Brighton Marriage License Lookup

Marriage licenses in Brighton are issued by the Adams County Clerk and Recorder, with the main office conveniently located right in Brighton.

Adams County Office Location

Brighton residents apply for marriage licenses through Adams County. The main office is at 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy, 1st Floor, Suite E2400, Brighton, CO 80601-8203. This office handles all marriage and civil union licenses for Adams County residents, including those living in Brighton. Call (720) 523-6020 for general questions or to schedule your appointment.

Most of Brighton falls within Adams County, though small areas may be in Weld County. If you're near the county line, check your address to confirm which county you're in. Either county can issue your license, but it's easier to use the county where you live. Once you get a license from one county, you can use it for ceremonies anywhere in Colorado.

The Brighton office is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Appointments are mandatory with no exceptions. The county strictly enforces this policy. Failure to schedule an appointment may result in refusal of service.

How to Apply

Adams County requires you to complete an online application before scheduling your appointment. Visit recording.adcogov.org to access the application portal. All fields must be completed, including information about your parents. This is a state requirement under C.R.S. 14-2-105 and is not negotiable. The form generates a 7-digit order or transaction number when you finish.

You need this number to schedule your appointment. Go to adamscounty.qmatic.io/booking to book your time slot. Appointments fill up fast. Schedule yours 2-3 weeks before your ceremony date. If you wait until the last minute, you may not find an available time before your wedding.

Both parties must appear in person at your scheduled appointment. Bring valid photo identification. Adams County accepts driver's licenses, passports, state-issued IDs, military IDs, and original or certified birth certificates. Note that Colorado licenses with a black strip reading "Not valid for federal identification" may not be accepted. Call ahead to verify if you have this type of license.

You must provide your Social Security Number or at least the last four digits. If you don't have a Social Security Number, you need to complete an affidavit explaining why. The clerk's office has this form. You can sign it in front of a deputy county clerk at your appointment or get it notarized in advance.

Eligibility and Requirements

Both parties must be at least 18 years old to apply without restrictions. Colorado prohibits marriage for anyone under 16. Those who are 16 or 17 can marry only with a judicial court order from juvenile court. Parental consent alone is not sufficient since HB19-1316 passed in 2019. These court orders are rarely granted and require a formal hearing.

You don't need to be a Colorado resident to get a license here. Brighton residents and out-of-state couples can all apply at the Adams County office. No blood test is required. There is no waiting period between when you apply and when you can use your license.

If either person was married before, you need information about that prior marriage. Bring the divorce date, the name of the court that granted the divorce, and the city and state where that court is located. All divorces must be final before you can apply. If your former spouse died, you may need to provide that information as well.

You'll need information about your parents, even if you don't have contact with them. Provide their full names and addresses if known. Father's information should include first, middle, and last name. Mother's information should include first, middle, maiden name, and last name. If you don't know some of this information, explain why on the application.

Cost and Timeline

The marriage license fee is $30.00 statewide. This is set by Colorado statute and applies to all counties. Adams County accepts cash, checks, and credit cards. The license is valid immediately upon issue, so you can marry the same day if you want.

Your license remains valid for 35 days from the date of issue per C.R.S. 14-2-107. If you don't use it within 35 days, it becomes void. You must return it to the county clerk for cancellation. No refund is given for unused licenses.

After your ceremony, the completed certificate must be returned to Adams County within 63 days. Late returns result in fees. The minimum late fee is $20. An additional $5 per day is assessed up to a maximum total of $50. These penalties apply statewide under C.R.S. 14-2-109. Return your license on time to avoid these charges.

Types of Ceremonies

Colorado recognizes three types of marriage ceremonies. Religious ceremonies involve an officiant from a recognized religious denomination or Indian nation. Civil ceremonies are performed by judges, magistrates, retired judges, or other authorized public officials. Self-solemnization means you marry yourselves without an officiant, which is legal in Colorado under C.R.S. 14-2-109.

In a self-solemnization ceremony, both parties sign the marriage certificate in the section where an officiant would normally sign. Write "The Parties to the Marriage" as the title. No witnesses are required for any type of ceremony in Colorado, though you can include them if you want. There's no age limit for witnesses, so children can sign if you wish.

