingerprint-based criminal history checks for volunteers in licensed childcare, residential care, adult foster homes, domestic violence programs, and services for elderly or disabled individuals.
What happens if we skip background checks in Colorado?
Failing to screen volunteers in Colorado can expose your organization to negligent supervision liability, loss of insurance coverage, and — in sectors with mandatory requirements — regulatory penalties. Under the federal FCRA, running checks without proper procedures also creates compliance risk.
How long does a Colorado volunteer background check take?
Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — Biometric Identification and Records Unit; fingerprinting through CBI-approved vendors typically processes checks in Typically 3–5 business days via CBI; FBI portion may add 5–10 additional days. VolunteerBadge's national criminal database search returns results instantly for most volunteers.