How to Get Married in Colorado (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Colorado · Last updated 2026-05-18
A Colorado marriage is governed by Colorado statute, not a generic national process. The post-license waiting period is set by statute: no waiting period. Once issued, the license is good for: 35 days. On common-law marriage, recognized. Below are the Colorado license requirements, supporting documents, and the officiant rules that control whether the ceremony is legally complete.
Key Considerations
Timing matters in Colorado on two fronts. After the license is issued, the waiting-period rule may delay a lawful ceremony: no waiting period. Once the license is in hand, it does not last indefinitely: 35 days. See the state agency website. Couples plan the ceremony date inside that bracket.
Before the wedding logistics begin, two Colorado legal points need to be settled: license cost and applicant age. $30. See the state agency website. A person who is 16 or 17 years of age may obtain a marriage license only if a juvenile court determines that the underage party is capable of assuming the responsibilities of marriage and that the marriage would serve the underage party's best interests. Marriage is prohibited for persons under 16 years of age. See the state agency website. These are statutory questions, not negotiable ones, and the issuing clerk applies them at the counter.
Once the license clears, two more Colorado rules govern whether the marriage is legally formed. Common-law recognition: recognized. Authorized officiants: A marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court, by a court magistrate, by a retired judge of a court, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by the parties to the marriage, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination or Indian nation or tribe. See the state agency website. Couples eloping in Colorado or using an out-of-state officiant should confirm both before the ceremony.
Need These Documents?
DocDraft can help you draft them with AI, with licensed attorney review included. Plans from $39.99/mo.
Relevant Documents
For a Colorado marriage, the core documents are the marriage-license application filed with the issuing clerk and, where a premarital-course incentive applies, the certificate of completion from a state-approved provider. No state-level statute. Governed by common law / municipal ordinance / case law as applicable. Whatever the current Colorado marriage-license fee amount, it is collected by the issuing clerk at the application appointment rather than billed later.
Beneficiary Designation Forms
Documents that specify who receives assets from retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and other financial accounts upon your death.
Durable Power of Attorney
Authorizes someone to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated, ensuring your affairs can be managed without court intervention.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Designates someone to make medical decisions for you if you're unable to do so, ensuring your healthcare preferences are respected.
Prenuptial Agreement
A contract entered into before marriage that establishes rights to property and financial support in case of divorce or death. This document can protect pre-marital assets and outline financial responsibilities during marriage.
Updated Will
A legal document that specifies how your assets should be distributed after death. Marriage typically invalidates previous wills in many jurisdictions, making it important to create a new one that includes your spouse.
Relevant Laws
Colorado Marriage License Requirements
In Colorado, both parties must appear in person at a county clerk's office to apply for a marriage license. No blood test or waiting period is required. The license is valid for 35 days from issuance and can be used anywhere in Colorado. The fee is typically around $30 (varies by county).
Colorado Common Law Marriage
Colorado recognizes common law marriage when couples mutually consent to be married, live together, and publicly present themselves as married. Since 2021, Colorado law requires both parties to be at least 18 years old to enter into a common law marriage.
Colorado Age Requirements for Marriage
In Colorado, individuals who are 18 or older can marry without parental consent. Those who are 16-17 can marry with parental/guardian consent. Colorado prohibits marriage for anyone under 16 years of age.
Colorado Marital Property Laws
Colorado is an 'equitable distribution' state, meaning that in case of divorce, marital property is divided equitably (fairly) but not necessarily equally. Property acquired during marriage is generally considered marital property regardless of how it's titled.
Colorado Name Change After Marriage
In Colorado, either spouse may change their last name after marriage by using the marriage certificate as legal proof of the name change. This can be used to update identification documents like driver's licenses and Social Security cards.
Regional Variances
County Marriage License Requirements in Colorado
In Denver County, couples can apply for marriage licenses online through the Denver Office of the Clerk and Recorder's website before appearing in person. Both parties must still appear together to complete the process, but the online pre-application can save time. Denver County charges $30 for marriage licenses.
El Paso County requires both parties to appear in person at the Clerk and Recorder's Office with valid photo ID. They do not offer online pre-application. The fee is $30 cash, check, or credit card. Marriage licenses are valid for 35 days after issuance.
Boulder County offers both appointment and walk-in options for obtaining marriage licenses. They recommend appointments during busy seasons (May-September). Boulder County also offers self-solemnizing marriage licenses, which don't require an officiant, a unique option under Colorado law.
Larimer County requires appointments for marriage license applications. Both parties must be present with valid ID. They charge $30 and accept various payment methods including credit cards with a small processing fee.
