A license to marry in Colorado may be obtained during regular business hours, in accordance with the requirements outlined below. The license is valid upon issue and must be used, in Colorado, within 30 days. The fee is $30.00, cash payment only. Online verifications of marriage and divorce records may be made at the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. For additional information, please review the Guidelines for Obtaining Marriage Licenses in Colorado below or contacting the Recording Department.
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18 and Older - No parental consent is required.
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16 and 17 - Consent of both parents, parent having legal custody, legal guardian, parent having decision-making responsibility, parent with whom child is living, or judicial approval is required.
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Younger than 16 - Consent as listed above AND judicial approval (court order) are required. NO EXCEPTIONS.
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- If one of the parties is still married to another person. All divorces must be final.
- Marriage between the following is prohibited regardless of whether the relationship is by half or whole blood:
- ancestor and descendant
- brother and sister
- uncle and niece
- aunt and nephew
- Marriage between cousins is permitted in Colorado.
- Marriage licenses are issued to male-female couples only.
- Marriage license applications issued by another state are not valid for solemnization in Colorado.
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- Witnesses are not required in Colorado. Some clergy, judges or public officials may request them.
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Both parties must complete and sign the Marriage Application Form. At least ONE of theparties must apply IN PERSON before the recording staff. If one of the parties cannot appear in person, he or she must complete an affidavit of absent party with a notarized signature and an additional copy of I.D.
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A couple already married, who wishes to renew their vows, may obtain a license by stating that they are married to each other.
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Applicants for a marriage license need not be residents of Colorado.
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If final divorce date is 30 days or less from date of application, please bring copy of decree.
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- Couples themselves may solemnize their own marriage (Colorado Revised Statute 14-02-0109).
- Marriages can also be solemnized by judges, retired judges, magistrates, authorized public officials or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by a religious affiliation.
- Couples who solemnize their own marriage license, complete the bottom portion, both signing as the officiating party and as bride and groom.
- Although the couple may solemnize their own marriage, that does not mean a friend or relative can also solemnize their marriage. Clergy from out-of-state need not be registered in Colorado.
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- The person solemnizing the marriage shall complete the marriage certificate form and forward it to the Clerk and Recorder's Office within sixty days after solemnizing. Any person who fails to forward the marriage certificate to the Clerk's office shall be required to pay a $20.00 late fee and an additional $5.00 late fee may be assessed for each additional day of failure up to a maximum of $50.00.
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- Colorado has recognized common law marriage as legal and binding since 1877, and is one of twelve states to do so. A common law marriage is established when the parties mutually consent to be husband and wife. Same sex marriage is currently not recognized in the State of Colorado. Common law marriage does not require any license, ceremony or documentation to be legal. Parties to a common law marriage are entitled to all rights, privileges and responsibilities of a legal and binding marriage. If the parties need documentation of a marriage, it is recommended that they file a signed, notarized affidavit, attesting to the marriage, with the county clerk and recorder in the county where they reside. This affidavit will be filed as a document, not as a marriage record. Only legal divorce or death of one of the parties may terminate common law marriage.
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The following are the only two requirements for common law marriage:
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The following are examples of what constitutes a common law marriage:
- The parties hold themselves out to the public as husband and wife.
- Maintenance of a joint checking and/or savings account.
- Joint ownership of property.
- Mutual financial support.
- Filing of joint income tax returns.
- Registration as husband and wife on applications, leases, contracts, registers, etc.
- Use of the man's surname by the woman.
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Periods of cohabitation, without the aforementioned, do not constitute a common law marriage.
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