Marriage Licenses

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Please call 970-264-8350

to Schedule

Marriage License Appointments

and for Other Inquiries.

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970-264-8550 for Updated Hours of Operation.

Click Below to Access the Application


Marriage License Issue & Use

A marriage license may be issued in any county and used in any county in the State of Colorado. However, the license must be used within 35 days from the date of issue. The license is issued the day it is applied for and may be used immediately.

License Recording


You may purchase a marriage license anywhere in Colorado and use it in another county, but you must take the license back to the county where you purchased it for recording.

Fees


The fee for a marriage license is $30. This includes the recording fee. Only cash is accepted as payment; no credit cards or checks will be accepted. 

Consent
Legal age without parental consent is 18 for both persons.  Beginning August 2, 2019, if under the age of 18 and over the age of 16, Juvenile Court permission is required to obtain a license.  Licenses will not be issued to anyone under the age of 16.

Identification Requirements

Proof of Identity and Age; In order to issue a Marriage or Civil Union License, we must have valid proof of age and identity.  The following forms of identification are acceptable for age.  A photo ID is required for identification (C.R.S. 14-2-105, 14-15-109 & 24-72.1-101).

Secure and Verifiable forms of ID:
  • Any current Colorado Driver's License, Colorado Driver's Permit or Colorado Identification Card, current or expired one year or less
  • A valid out of state issued photo driver license or identification card
  • Current US Passport
  • Valid foreign passport with I-94 or valid processed for I551 stamps
  • Valid I-94 issued by the Canadian government with L1 or R1 status and a valid Canadian driver's license or valid Canadian identification card
  • A valid Canadian (only) passport without the I-94 issued
  • Valid I551 Resident Alien/Permanent Resident card.  No border crosser or USA B1/B2 Visa/BCC cards
  • Valid I688 Temporary Resident Card, I668B and I76 Employment Authorization Card with intact photo
  • Valid US Military ID (active duty, dependent, retired, reserve, or National Guard)
  • Original or certified copy of US Military separation papers (DD214) from the Department of Defense or Veteran Affairs.  Any DD214 marked with the disclaimer "Not to be used for identification" is not acceptable
  • Tribal identification card (US or Canadian)
  • United States or United States Territory Certified court order of adoption (must include date of birth)
  • Certificate or Naturalization with intact photo
Certificate of US Citizenship with intact photo

The following are NOT acceptable forms of ID:
  • Consular cards
  • City and county detention center ID cards
  • Novelty ID cards
  • Souvenir birth certificates (issued by hospitals)
  • Social Security cards
  • As of July 1989, blood tests are NOT required for either party
Required Information
  • Social Security number (per C.R.S. 14-14-113). If an applicant does not have a social security number, an affidavit of no social security number must be signed and notarized.

  • Place of Birth (City and State/Country)
  • Parents names, mother maiden name, and current address
  • Divorce Information (date, place, and court where granted)
  • If final divorce date is 30 days or less from date of application, a copy of the decree is required

Apply in Person

Both persons should be present to apply for the license.  If this is not possible, one party must appear with a completed, notarized absentee affidavit as well as a copy of approved identification for the absent party.  Applicants for a marriage license need not be Colorado residents. 

Proxy Marriage

Pursuant to C.R.S. 14-2-109, Colorado allows for proxy marriages.  One party must appear with a completed, notarized absentee affidavit and a by proxy affidavit as well as a copy of approved identification for the absent party.  The following requirements must also be met:
  • The absent party must be a member of the armed forces or the United States who is stationed in another country or in another state in support of combat or another military operation; or
  • The absent party must be a government contractor, or an employee of a government contractor, working in support of the armed forces of the United States in another country or in another state or in support of the United States military operations in another country or in another state
  • One party is a resident of Colorado
  • One party appears in person to apply for the marriage license and pays the required fees
  • The signatures of both parties to the proxy marriage are required, and the party present shall sign the marriage license application and provide an absentee affidavit form containing the notarized signature of the absent party, along with proper identification documents required for a marriage license for the absent party
  • Both parties are 18 year of age or older

Ceremonies

  • Couples may solemnize their own marriage/union (C.R.S. 14-02-0109)
  • Marriages/unions can also be solemnized by judges, retired judges, magistrates, authorized public officials or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by a religious affiliation
  • Couples who solemnize their own marriage/union license, complete the bottom portion, both signing as the officiating party and as party 1 and party 2
  • Clergy from out-of-state need not be registered in Colorado

Licenses

  • The person certifying the license shall complete the license form and forward it to the Clerk and Recorder's Office within sixty-three days (63) after certifying
Any person who fails to forward the license to the Clerk and 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 license to:
Archuleta County Clerk and Recorder
449 San Juan Street
PO Box 2589
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
  • Licenses must include the county and location where the union took place, the date the union was certified, the officiating party's signature and title and both parties' signatures

Common Law Marriages

  • Colorado has recognized common law marriage as legal and binding since 1877, and is one of twelve states to do so.  A common law marriage is established when the parties mutually consent to be husband and wife.  Common law marriage does not require any license, ceremony or documentation to be legal.  Parties to a common law marriage are entitled to all rights, privileges and responsibilities of a legal and binding marriage.  If the parties need documentation of a marriage, it is recommended that they file a signed, notarized affidavit, attesting to the marriage, with the county clerk and recorder in the county where they reside.  This affidavit will be filed as a document, not as a marriage record.  Only legal divorce or death of one of the parties may terminate common law marriage.

Copies

  • $1.25 per certified license
    Pursuant to C.R.S. 24-72-204(3)(a)(XIX)(A), copies of marriage applications are to be made available only to either party of the marriage or an immediate family member, please call for further information.

    Please send the completed and notarized form to:
    Archuleta County Clerk and Recorder
    449 San Juan Street
    PO Box 2589
    Pagosa Springs, CO 81147

    Researching Marriage Licenses


    Marriage licenses may be researched at the Clerk's Office. Records date back to 1885.