As wedding planners, we come across a lot of couples who are unfamiliar with the process of obtaining, completing, and submitting a marriage license. In Colorado specifically, this process is a lot easier than most people think and we’re here to break it down for you!
Here’s what you need to do:
-
Appear in person at the County Clerk’s office or complete the online application while together.
* If one of you cannot attend, the person applying must bring the absentee application along with identification for the absent party. (The absentee application form must be notarized in advance.)
-
Pay $30 Cash for Marriage License Fee.
-
Show identification for proof of age, such as a Driver’s License issued in the United States, Passport, Military ID, or State-issued ID Card.
-
List your Social Security Number and place of birth (City, State) on the application.
-
List your Parents’ Names and Current Addresses on the application form.
Note: Unlike a lot of other states, Colorado doesn’t require the following: blood tests, witnesses, or you to be a Colorado resident.
Once you obtain your marriage license, you must marry in the State of Colorado, within the next 35 days of the initial appointment. Something we always stress is that the license and the certificate are on the same document and these should not be separated. The license gives the couple permission to marry, while the certificate documents when and where the couple married.
After your ceremony (Congratulations!), your marriage must be solemnized; then the marriage application and certificate must be recorded. There are a few different ways a marriage may be solemnized. These include by an officiant who has been ordained or recognized by a religious denomination, a judge of a court, a retired judge, a court magistrate, a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, a Native American tribal official, or a friend or relative who is ordained.
The completed marriage certificate must then be returned to the County Clerk and Recorder’s Office within 63 days of the wedding date.
leave a comment