Colorado Marriage Records

Marriage records in Colorado serve as official documentation of legal unions within the state and typically include both marriage licenses and marriage certificates. These records are considered vital records and are confidential under Colorado law. Only certain individuals, such as the parties named in the record, their children, or authorized representatives, can access them.

Marriage records can be obtained through the Colorado State Archives, which holds some older records, or through the county clerk and recorder's office where the marriage occurred. The Archives hold records from before 1960, while more recent records are typically found at the county level. The Archives also provide a searchable statewide marriage index for marriages between 1890 and 1939, listing basic details like spouse names, marriage dates, and license numbers.

To request a marriage record, individuals can use online, email, or mail services provided by the Colorado State Archives or contact the appropriate county office directly. Specific details, such as names, dates, and case numbers, may be required to facilitate the search. Marriage records are often needed for legal purposes, including applying for and proving eligibility for certain government benefits.

What are Marriage Records?

Marriage records in Colorado are documents attesting to the legal union between couples in the Centennial State. A marriage record in the state is typically a marriage certificate but may include a marriage license. A marriage certificate is issued to married couples upon completing their marriage ceremony in line with Colorado law. On the other hand, a marriage license is a permit authorizing two individuals to be joined together in matrimony; without it, a marriage cannot happen in Colorado.

Marriage records are vital records and are deemed confidential under Section 25-2-117 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Hence, Colorado marriage records are not searchable online; they can only be released to persons considered eligible, such as the individuals named on the records, their children, or persons authorized by the individuals named on the record. However, the state maintains a marriage index that the public may search online. In a marriage index search result, you can find the name of each spouse, the date of the marriage, the county of the marriage, and the marriage license number.

Marriage records not held by the Colorado State Archives may be found by contacting the County Clerk and Recorder of the county. You do not have to provide a reason when requesting Colorado marriage records. Individuals may request a marriage record for various purposes, including needing it for applying for a passport or visa, changing their name, proving eligibility for government benefits, proving status for divorce proceedings, or establishing inheritance rights.

Marriages in Colorado

In 2022, the marriage rate in Colorado was 7.5 per 1,000 population. This is an increase from the 7.4 and 6.7 marriage rates recorded in the state in 2021 and 2020, respectively; however, the 2020 figure may be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to past decades, the decline in marriage rates has been part of a broader trend seen across the United States since the 1980s.

The median age for first-time marriages in Colorado continued to rise in 2022, with men marrying at an average age of 30 and women at 28. The state's largest urban areas, including Denver, Colorado Springs, and Aurora, accounted for most marriages, reflecting their higher populations and diverse demographics.

Divorce rates in Colorado have been declining since 1990, when the state recorded 5.5 divorces per 1,000 population. In 2022, Colorado recorded 2.9 divorces per 1,000 residents, the same as in 2020 and the lowest divorce rate since 1990.

To be married in Colorado, you must get a valid marriage license. County clerk's offices in the state are where marriage license applications are completed. However, certain restrictions or requirements exist for couples seeking to get married in Colorado. Firstly, there is an age requirement. Typically, applicants for Colorado marriage licenses need to be 18. If a marriage license applicant is aged 16 or aged 17, written consent is required from each of the parents or the parents with legal custody or an approved guardian. Otherwise, judicial approval must be obtained from the county. If an applicant is aged 15, they must obtain an order from the court authorizing them to be married and the consent of each parent or the parent or guardian with legal custody.

Secondly, marriages are not permitted when an applicant trying to get a marriage license is already married or if the marriage is intended to be between a descendant and ancestor, uncle and niece, brother and sister, or aunt and nephew. Also, Colorado does not validate any of the applications for marriage licenses issued by another state. A marriage license can be had in any county in the state, regardless of the intended location of the marriage ceremony, provided the ceremony occurs in Colorado. There aren't mandatory blood tests to obtain a marriage license or get married in the Centennial State.

Colorado law requires applicants for a marriage license to appear in person at a local county clerk and recorder office in the state. While counties allow applicants to begin their applications online, they must still appear in person at the county clerk's office to complete and submit their applications. The state recommends that applicants visit the county clerk's website or contact the clerk's office for specific steps in completing an application meant to unlock a marriage license. If an applicant isn't able to show up in person at the local clerk and recorder's office, the other applicant is required to complete the application in person while providing a copy of the ID for the missing individual as well as an absentee application filled out, signed, and notarized.

Both parties are required to give each of these things to obtain a Colorado marriage license:

A $30 fee for the marriage license application. You should check with the office or the clerk and recorder for the acceptable payment means
Proof of ID showing the date of birth, such as a birth certificate, Military ID, state driver's license, alien reg card, passport, or certificate of naturalization
Date of divorce, type of divorce court used, and the place of the divorce (applicable to divorced applicants)
Date and location of death (applicable to widowed applicants)

Upon getting a marriage license, your union is required to be solemnized in a period of 35 days or less after the marriage license issuance date. Otherwise, the given license is now void, and the couple must obtain a new license. Witnesses are not required at a Colorado marriage ceremony, and the ceremony can be officiated by:

Individuals, through the method of self-solemnization
A court magistrate
A judge of a court
A retired judge of a court
A tribal or religious official given the authority to perform the ceremony
Clergy
A public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages

Self-solemnization is a unique marriage option in Colorado that permits a couple to marry themselves without the need for an officiant or witnesses. This legal process allows couples to exchange vows and formalize their union in a private, intimate ceremony within the boundaries of state law. In Colorado, self-solemnization is fully recognized as a valid form of marriage, including for elopements, provided all legal documentation is appropriately completed and adheres to Colorado state regulations.

