Civil Union & Marriage Licenses

The County presents this website as a service to the public. We have tried to ensure that the information contained in this electronic document system is accurate. The County makes no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content at this site or at other sites to which we link. Assessing accuracy and reliability of information is the responsibility of the user.

The County shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for any damages in connection with the use of the information contained herein.

As of 3:00 p.m., October 6, 2014, the Larimer County Clerk and Recorder Office began accepting marriage license applications and issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples.

A civil union or marriage license can be obtained by visiting the Clerk and Recorder office at any of our three locations. Both parties to the union or marriage must be present (see below for information on how to apply if both parties cannot be present), and provide valid identification:

Acceptable ID includes:

• Valid Driver's License (or temporary issued with voided previous license)
• Passport (both expired and valid)
• Valid state identification card
• Military identification
• Alien Registration Card (Green card)
• Any U.S. government issued identification containing a photo, date of birth, issue date and expiration date

Unacceptable ID includes:

• Birth Certificate
• Matricula Consular cards
• Expired drivers licenses
• Voter registration cards
• Social security cards

Please note: The Loveland and Estes Park locations also serve as Vehicle Licensing branch offices. Applying for a civil union or marriage license at these offices may mean longer wait times, especially on the 1st and last days of any month.

Our offices are located at:

All questions should be directed to:

• Phone: (970) 498-7860
• Email: recording@larimer.org

Prior to your ceremony, both parties to the union or the marriage must come to our office to complete and sign the license application. You do not have to be a Colorado resident to apply for a civil union or a marriage license.

If one of the parties cannot appear in person, he or she must complete a 

If either party has been married or party to a union previously, we require the date, place and type of court where the divorce/dissolution took place. Widows/widowers need to supply the date and place of death of their former spouse.

Restrictions

A couple is prohibited from entering into a union or marrying when one of the parties is still party to a union or married to another person. Divorces/Dissolutions must be final. Unions or marriages are also prohibited between ancestor and descendant, brother and sister, uncle and niece, or aunt and nephew, whether the relationship is by half or whole blood. Union or marriage between cousins is permitted in the State of Colorado.

Age Requirement

• The age requirements for parties to a marriage are:
  • Ages 18 or older, no parental consent is required.
  • Ages 16 or 17 require a certified copy of a judicial order showing permission to marry

Blood Test

As of July 1, 1989, blood tests are no longer required for either party in the State of Colorado.

Civil Union or Marriage License Application Process

The cost of the license is $30.00 and must be used within 35 days of issuance

Ceremony

Civil union or marriage licenses issued in the State of Colorado cannot be used in any other state or country. Couples themselves may solemnize their own union or marriage (self-solemnizing a union or a marriage means a couple can perform their own ceremony. A third party is not required.) (C.R.S. 14-2-109). Although the couple may solemnize their own union or marriage, that does not mean a friend or relative can sign as an officiant on a civil union or a marriage certificate. Instructions for self-solemnizing your ceremony are provided at the time you appear in our office to apply for the license. Others who can solemnize a union or a marriage are judges, retired judges, magistrates, Indian tribe officials and clergy.

Clergy, officiants, or judges from out-of-state need not be registered in Colorado.

License

The person solemnizing the union or the marriage shall complete the civil union or the marriage certificate. The license must be returned to the County Clerk and Recorder within 63 days after the ceremony and can be returned by anyone. Any person who fails to return the civil union or the marriage certificate to the County Clerk and Recorder office shall be required to pay a $20 late fee and an additional $5 late fee may be assessed for each additional day of failure to comply up to a maximum of $50.

Be sure the certificate is filled out entirely, including county, date of ceremony, time of the ceremony, physical location of ceremony, the officiant signature, the officiant's title, and the signature of both parties.

Witnesses are not required in the State of Colorado. If you choose to have witnesses, there are no restrictions on the age of your witnesses. Feel free to have children sign!

Once the license has been returned to one of the Clerk and Recorder offices, it will be recorded and imaged by our Fort Collins office. The original license may be retained for 3-4 days for the recording process to be complete. If you haven't received your original license back from us within 14 days after it has been recorded with our office, please call (970) 498-7860.

You may obtain a certified copy of the license immediately upon its return to the Fort Collins office or within 3 days after the license is returned to either the Loveland or Estes Park office. To obtain certified copies of your civil union or your marriage license/certificate, please use the following procedures:

Information required with request

• Reception Number of recorded license
• Full names of both parties
• Date of ceremony

To request via mail

• Submit a written request to our office stating the following:
• The mailing address where we can return your copies
• Please include payment - Certified copies of the civil union or the marriage license/certificate are $1.25 each, regular copies are $0.25 each

Mail your request to:

Larimer County Clerk and Recorder
Attn: Copies
PO Box 1280
Fort Collins, CO 80522

To request via phone

Please call (970) 498-7860

Please note: Payments made via credit card over the phone are subject to a third party administrative fee. Please contact our office for more details.

To request in person

Please visit any one of our three office locations:

• Fort Collins – 200 W. Oak Street, 1st Floor, Recording Department
• Loveland – 200 Peridot Ave. (NW corner of 1st & Denver)
• Estes Park – 1601 Brodie Avenue
• Payment can be made by check, money order, cash, or credit card

Please note: Payments made via credit card are subject to a third party administrative fee. Please contact our office for more details.

The Clerk and Recorder office does not provide any forms pertaining to a common law marriage. Information can be obtained by visiting the Colorado Attorney General's website.