You decided to Elope, but you still need to obtain a Marriage License. This blog will guide you on how to get your Marriage License before your Elopement in Colorado in 4 easy steps and offer some specific tips if you plan on including your dog as a witness . Don’t spend a thousand hours trying to google the answers. By following this guide, you will be able to obtain your Marriage License in time for your perfect Elopement in Colorado.
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Steps to Obtain your Marriage License for your Colorado Elopement:
- Choose A Colorado County Clerk & Recorder’s Office
- Complete the Marriage License Application
- Go to the Clerk’s office with your partner
- Pay the Fee
Step 1: Choose a Colorado County Clerk & Recorder’s Office
Deciding which County Clerk & Recorder Office to choose depends merely on your preferences of location and availability. The county that issues in your license does not have to be where you live or where you plan on getting married. Marriage licenses in Colorado are issued at the state level, which means that any county can issue the license and you can get married anywhere in Colorado, regardless of which county issued it.
For example: You can get the license in Denver County, have the ceremony in Boulder, and live in another state — it’s still fully valid.
That’s why step #1 is flexible: all Colorado counties follow the same marriage laws.
Colorado County Clerk & Recorder Offices
Step 1 will be looking at the link provided above and making an appointment
Step 2: Complete the marriage license application
You must complete the application online, ahead of time, before scheduling your in appointment. These applications look different on all the different county websites, but ultimately ask for the same information.
A few examples are as follows:
Step 3 : Go to your appointment together (In-person or Online)
After submitting your application online and making an appointment, it is time to attend the appointment whether that be in person or online. It is important to have the required documents so you don’t have to reschedule and it does not affect your plans.
Both you and your intended spouse must present one of these valid forms of identification:
- U.S. state-issued driver’s license or permit
- U.S. state-issued ID
- U.S. military ID
- Passport that includes the English language, or passport with a certified English language translation
At the appointment these are the questions that you will be asked:
- The date that you are getting married
- Where you are marrying (license only valid in Colorado)
- The exact date and location of your divorce or previous spouse’s death, if applicable. Both parties must be able to provide this information. If you were previously in a civil union and are marrying someone else, you must provide the name of your partner in the civil union.
- Your relationship if related by blood
- The city and state where parents of both parties were born
Step 4. Pay the Fee
At the appointment, you will be asked to pay for your services, these are as follows.
- Marriage or Civil Union license: $30
- Committed Partnership license: $25
- License or Application copy: $0.25
- License or Application certified copy: $1.25
Recording
- Within 63 days: free
- After 63 days (late fee): $20
- Each additional day after 63 (up to $50): $5
Payment is accepted in cash, check or debit/credit card (MasterCard, Visa or Discover). Couples utilizing online appointments must use a debit/credit card.
Special Tips if you have Dogs & want them to Be your Witness
The following counties DO NOT allow Allow Paw Prints on the Official License
These counties have publicly stated that pet paw prints will be rejected if present on the official marriage license when returned for recording:
- Denver County — Paw prints are not accepted on the license.
- El Paso County (Colorado Springs area) Paw prints are no longer allowed; they can cause scanner/copying issues.
- Arapahoe County — Clerk’s office has also said pets are not accepted as witnesses via paw prints.
- Pueblo County — Marriage licenses with paw prints as a pet witness are not accepted.
The majority of Colorado counties currently still allow you to have your dog leave a paw print on your marriage license witness line, because Colorado law doesn’t require any witness signatures at all
If you want your dog to sign your marriage license, I would suggest the following steps to ensure that your marriage license is accepted after you Elope in Colorado.
- Call ahead: County policies can shift, and some offices interpret the rules differently.
- Ask what ink types are ok: Some clerks prefer pet-safe, ink-less paw pads for better legibility.
- Plan location around license pickup: You can pick up your license in one county (where paw prints are allowed) and marry anywhere in Colorado — the recorded license is still valid statewide.
Getting your Marriage license for your Colorado Elopement DOES NOT need to be complicated.
By following the steps in this blog, you will be able to get your marriage license in time for your Elopement!
Need help planning your Colorado Elopement? Reach out Here
Happy Planning & have a great time in Colorado
