How To Get A Colorado Marriage License & Get Legally Married
Once that marriage license is signed then recorded by the County Clerk, it’s legal! Photo: Grace Gatto
How To Get A Colorado Marriage License & Get Legally Married In Colorado
Hi there, I’m Lisa Hunter - I’ve been officiating weddings in Colorado since 2013 and have signed more than 800 marriage licenses. So I know a thing or two about this process! I put this page together so that every answer about getting legally married in Colorado is right here in one place for you.
First, My Absolute #1 Piece Of Advice That I Tell All My Couples
Because County Clerk's rules and regulations can change at any time, and rules can vary from county to county, use my guide here as a helpful overview, but then always go to your chosen County Clerk's website to read their procedures because the County Clerk from which you obtain your license is the final authority on the rules and requirements for obtaining your license.
All Your Big Questions Answered In One Handy Bullet Point List
Each County Clerk has their specific requirements for how you sign the license. Make sure to double-check the example signing instructions that they’ll provide with your license. Photo: Be Boulder Photography
Here are answers to all the common Colorado marriage license questions in one very packed bullet point list:
How much is a marriage license in Colorado? The cost of a Colorado marriage license is $30.
Can you get married on the same day in Colorado? And how long does it take to get a marriage license in Colorado? You can get married on the same day that you obtain your license or within 35 days of obtaining the license. The time it takes to obtain a license is the time it takes you to visit the county clerk, show them your ID, pay them $30, fill out a marriage license application or point them to one that you already filled out online, then receive the license from them right there on the spot.
What do you need for a marriage license in Colorado?
To get a Colorado marriage license, you need to pay $30 and you’ll also need to show ID like a driver’s license or birth certificate, plus there are many other acceptable forms of ID which can vary from county clerk to county clerk, so make it a priority to call the clerk to make sure you are bringing ID that they accept.
You’ll also need to decide which County Clerk you’ll get your license from. You can get a Colorado marriage license from any County Clerk in Colorado and use that license to get married in any county in Colorado, you just need to return the signed license to the clerk that issued it. To find the County Clerk nearest you, google “map of Colorado Counties” to get a visual sense, then you can use my list of all Colorado County Clerks to easily click through to any of the County Clerk websites. You’ll find that list at the end of this post.
You’ll both need to go to the County Clerk in person at the same time to get your license, or if one of you is not able to be there in person, there is by-proxy paperwork that you can fill out. There are also a few County Clerks who offer online appointments.
Whether you’re having a wedding at a big venue or an elopement in nature, you’ll obtain the same marriage license paperwork in Colorado. Photo: Colorado Photographer Squad
What makes you legally married in Colorado? Can anyone marry you in Colorado?
Colorado is known as the easiest state to get married because basically anyone can marry you: a friend or family member can easily get ordained online to officiate for you… or you can marry yourselves with a way of signing the license called “self-solemnization”… or a professional officiant or a judge or other qualified official person (see each Clerk’s list of qualified official people) can marry you.
You are legally married in Colorado when your marriage license/certificate is signed and the certificate has been returned to the county clerk and recorded. You must return the license to the County Clerk within 63 days of signing it. The two of you plus the officiant or qualified official person can sign your license, or just the two of you can sign your license in a special way that counts as self-solemnization or “marrying yourselves”. The county clerk can show you how to sign to self-solemnize if you choose to make it legal that way.
Can you get married in Colorado without witnesses? You can get married in Colorado without witnesses. You do need an officiant or qualified official to sign with you, or to self-solemnize with your own signatures, but no one additional is needed. However, there are two lines for witness signatures on the license if you’d like anyone to witness simply for posterity.
Can you get married in Colorado if you are not a resident or are from out of state?
You don’t have to be a Colorado resident to get a Colorado marriage license and you can get a marriage license here even if you are from out of state. A signed Colorado marriage certificate recorded by a Colorado County Clerk is valid in any of the 50 states.
Can my dog sign my Colorado marriage license? Some Colorado County Clerks allow dogs to sign licenses as witnesses, but some County Clerks do not. If you’d love to have your dog’s paw print as a witness “signature”, make sure to call ahead to see if they allow it at County Clerk where you are planning to get your license. If they don’t allow it, you can call around to see who does and get your license at a County Clerk that does.
How can I get a Colorado marriage license online? There are a few County Clerks who offer online appointments, but not the majority and those who offer online appointments have changed over the years. Thus, the best way to see if your chosen County Clerk is currently offering online appointments is to check their website or give them a call. Keep in mind that for some clerks, an online appointment will require that you have a Colorado address to mail the license to.
Every Single Step To Get Your Marriage License In Colorado
Does a bride sign with her current last name or new last name? Interestingly, different County Clerks have different rules. Make sure to check what your County Clerk prefers. Photo: Colorado Photographer Squad
Just follow these marriage license how-to steps!