Summit County, a popular destination wedding location, offers marriage licenses to non-residents. They have specific hours for marriage license services and may require appointments during peak wedding seasons. The standard $30 fee applies.
Waiting Period and License Validity Variations
Unlike some states, Colorado has no waiting period between obtaining a marriage license and performing the ceremony. However, all marriage licenses in Colorado are valid for 35 days from the date of issuance, regardless of which county issues the license.
Self-Solemnization Policies
Colorado is one of the few states that allows self-solemnization (couples can marry themselves without an officiant). While this is legal throughout Colorado, some counties may have slightly different procedures for recording self-solemnized marriages. Always check with the specific county clerk's office for their process.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Submit the Colorado marriage-license application in person at the issuing clerk's office
Before the ceremony days after starting$30. Identification requirements typically include a current government-issued photo ID; some clerks also ask for a birth certificate or certified copy of any divorce decree.
Have identification and prior-marriage paperwork ready when filing the application
Before the ceremony days after startingStandard documents include a current driver's license or passport for each applicant, plus a certified divorce decree, annulment order, or spouse's death certificate for anyone previously married.
Plan the ceremony date around the statutory waiting period
Before the ceremony days after startingno waiting period. A ceremony performed before the waiting period runs is voidable; the couple should confirm the earliest lawful date directly with the clerk.
Confirm the license validity window before locking the ceremony date
Before applying days after starting35 days. The license expires by operation of law at the end of the window; a ceremony performed after expiration is not lawful and the couple must reapply.
Where the state recognizes a premarital-course incentive, plan the course before applying
Before the ceremony days after startingNo state-level statute. Governed by common law / municipal ordinance / case law as applicable. The clerk applies the fee reduction or waiting-period waiver based on the original course-completion certificate produced at filing.
Complete the ceremony with an officiant who falls inside the Colorado authorized-officiant list
At the ceremony days after startingA marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court, by a court magistrate, by a retired judge of a court, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by the parties to the marriage, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination or Indian nation or tribe. An out-of-state officiant performing the ceremony inside Colorado should be confirmed against the Colorado list, since reciprocity is not automatic.
Make sure the officiant files the executed license back with the issuing office promptly after the ceremony
After the ceremony days after startingRecording converts the license into a recorded marriage on the state's vital-records system and is what makes a certified marriage certificate available.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submit the Colorado marriage-license application in person at the issuing clerk's office | $30. Identification requirements typically include a current government-issued photo ID; some clerks also ask for a birth certificate or certified copy of any divorce decree. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Have identification and prior-marriage paperwork ready when filing the application | Standard documents include a current driver's license or passport for each applicant, plus a certified divorce decree, annulment order, or spouse's death certificate for anyone previously married. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Plan the ceremony date around the statutory waiting period | no waiting period. A ceremony performed before the waiting period runs is voidable; the couple should confirm the earliest lawful date directly with the clerk. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Confirm the license validity window before locking the ceremony date | 35 days. The license expires by operation of law at the end of the window; a ceremony performed after expiration is not lawful and the couple must reapply. | - | Before applying |
| Where the state recognizes a premarital-course incentive, plan the course before applying | No state-level statute. Governed by common law / municipal ordinance / case law as applicable. The clerk applies the fee reduction or waiting-period waiver based on the original course-completion certificate produced at filing. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Complete the ceremony with an officiant who falls inside the Colorado authorized-officiant list | A marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court, by a court magistrate, by a retired judge of a court, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by the parties to the marriage, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination or Indian nation or tribe. An out-of-state officiant performing the ceremony inside Colorado should be confirmed against the Colorado list, since reciprocity is not automatic. | - | At the ceremony |
| Make sure the officiant files the executed license back with the issuing office promptly after the ceremony | Recording converts the license into a recorded marriage on the state's vital-records system and is what makes a certified marriage certificate available. | - | After the ceremony |
Frequently Asked Questions
no waiting period. The waiting period (if any) starts running from the date the license is issued, not from the date the application is filed; the date that controls is the issuance date on the license itself.
$30. Confirming the exact dollar amount with the specific Colorado issuing office before the application appointment avoids surprises at the counter, especially in states where multiple clerks issue licenses at different fee levels.
recognized. The doctrine has been narrowed or abolished prospectively in most states over the past century. Couples planning a future marriage in Colorado should not assume common-law status without confirming the current rule against the state marriage code.
Other Colorado guides
Ready to Draft Your Document?
Get AI-powered legal documents with attorney review included. Plans start at $39.99/mo.