To get married at the courthouse in Colorado, apply for a marriage license at any county Clerk and Recorder’s office, pay the $30 fee, and either have a judge or magistrate perform a short ceremony at the courthouse or sign the certificate yourselves under the state’s self-solemnization rule. Colorado has no waiting period, so the license is valid the moment it’s issued and you can marry the same day.
Who Can Get Married
Both parties must be at least 18. Applicants who are 16 or 17 need approval from a juvenile court before a license can be issued; parental consent by itself is not enough, and Colorado will not issue a license to anyone under 16.1Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-106 – License to Marry
Neither party can already be married or in an existing civil union. Colorado also prohibits marriage between ancestors and descendants, between siblings and half-siblings, and between aunts or uncles and their nieces or nephews.2Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-110 – Prohibited Marriages First cousins may legally marry. The application asks whether you are related, and you’ll confirm the marriage isn’t prohibited before the clerk issues the license.
What to Bring to the Clerk and Recorder
You’ll need government-issued proof of identity: a driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, or comparable document. The application asks for each party’s name, sex, address, date and place of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security number. Only the last four digits, not the full number.3Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-105 – Marriage License and Marriage Certificate
Bring the names and addresses of each party’s parents or guardians. If either of you was previously married or in a civil union, bring the date, location, and court where the divorce or invalidity decree was entered, or the date and place of a former spouse’s death.3Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-105 – Marriage License and Marriage Certificate Colorado does not require a blood test or medical exam.
Applying for the License
Most county Clerk and Recorder offices post an online application you can complete before your visit, which speeds up the appointment. Larger counties such as Denver and El Paso usually require you to book an appointment online. Smaller offices may take walk-ins.
Only one party has to appear in person before the clerk.1Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-106 – License to Marry If your partner can’t come, they can complete a notarized absentee affidavit; the person appearing brings the original affidavit and a copy of the absent partner’s valid ID.4El Paso County Clerk and Recorder. Marriage Licenses Both parties still have to sign the application itself. The affidavit covers appearance, not the signature.
The license fee is $30, payable by cash, debit or credit card, or check depending on the county; some counties add a small card processing fee.4El Paso County Clerk and Recorder. Marriage Licenses The clerk hands you the license and a blank marriage certificate at the same appointment. No waiting period applies.
Where the License Is Good
A license issued in any Colorado county is valid for a ceremony anywhere in the state.5Weld County. Marriage and Civil Union Licenses You can pick up a license in Denver on Monday and marry in Summit County that weekend. The completed certificate goes back to the county that issued the license, not the county where the ceremony took place.
How Long the License Lasts
The license expires 35 days after issuance.6Larimer County. Civil Union and Marriage Licenses If those 35 days pass with no ceremony or self-solemnization, you have to apply and pay again.
Booking a Ceremony With a Judge or Magistrate
Scheduling the courthouse ceremony is a separate step from the license application. Contact your local county or district court directly to book a date with a judge or magistrate. Reach out several weeks ahead if you want a specific slot, since judicial calendars fill up.
Expect standard courthouse security at the door: metal detectors and bag screening. The ceremony itself is short, usually 10 to 20 minutes in a courtroom or judge’s chambers. The court charges its own fee on top of the $30 license fee, and those fees vary by county and time of day. Jefferson County, for example, charges $60 for a midday ceremony and $100 for an evening slot.7Jefferson County, CO. Wedding and Civil Union Ceremonies Confirm current pricing with the specific court you plan to use.
Colorado does not require witnesses.8Jefferson County, CO. Marriage Licenses and Civil Unions You can bring guests, but no one else needs to sign the certificate. The judicial officer signs it right after the ceremony.
You Don’t Actually Need a Judge
Colorado is one of the few states that lets couples solemnize their own marriage. Under the same statute that authorizes judges and religious officiants, the two parties may marry themselves.9Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration of Marriages – Proxy Marriage You pick up the license at the Clerk and Recorder, and instead of scheduling a judge, you and your partner declare yourselves married, sign the marriage certificate, and return it. No officiant, no witnesses, no script. The legal effect is identical to a judge-officiated ceremony, and it lets you skip the court’s ceremony fee entirely.
Filing the Certificate
The completed marriage certificate has to be returned to the issuing Clerk and Recorder within 63 days. If a judge or other officiant performed the ceremony, that person is responsible for forwarding it. If you self-solemnized, one of you handles it.9Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration of Marriages – Proxy Marriage You can drop it off or mail it; for mailed returns, the postmark counts as the filing date.
Missing the 63-day deadline triggers a $20 late fee plus $5 for each additional day, capped at $50.9Justia Law. Colorado Code 14-2-109 – Solemnization and Registration of Marriages – Proxy Marriage Set a reminder if you self-solemnized, since no one else is on the hook for the paperwork. Most couples get the officially recorded certificate back by mail within two to three weeks of filing.
Certified Copies and Name Changes
You’ll likely need several certified copies of the recorded marriage certificate for banks, employers, and government agencies. Fees vary by county but generally run $15 to $35 per copy. Ordering a few at once when you file the certificate saves repeat trips.
If either spouse plans to change their name, the recorded certificate is the document that starts the process. The Social Security Administration is the first stop, since most other institutions verify against SSA records. Bring Form SS-5, your certified marriage certificate, and current ID to a local SSA office. Once your SSA record is updated, you can move on to the DMV, your bank, your employer, and everything else.