Here is an excerpt from a how-to guide that I give my couples. This is every step to make it happen:
Schedule A Marriage License Appointment: Most clerks have online appointment calendars, and some allow walk-ins as well. In Colorado, you can get one at any County Clerk and get married in any county. That flexibility is handy. Make sure to schedule as ahead of time as you can - those appointment slots can fill up!
Double-Check Everything: I always tell our couples to call the clerk ahead of time to confirm the I.D. they want you to bring, and all other rules, since these rules can change and they can differ from County Clerk to County Clerk.
Fill Out The Marriage License Application: These are typically online on the clerk’s website, or if not, ask them how to get one, or if at that clerk you fill it out in person.
Have Your Appointment: If you schedule an in-person appointment, fill out the clerk’s online application beforehand, show up to your appointment with $30 and the appropriate I.D. and they will issue your license right there on the spot.
Give Yourself Time: I recommend to leave at the very least a full day before your wedding date to get your license (e.g. getting married on Saturday then get your license at the latest on Thursday), and if you live in Colorado you can get the license much earlier as long as the date that you sign it is within 35 days of obtaining it (but still be sure to give yourself cushion).
Bring The License On Your Wedding Day: You can either self-solemnize (marry yourselves) by signing the license in a certain way by following instructions the Clerk gives you, or your officiant will sign the license with you after the ceremony. Witnesses are optional, but if you want to have them for posterity, there are two lines at the bottom of the license. The witness lines are where a dog would sign with his/her paw, but make sure you get your license from a County Clerk that allows dogs to sign.
Record Your License: Give the license to your officiant to mail to the County Clerk who will record it, then mail the recorded certificate to your home address. Or, you can take the license back to the clerk yourselves, and if they’re not too busy, they’ll record it right on the spot and hand it back to you!
Other Details That Are Great To Know
Remember, you can get your license in any county and get married in any county, you just need to return it to the County Clerk that you got it from. Photo: Colorado Photographer Squad
Having A Friend Or Family Member Officiate: If they haven’t been ordained already by a seminary or official organization, the minimum requirement in Colorado is that they be ordained by an organization like Universal Life Church or American Marriage Ministries, and that they sign your license with an official title like “Reverend” or “Minister”. Ask the ordaining organization for the title to use. Colorado County Clerks don’t typically ask for paperwork confirming ordination, they just require that the officiant signs with an official title, but always double-check to make sure about paperwork since rules can change at any time and different clerks have different rules.
Making A Colorado Marriage License Appointment
Most County Clerks have an online scheduling calendar, so you can make your appointment that way. Some offer walk-ins as well, if that’s your preference.
How To Fill Out A Colorado Marriage License
Every County Clerk includes detailed signing instructions with the license. If you’re having an officiant or authorized official marry you, they’ll know how to fill out the license. If you’re having a friend or family member get ordained online to officiate, or if you’re self-solemnizing, you can use the instructions provided by the clerk. I’d list instructions here, but many clerks have slightly different rules about how they like you to sign the license, so best to check their instructions!
Same Sex Marriage
Same sex marriage is supported here in Colorado and there are even some County Clerks who have licenses with a rainbow border if you want one. How cool is that?
How To Get A Certified Copy Of A Colorado Marriage Certificate
Return the signed license to the County Clerk so they can record it, then you can get certified copies of the marriage certificate for $1.25 per copy from the clerk. It’s handy to pay for these ahead of time when you get your license, then when you return the signed license in person, they’ll give you the certified copies on the spot, or if you mail your signed license back to the County Clerk, they’ll mail your recorded marriage certificate back to you, plus the already-paid-for certified copies. You can also obtain certified copies any time by paying the $1.25 per copy and either picking them up or having them send them to you.
Certified copies of marriage licenses are used for various legal purposes, like changing one’s name, spousal benefits and many other scenarios.
Divorced, Widowed or Dissolved Marriage
If you have been divorced or have dissolved a marriage, you’ll need to provide specific details, like the date and location of recording - but always check with the County Clerk about what you’ll need to provide because requirements can vary from County Clerk to County Clerk.
List Of All Colorado County Clerks & Their Websites
Not many, but some of the County Clerks, like Boulder County Clerk, have licenses with gold foil stamps on them rather than just a black stamp. The ones with gold foil are especially pretty! Photo: Alchemy Creative
Google “map of Colorado counties” to see what counties are nearest to where you’re staying. You can obtain a Colorado marriage license in any county and use it to get married in any county. You just need to return the license to the clerk you obtained it from in order to have it legally recorded.
Congratulations, you’ve signed it. Now make sure to get it back to the County Clerk within 63 days of signing! Photo: Rachael Baker