Upon the completion of the marriage ceremony, the individual officiating the marriage must complete the marriage certificate form and submit it to the clerk and recorder’s office within 63 days of the ceremony. The license may be sent to the clerk’s office by mail or submitted in an in-person visit. Failure to submit the completed marriage certificate within the 63-day period will result in a $20.00 late fee, with an additional $5.00 penalty for each day the submission is delayed, up to a maximum of $50.00.

Colorado permits marriage by proxy. Therefore, individuals may designate another party to act in their stead and finalize the marriage. In Colorado, a proxy marriage is permitted if:

One of the parties involved is a bonafide Colorado resident; and
One included individual is a member of the US armed forces stationed abroad or in another state for combat or military operations or a government contract employee tasked with supporting US military operations overseas or in a different state.

If the couple intends to have a proxy marriage, a single applicant must apply in front of the officiant and present the following:

A signed, finalized, and notarized absentee application
A completed Sworn Statement Affidavit if the applicant lacks a Social Security number
A copy of the absent party’s ID used for notarizing the affidavit
A completed, signed, and notarized Authorization of Proxy Marriage
A copy depicting a contractor or military ID

As of October 7, 2014, Colorado legalized same-sex marriage, allowing the state to issue marriage certificates to same-sex couples. In addition to recognizing gay marriage, Colorado also acknowledges civil unions for same-sex couples, providing legal recognition and protections similar to those of marriage. The state further recognizes common law marriages, extending legal status to couples who meet specific criteria without a formal ceremony. Additionally, Colorado permits marriage between first cousins, making it one of the states where such unions are legally recognized.

Colorado Marriage Certificate

A Colorado marriage certificate and a marriage license are on the same paper. The license grants permission to be legally married in the state, while the certificate portion is completed on the marriage day, documenting the location and the date of the marriage. Both partners will sign the certificate and the marriage officiant (if a marriage officiant is used), making it legally binding. Upon signing the marriage document, you or the marriage officiant must return it to the county clerk's office that issued it. Subsequently, you will be issued a copy of the marriage document, which may be referred to as a marriage certificate. A Colorado marriage certificate includes information such as:

The full names of the spouses
The county and location of the marriage
The date of the marriage
The name, title, and signature of the officiant (if the marriage is not self-solemnized)
The bride and groom's signatures

How to Find and Access Colorado Marriage Records

The Colorado State Archives maintains a selection of old marriage certificates, but not all. Generally, if a marriage took place after 1960, the State Archives is unlikely to have the certificate for that marriage. For marriages after this date, Colorado recommends that requesters begin their search at the clerk and recorder's office in the county where the marriage occurred. The Colorado State Archives holds marriage licenses, applications, certificates, and registers. Note that most Colorado marriage records do not contain the parents' names of the groom and bride.

The Colorado State Archives database includes a statewide marriage index for marriages held between 1890 and 1939. The index is an alphabetical listing containing the names of spouses, the date of the marriage, the county of the marriage, and the marriage license number. The State Archives published a list of marriage records held in its database.

Finding and Accessing Colorado Marriage Records Online

If the marriage record you seek is included in the list of marriage records maintained in the Colorado State Archives database, you may visit the Archives Search page to complete an online form to request a marriage record.

Finding and Accessing Colorado Marriage Records Offline

You can make a formal request to search the Colorado State Archives database by submitting a request by email or mail. Email requests may be sent to dpa_research@state.co.us, while mail requests may be submitted to:

Colorado State Archives

Request Desk

1313 Sherman St, Room 120

Denver, CO 80203-2274

No form of payment may be included when submitting a request by mail. The State Archives will contact you after receiving your request for the applicable fee. When making a request by mail or email, you must include as much information as possible, including:

Your name
Your return address and the address where you would like the record mailed
Your phone number
Your email
The type of record requested
The county or government office the record is from
The case number, certificate number, or any other identifying number for the record
The name of any person or organization relevant to the search
The date of the record or your best guess of the date of the record
Indicate if you want the record to be certified

If insufficient information is provided in your request, a State Archives staff will contact you to remedy your request. If you do not communicate with the department within 30 days, the State Archives will close the request.

If the record you want is not available from the Colorado State Archives or you prefer to make your request to a local marriage record custodian, contact the county clerk and recorder's office where the marriage license was filed.

References

Counties in Colorado

List of Content

What are Marriage Records?
1. Marriages in Colorado
2. Colorado Marriage Certificate
How to Find and Access Colorado Marriage Records
1. Finding and Accessing Colorado Marriage Records Online
2. Finding and Accessing Colorado Marriage Records Offline