Yes. Self-solemnization in Colorado is legal, and it means the two of you can marry each other with no officiant, judge, or clergy member present. Under C.R.S. 14-2-109, “the parties to the marriage” are listed alongside judges and religious figures as people who may solemnize a wedding.1Justia. Colorado Code 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration of Marriages – Proxy Marriage The result is a fully licensed, state-recorded marriage identical to one performed by an officiant. Colorado has no waiting period and no residency requirement, which is why self-solemnization is popular for elopements and destination weddings.
Who Can Self-Solemnize
The eligibility rules are the same as for any Colorado marriage. Both parties must be at least 18. A 16- or 17-year-old can marry only with a judicial order, and no one under 16 can marry in the state at all.2Judicial Legal Help Center. Child Marriage Both people must freely consent, and neither can already be married or in a civil union with someone else. Colorado also prohibits marriages between ancestors and descendants, siblings and half-siblings, and uncles or aunts with nieces or nephews.3Colorado General Assembly. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 14 – Domestic Matters
You do not have to live in Colorado. Any county clerk’s office will issue a license to nonresidents.4El Paso County Clerk and Recorder. Marriage Licenses The ceremony itself has to happen inside Colorado’s borders, but that is the only geographic requirement.
Getting the Marriage License
Before the ceremony, you need a marriage license from any County Clerk and Recorder’s office in Colorado. Both parties must appear together to apply. Many offices run on appointments only, so call ahead rather than assuming walk-ins are accepted.5Adams County. Marriage and Civil Union License
Each person needs a valid government-issued photo ID: a driver’s license, passport, state ID, or military ID will all work.6Larimer County. Civil Union and Marriage Licenses The application asks for your full legal name, date and place of birth, current address, and your parents’ names and addresses. The parent information is required by the state for all applicants regardless of age.5Adams County. Marriage and Civil Union License You will also need to give the last four digits of your Social Security number, or sign a sworn affidavit if you don’t have one.7FindLaw. Colorado Code 14-2-105 – Marriage License and Marriage Certificate
The license fee is $30, set by state law.8FindLaw. Colorado Code 14-2-106 – Fees There is no waiting period: the license is valid the moment the clerk hands it to you, and it stays valid for 35 days.6Larimer County. Civil Union and Marriage Licenses If 35 days pass without a ceremony, the license expires and you’ll have to apply and pay again.
Performing the Ceremony
With the license in hand, you can marry each other anywhere in Colorado within that 35-day window. A mountaintop, your living room, a county park — the location is up to you so long as it is inside state lines.5Adams County. Marriage and Civil Union License
Fill in the date, time, and location of the ceremony on the marriage certificate form. Both of you sign on the lines for the parties to the marriage, and both of you sign again in the officiant section. On the line asking for the officiant’s title, write “Self-Solemnize” or “The Parties to the Marriage.” Your county clerk’s office usually includes instructions with the license showing which lines to complete; follow those, because formatting varies slightly between counties.
Colorado does not require witnesses for any marriage, including a self-solemnized one.1Justia. Colorado Code 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration of Marriages – Proxy Marriage If the certificate has a witness line, filling it in is optional. The marriage is valid with just the two of you.
Returning the Certificate on Time
After the ceremony, send the completed certificate back to the County Clerk and Recorder within 63 days of your solemnization date. You can return it by mail or in person. If you mail it, the postmark counts as the submission date.1Justia. Colorado Code 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration of Marriages – Proxy Marriage
Miss the 63-day deadline and you’ll owe a late fee of at least $20, with an additional $5 for each extra day, capped at $50.1Justia. Colorado Code 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration of Marriages – Proxy Marriage This is the most common administrative slip-up with self-solemnization. Set a calendar reminder for the week after your ceremony and get the certificate in the mail.
Once the clerk records the certificate, your marriage is registered with the state and you can order certified copies for name changes, insurance updates, and any other paperwork that asks for proof of marriage.
Self-Solemnization Is Not Common Law Marriage
Colorado is one of the few states that still recognizes common law marriage, and the two paths get confused. They are different.
Self-solemnization uses the same licensing process as any other Colorado wedding. You apply, pay the fee, hold your ceremony, and file the certificate, and you walk away with recorded proof of your marriage date. Common law marriage requires no license, no ceremony, and no paperwork. Both parties must mutually agree to be married and demonstrate that agreement through conduct such as using the same last name, filing joint tax returns, or holding each other out as spouses.3Colorado General Assembly. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 14 – Domestic Matters
The practical difference is proof. If you ever need to show marital status for benefits, property rights, or immigration, a common law marriage can require a court proceeding and evidence. A self-solemnized marriage gives you a recorded certificate from day one. Both partners must also be at least 18 for a common law marriage; the judicial-order exception for 16- and 17-year-olds does not apply.3Colorado General Assembly. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 14 – Domestic Matters
Updating Your Records After the Wedding
If either of you is changing your name, order certified copies of the marriage certificate from the county and then work through the agencies in order. Each step builds on the previous one.
- Start with the Social Security Administration, because most other agencies verify identity against SSA records. Bring your certified marriage certificate and a completed application.
- Next, visit your state’s DMV with the updated Social Security card and marriage certificate to get a new driver’s license.
- For a U.S. passport issued less than a year ago, Form DS-5504 updates the name by mail at no charge. Otherwise you’ll file a standard renewal on Form DS-82 or a new application on Form DS-11, with the marriage certificate as proof.9U.S. Department of State. Application for a U.S. Passport for Eligible Individuals (Form DS-5504)