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Requirements & Procedures

How to Apply For a Marriage License

To apply for a marriage license, both you and your intended spouse must appear in person at the marriage license counter at the Office of the Clerk and Recorder, located on the first floor of the Webb Municipal Office Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave., Denver.

Hours to apply for a marriage license are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Our office is closed on municipal holidays and city budget furlough days.

 

Bring Identification

You and your intended spouse each must present one of these valid forms of identification:

  • U.S. driver's license or permit
  • U.S. state-issued ID
  • U.S. military ID
  • Passport (with certified English-language translation if non-English) 

Please note the name on the marriage license will appear exactly as it is on the ID you provide.

Additionally, if you have a Social Security number you are required to provide it. If the bride or groom does not have a Social Security number (they are from another country, or they are in the process of obtaining U.S. citizenship)they are not required to have one to get married.

Important Note: Birth certificates, baptismal certificates and Mexican Consular IDs (Matricula Consular) are not acceptable for marriage license applications.
 

Other Requirements

In addition to the above requirements, minors and those remarrying have additional requirements. See the accompanying section for information on remarriages. Requirements for minors are found on the Marriage of Minors page.

  • Blood tests are not required in Colorado, and there is no waiting period.
  • Applicants need not be Colorado residents.
  • The marriage license is valid for 30 days.
  • Be prepared to supply the place of birth (city and state) of each of your parents.
  • The completed marriage certificate (and attached license) must be returned to the Clerk and Recorder for recording within 60 days after solemnization. After that date, late fees will apply.
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Common Law Marriage

Colorado recognizes common law marriage as legal and binding. However, cohabitation alone does not constitute common law marriage. For more information on common law marriage, please see:

 
A common law marriage cannot be terminated except by court dissolution (divorce) or death.

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Unused Licenses Expire

Your marriage license may be used immediately upon issuance. It is valid for only 30 days after issuance. It may be used anywhere within Colorado.

If the license is not used, it must be returned to the Clerk and Recorder for cancellation.

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Is This a 2nd Marriage?

If you are widowed or divorced and wish to apply for a marriage license to remarry, you must provide the exact date (month, day and year) and location of your spouse's death or of your divorce.

If you are divorced you also must provide:

  • the location (city and state) of your divorce;
  • the type (district, superior, circuit, etc.) of court in which your divorce proceeding occurred; and
  • a certified copy of your divorce decree if your divorce was final within 30 days preceding the date you apply for a marriage license.
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