2012 Office Hours

A license to marry in Colorado may be obtained during regular business hours at any of our Clerk & Recorder locations, 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 or debit/credit card payment only. Online requests for verification of marriage and divorce records may be made at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment . For additional information, please review the Guidelines for Obtaining Marriage Licenses in Colorado below or contact the Recording Department. For your convenience, the Parents Consent Form, the Affidavit Concerning Social Security Number and the Absentee Affidavit are provided in Adobe Acrobat format, which requires you to have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your system for viewing. The forms may be printed out and completed prior to your visit to the Recording Department. GUIDELINES FOR OBTAINING MARRIAGE LICENSES IN COLORADO Age Requirements Same for both parties 18 and older - No parental consent is required. 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. Younger than 16 - Consent as listed above AND judicial approval (court order) are required - NO EXCEPTIONS. Parents Consent Form Identification Requirements Valid ID must be furnished by both parties All are valid forms of ID: Passports Driver's licenses Birth Certificates Military identification cards Blood Test Requirements As of July 1, 1989, blood tests are NOT required for either party in the State of Colorado. Social Security Numbers Social Security Numbers ARE required on marriage license applications (C.R.S. 14-14-113). If a party does not have a Social Security Number, the Affidavit Concerning Social Security Number must be completed and submitted at time of application for a marriage license.  It may be signed and notarized in advance or signed in front of the Deputy County Clerk at time of application. Prohibited Marriages Marriage licenses will NOT be issued 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. Witness Requirements Witnesses are NOT required in Colorado. Some clergy, judges, or public officials may request them. Application Requirements Both parties must complete and sign the marriage application form.  At least ONE of the parties must apply IN PERSON before the Recording staff.  If one of the parties cannot appear in person, he or she MUST complete an Absentee Affidavit with a notarized signature and provide a copy of valid identification showing proof of age of the absent party. If either party has been divorced, he or she must recite the date the divorce was finalized, city and state divorce took place, and the type of court.  A divorce decree is not required at the time of completing the marriage application. A couple already married, who wish to renew their marriage vows, may obtain a license by stating that they are married to each other. Applicants for a marriage license need not be Colorado residents. Ceremonies Couples themselves may solemnize their own marriage (C.R.S. 14-2-109). Marriages can also be solemnized by judges, retired judges, magistrates, public officials authorized to perform marriages, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by a religious denomination or Indian Tribe or Nation. Not anyone can solemnize a marriage. Although the couple may solemnize their own marriage, that does not mean a friend or relative, who is not otherwise authorized to perform marriages, can also solemnize their marriage. Clergy from out-of-state need not be registered in Colorado. For a list of judges who perform marriages you may access the 4th Judicial District Court website. Certificates The person solemnizing the marriage shall complete the marriage certificate form and forward it to the Clerk & Recorder's Office within sixty days (60) after solemnizing. Any person who fails to forward the marriage certificate to the Clerk & Recorder'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. Please return completed marriage license/certificate to: El Paso County Recording Department P.O. Box 2007 Colorado Springs, CO 80901-2007  Marriage certificates must include the county and location where the marriage took place, the date of the marriage, the officiating party’s signature and title and the bride and groom’s signatures. Marriage Copies $0.25 per license/$0.25 per application. Certified is an additional $1.00 per document. For copies to be returned by mail, the following additional handling fees apply: 1-10 Pages-$1.25, 11-20 Pages-$2.00, Over 20 Pages-$2.50. Request for Marriage License/Certificate Copy Form. A Request for Marrige/App Copy Form, along with valid form of identification, is required to obtain a copy of a marriage application. Name Change Your marriage license must be returned and recorded before the bride can make any name changes. Name Change Contact Information SOCIAL SECURITY: The Social Security Administration  provides information regarding Social Security card name changes. Phone: 1-800-772-1213 Colorado Springs Social Security Office: 1049 N. Academy Blvd. Colorado Springs, CO 80909 (719) 574-9279 (800) 772-1213 DRIVERS LICENSE: The Colorado Department of Revenue  provides name change requirements for Driver’s Licenses. Colorado Springs Office: Colorado Department of Revenue 2447 North Union Blvd, 80909 (719) 594-8701 (303) 205-5613 Passport For information regarding a passport name change, you may access the U.S. Department of State website.