Where do I apply for a marriage license?
Clerk and Recorder’s Office, Marriage License Counter, 1st Floor, Webb Municipal Office Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave, Dept. 101.
- Hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday.
- Closed on municipal holidays.
What is the cost for a marriage license?
The marriage license application fee is $30, payable in cash only.
Certified copies of marriage licenses are available upon request via mail or walk-in. The fee is $3.00.
How old must I be to marry in Colorado?
- You must be 18 years of age or older to marry in Colorado, or
- You may marry at the age of 16 or 17 with the consent of both parents or of your legal guardian, or
- You may marry at the age of 15 or under with the consent of both parents or of your legal guardian and with court approval.
What documents or identification must I present at the time I apply?
For adults 18 years of age or older:
Both intended spouses must apply for the marriage license in person. If one of the spouses cannot be present in person to apply for the marriage license,
see below. Both intended spouses must bring a valid form of ID:
- U.S. driver's license or permit
- U.S. state-issued ID (DMV non-driver)
- U.S. military ID
- Passport
The form of ID must be presented in certified English-language translation if names are not legible in English.
Note: The following forms of identification are not acceptable for marriage license applications:
- Birth certificate
- Baptismal certificate
- Mexican Consular ID (“Matricula Consular”)
If you have been married previously and are widowed or divorced, you must provide the exact date (month, day, and year) of your spouse's death or of your divorce. If you are divorced you must also provide:
- The location (city and state) of your divorce
- The type (district, superior, circuit, etc.) of court in which your divorce proceeding occurred
- A certified copy of your divorce decree if your divorce is within 30 days prior to the date you apply for a marriage license
- Please also be prepared to supply the place of birth (city and state) of each of your parents.
Additional requirements for minors:
The following document(s) are required for minors, in addition to all documents required of adults:
- For minors 16 years of age and older, a notarized consent form is required, accompanied by a copy of parent or guardian IDs if the parents cannot be present with the minor(s). This form may be obtained here, or in person at the Marriage License counter at the time you apply for a marriage license.
- For minors under the age of 16 years, a court order permitting the marriage is required in addition to the notarized consent form.
If you are under the age of 18 and one of your parents or your guardian has sole legal custody, and is therefore the only parent signing the consent form, a proof of custody document must also be presented. If a parent is divorced, a proof of sole custody can be presented or a birth certificate stating sole custodial parent are acceptable and need not be certified.
What marriages are prohibited in Colorado?
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Same-sex marriage.
-
Marriage prior to the dissolution of an earlier marriage of either of the intended spouses, except for an earlier marriage that is a currently valid marriage between the intended spouses.
-
Marriage between an ancestor and descendant, brother and sister, uncle and niece, or aunt and nephew, whether the relationship is by half or whole blood.
Note: Marriage between first cousins, whether the relationship is by half or whole blood, is permitted in Colorado.
What if one of the intended spouses cannot appear in person to apply for the marriage license?
If one of the intended spouses cannot be present in person to apply for the marriage license, the applicant appearing in person must present on behalf of the absent applicant:
- A completed and notarized Marriage License Absentee Affidavit.
- A clear, legible photocopy of one of the acceptable forms of ID of the absent applicant (faxes are not acceptable)
The Marriage License Absentee Affidavit may be obtained
here. or in person at the Clerk and Recorder office. Outdated forms will not be accepted. The absent applicant's legal name as stated in the notarized absentee affidavit must
match exactly the absent applicant's name as shown on the ID photocopy.
How long is a marriage license valid?
The marriage license may be used immediately upon issuance, and is valid for 30 days after issuance. It may be used anywhere in Colorado and is valid only in Colorado. It must be returned to the county of issue for processing.
Who is allowed to perform a marriage?
Your marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court, a retired judge, a court magistrate, a public official whose powers include solemnization to marriages, a Native-American tribal official, a member of the clergy, or by the intended spouses themselves. Clergy from out-of-state do not need to be registered in
Colorado.
See more information here , or call 311.
The marriage may not be solemnized by a friend or relative. Witnesses are not required for a valid solemnization. The solemnizing official, or the intended spouses in case of self-solemnization, must complete the marriage certificate, attesting that the marriage solemnization has been performed lawfully.
- Note: The marriage license and marriage certificate are two distinct instruments that appear on the single form.
- Caution: There are only two states in the U.S. that recognize self-solemnized marriages: Colorado and Pennsylvania.
What if one of the intended spouses cannot physically attend the wedding ceremony?
If one of the intended spouses cannot be present at the solemnization due to incarceration, out of state status, or military deployment, the absent person may (but is not required to) fill out a
ceremony proxy. You must return your marriage license and completed marriage certificate to the City Clerk within 60 days after solemnization for recording
. Do not separate the certificate from the license (see note just above). You may mail it in the return envelope given to you at the time of application, or return the certificate in person. There is no recording fee for this, but note that there is a
late fee for certificates returned after the 60-day deadline.
State law requires that any person who fails to return the marriage license and certificate within 60 days after solemnization will be assessed a late fee of $20 on the 61st day and $5 per day after that to a maximum of $50. The late fee assessment will be based upon the date of postmark.
The Recording desk will enter your marriage license and certificate into the
city records. The original form will be returned to you in two to three weeks at the return address you supplied at the time of application.
Should I use my unmarried (also called “maiden”) name or married name when signing the marriage license?
Sign your unmarried name on the marriage license and application. If you choose to take a married name, sign your married name on the marriage certificate. Name changes are not complete until the marriage certificate has been recorded and official agencies have been notified (Social Security, driver’s license, etc.).
Spouses taking a married name are responsible for informing all necessary agencies about the name change. Self-solemnizing couples should sign their unmarried names on the certificate on the official title line, and sign their married names on the bride and groom lines.
What do I file with the Denver Clerk & Recorder if I was married out of the United States (e.g. on vacation in Mexico, the Bahamas, on a cruise ship, etc.)?
If you were issued a license outside of the United States, you must provide the Denver Clerk and Recorder’s Office with a certified English translation of the marriage license and the original Denver license.
How can I get copies of marriage records from past years?
Marriage records from 1975 to the present may be requested over the phone or by email (
marriages@denvergov.org). Records prior to 1975 must be requested in writing or in person in the Records Department of the Office of the Clerk & Recorder.
Fee is $2 per copy or $3 for a certified copy of a marriage record. In addition, a $3 records search fee applies if the year of marriage is not known for the record requested.
More detail on records fees here.
How do I get further information?