Not everyone can solemnize a marriage. Friends or relatives cannot sign as officiants unless they are authorized to conduct religious or civil ceremonies in Colorado. Online ordinations may not be recognized unless the person is affiliated with an established religious organization. Check with the clerk's office if you have questions about a specific officiant's qualifications.

Adams County does not provide officiants. You must arrange your own officiant or choose to self-solemnize. For civil ceremonies, contact local judges or magistrates. The county maintains a list of civil ceremony officiants on their website. You are welcome to invite an officiant to your appointment if you want to complete the entire process the same day.

Completing and Recording Your License

After your ceremony, the officiant completes the marriage certificate section of your license. If you self-solemnized, you complete this yourselves. The certificate must show the date of the ceremony, the time, the location, and the county where the ceremony occurred. Both parties must sign. The officiant signs and provides their title and contact information.

Return the completed license to Adams County within 63 days. You can mail it to 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy, Suite E2400, Brighton, CO 80601-8203. You can also drop it off in person during office hours. Anyone can return the license on your behalf. It doesn't have to be returned by one of the parties to the marriage.

Once the license is recorded, it becomes part of the permanent public record. Adams County will process your license and make it available for certified copies. There is no fee for recording the license, but late returns incur the penalties described earlier.

Special Circumstances

Adams County does not perform domestic partnerships. If you need a domestic partnership rather than a marriage or civil union, contact surrounding counties for this service. Some neighboring counties may offer different options.

Colorado recognizes common law marriage, but there's no such thing as a common law marriage license. If you want official documentation of a common law relationship, you can apply for a regular marriage license and then self-solemnize it. This creates an official record of your marriage date.

Proxy marriages are allowed in limited circumstances. One party must be a Colorado resident, and one party must be a member of the armed forces stationed abroad or a government contractor supporting military operations. Both parties must be at least 18 years old. Self-solemnization is not allowed for proxy marriages. Contact the clerk's office for required forms if you qualify for a proxy marriage.

If either applicant cannot appear in person due to military service or other reasons, the absent party must complete an absentee affidavit. This form must be notarized and is valid for 30 days from the notarization date. The present party brings the notarized affidavit to the appointment.

Getting Certified Copies

Once your license is recorded, you can order certified copies from Adams County. The fee is $1.25 per certified copy. You can request copies in person, by mail, or by phone. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with mail requests to avoid handling charges.

You can also get certified copies from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Vital Records Section. State copies cost $17.00 for the first copy and $10.00 for additional copies ordered at the same time. Normal processing time for online orders is 30 business days. You can order online at www.vitalchek.com or call (866) 632-2604.

Marriage license applications are confidential under Colorado law. Only the parties to the marriage or those with a direct and tangible interest can access the application. The marriage certificate itself is public record and can be accessed by anyone. When you order copies, you're typically ordering a copy of the recorded marriage certificate, not the original application.

Office Rules and Policies

Due to the sensitive nature of documents handled in the clerk's office and to ensure customer privacy, Adams County does not allow ceremonies to be performed in the office or lobby. You cannot take photos in the office either. Hold your ceremony elsewhere after you receive your license.

Only the two applicants are allowed at the appointment. The office handles multiple divisions of government services in limited space and cannot accommodate guests. Come to your appointment alone without family members, friends, or children unless they are also applying for a license.

Arrive on time for your appointment. Late arrivals may be turned away and required to reschedule. The office processes many appointments each day and cannot accommodate delays. If you need to cancel or reschedule, do so through the online booking system as far in advance as possible.

Adams County must use the county's own application form. They cannot accept applications from other counties. Even if you started an application with another county, you must complete a new Adams County application before scheduling your appointment in Brighton.

Additional Resources

For questions about marriage licenses, visit the Adams County website at adamscountyco.gov. You can also call the Recording Division at (720) 523-6020. Email is available but phone and in-person assistance is faster for urgent questions.

If you need legal assistance with family law matters, Colorado Legal Services provides free or low-cost help to qualifying residents. The Colorado Bar Association offers referral services for private attorneys. For questions about Colorado marriage law, consult Title 14 Article 2 of the Colorado Revised Statutes at colorado.public.law.

Adams County has a Bennett office that also handles marriage licenses by appointment. Call (720) 523-6020 to schedule at that location. The Brighton office is the main location and typically has more appointment times available. Both locations provide the same services and charge the same fees.