To get a marriage license in Arapahoe County, complete the Clerk and Recorder’s online application, book an in-person appointment at a branch office, appear together with valid photo ID, and pay the $30 fee. The license is valid immediately and expires 35 days after issuance. Colorado has no waiting period, so you can hold your ceremony the same day you pick it up.1Arapahoe County. Marriage and Civil Union Licenses
Who Can Apply
Anyone 18 or older can apply without anyone else’s permission. Applicants who are 16 or 17 need approval from a juvenile court judge, and no one under 16 can obtain a license in Colorado at all.2Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-106 – License to Marry
You cannot marry if you have an existing marriage or civil union that hasn’t been legally dissolved. Marriages between ancestors and descendants, between siblings or half-siblings, and between uncles/aunts and nieces/nephews are also barred, with a narrow exception for marriages permitted by established customs of aboriginal cultures.3Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-110 – Prohibited Marriages
Colorado does not require a blood test or medical exam.
What to Bring
Each applicant needs a valid government-issued photo ID. The county accepts a current driver’s license (Colorado or out-of-state), a U.S. or valid foreign passport, a military ID, a state-issued identification card, or a Colorado Digital ID. A birth certificate alone is not enough; it has to be paired with a photo ID.1Arapahoe County. Marriage and Civil Union Licenses
You don’t need the physical Social Security card, but both of you must know your Social Security numbers. If either applicant has been married or in a civil union before, bring the date the dissolution was finalized, the type of court that handled it, and the city and state where it took place. A prior marriage isn’t a barrier as long as you can document that it ended legally.
If any identity document is in a language other than English, bring a certified English translation with a signed statement from the translator confirming competence in both languages and the accuracy of the translation.
Step One: The Online Application
Arapahoe County uses an online marriage license application as its primary intake form, and you should complete it before scheduling the in-person visit. The form collects biographical details, Social Security numbers, and information about any prior marriages or civil unions.1Arapahoe County. Marriage and Civil Union Licenses
Fill it out carefully. Whatever you type is what appears on the official documents, and corrections after the fact are a hassle. Match your names to your photo IDs exactly, including middle names and suffixes. If you’ve been divorced, have the decree in front of you so you can enter the precise date and court rather than guessing.
Step Two: The In-Person Appointment
All marriage license services are appointment-only. After finishing the online application, schedule a visit at one of the Clerk and Recorder’s branch offices. Both applicants generally need to appear together to sign the application and verify their identities before a deputy clerk.1Arapahoe County. Marriage and Civil Union Licenses
If One of You Cannot Appear
If one person can’t attend because they’re ill, out of state, or incarcerated, Arapahoe County offers an absentee option. The absent party completes a Marriage License Absentee Affidavit and has it notarized before the appointment. The party who shows up brings the notarized affidavit along with valid identification for the absent person. If the absent party has no Social Security number, a separate Social Security Affidavit must also be notarized and submitted. Call the Clerk and Recorder’s office directly to confirm the current paperwork and process before your appointment.4Arapahoe County. Frequently Asked Questions
Fee and What You Receive
The fee is $30. At the appointment, the deputy clerk issues two documents: the marriage license itself, which is your legal authorization to marry, and a blank marriage certificate form that gets completed after the ceremony. The license is valid immediately with no waiting period and stays valid for 35 days. If you don’t hold the ceremony within that window, the license expires and you have to start over and pay the fee again.
Who Can Perform the Ceremony
Under C.R.S. 14-2-109, a marriage can be solemnized by a judge, a court magistrate, a retired judge, any public official whose authority includes performing marriages, or through any mode recognized by a religious denomination or Indian nation or tribe. The statute also lists the parties to the marriage themselves.5Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration of Marriages – Proxy Marriage
That last item means Colorado allows self-solemnization. You can marry yourselves without an officiant, clergy member, or witnesses, write your own vows, hold the ceremony anywhere in the state, and sign the license yourselves. If you do use an officiant, that person (or one of the married parties) is responsible for completing the marriage certificate form after the ceremony.
Returning the Certificate Within 63 Days
After the ceremony, the completed certificate must be returned to the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder within 63 days. If an officiant performed the ceremony, the officiant forwards it; if you self-solemnized, one of you does. Any of the county’s branch offices will accept the returned form.5Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration of Marriages – Proxy Marriage
Miss the deadline and you face a late fee of at least $20, plus $5 per day for continued delay, up to a maximum of $50. The postmark date counts as the date of forwarding, so mailing on day 63 satisfies the requirement. Once the Clerk and Recorder receives the completed form, the marriage is registered in the county’s official public records, and you can request certified copies.
Order Certified Copies Up Front
A recorded marriage certificate is the starting document for Social Security name changes, passport updates, bank and insurance records, and employer HR files. Order several certified copies when you record the completed form so you aren’t running back for extras later.
A Note on Common-Law Marriage
Colorado is one of the few states that still recognizes common-law marriage. Both parties must be at least 18, mutually agree to be married, and openly present themselves as a married couple. Evidence can include using the same last name, filing joint tax returns, listing each other as spouses on insurance forms, and holding joint bank accounts or property. A common-law marriage carries the same legal weight as a licensed one, but proving it later, especially if one party disputes it, can be difficult and expensive. A license and a recorded certificate remove the ambiguity, which is why most Colorado couples still go through the Arapahoe County process even when they legally don’t have to.