Boulder County Marriage License

Marriage licenses in Boulder County are issued remotely through video appointments. The Recording Division office is closed to the public for in-person visits.

Boulder County's Remote Application Process

Boulder County uses a fully remote process for marriage licenses. The Recording Division office at 1750 33rd St. in Boulder is closed to the public. All applications are done through video appointments. This system started during the pandemic and has continued. It makes the process easier for many people who live in Boulder County.

To apply, you must first complete the online application. After that, you schedule a video appointment for ID verification. Both people must be present together in the same room during the video call. You must both be physically located in Colorado at the time of the appointment. The county uses Microsoft Teams for video calls, so download that app before your scheduled time. Spanish-speaking staff are available if needed.

At your video appointment, staff will verify your IDs and review your application. You will e-sign the application during the call. Payment is processed online using e-check or credit card. Credit card payments include a fee of $0.75 plus 2.26% of the total. Once everything is approved, Boulder County will mail your marriage license to you via USPS. The mailing address must be in Colorado. The county cannot mail licenses outside the state.

Requirements for Out-of-State Applicants

If you live outside Colorado, Boulder County has different rules. Out-of-state applicants cannot use the remote video process. You must come to Colorado in person. Both people must be physically present in Colorado to apply. Once your application is approved, you must pick up your license the same day in person. Boulder County cannot mail a license to an address outside Colorado under C.R.S. 14-2-107.

Call the Recording Division at 303-413-7770 to schedule your appointment if you are coming from out of state. Make sure both people can be in Colorado for the full process. Plan to pick up your license in person before you leave the state.

What You Need for Your Application

Both people must have valid photo ID ready for the video appointment. A driver license, passport, military ID, or state-issued ID card will work. Your ID must be current and not expired. Have your ID in hand during the video call so staff can verify it. Some Colorado licenses have a note that says "Not valid for federal identification." Boulder County may not accept these, so have a backup ID ready if yours has that stamp.

You need to know your Social Security number. The form asks for the last four digits only under C.R.S. 14-2-105. If one of you does not have a Social Security number, you must complete an affidavit. This form explains why you do not have a number. You can sign it during your video appointment or have it notarized ahead of time.

The application asks for your parents' full names and addresses. You must list your mother's full maiden name and your father's full name. This is a Colorado state requirement. If you do not have this information, the staff will explain your options during your appointment.

If either of you was married before, you need the date your previous marriage ended. This could be a divorce date or the date your spouse died. You do not need to show documents, but the date must be on the application. Boulder County cannot issue a new license until all prior marriages are legally ended.

Step-by-Step Process

First, complete the online application on the Boulder County website. Fill out all fields carefully. The application asks for information about both people, including names, addresses, dates of birth, places of birth, parents' information, and details about any past marriages.

Second, schedule your video appointment through the county's online scheduling system. Pick a time that works for both of you. Make sure you have Microsoft Teams installed on your device before the appointment time. Test your camera and microphone to avoid technical problems.

Third, attend your video appointment. Both people must be present in the same room and both must be physically in Colorado. Have your IDs and payment information ready. Staff will verify your IDs, review your application, and process your payment. You will e-sign the application during the video call.

Fourth, wait for your license to arrive by mail. Boulder County will mail it to the address you provided on your application. Make sure the address is in Colorado. Once you receive your license, you can use it anywhere in the state for your ceremony.

Self-Solemnization Instructions

Boulder County provides clear instructions for self-solemnization. This is the process where you marry yourselves without an officiant. Under C.R.S. 14-2-109, the two people getting married can sign their own certificate. No judge, minister, or other third party is needed.

To self-solemnize in Boulder County, fill out the certificate section of your license on your wedding day. Enter the Colorado county where your ceremony takes place. Enter the date, month, year, time, and exact location. Both people sign as the "Officiating Party." Write "The Parties to the Marriage" where it asks for the officiant's title. Then both people sign again as Party One and Party Two. Your signatures must match your ID.

Witness signatures are not required. You can have witnesses if you want, and kids can sign if you choose. After your ceremony, return the completed license to Boulder County within 63 days. You can use one of the 24-hour drop boxes at the following locations:

• 1750 33rd St., Boulder (parking lot side)
• 1755 S. Public Road, Lafayette (slot on exterior wall)
• 529 Coffman St., Longmont

Fees and Payment

The marriage license fee is $30 in Boulder County. You can pay with e-check or credit card during your video appointment. E-check has no extra fee. Credit card payments include a fee of $0.75 plus 2.26% of the total transaction amount. This comes out to about $1.43 in fees for a $30 license paid by credit card.

Certified copies of your recorded marriage certificate cost $1 per document in Boulder County. Regular copies cost 25 cents per page. Most people get one or two certified copies when they record their license. There is no fee to record your completed certificate, but you must do it within 63 days to avoid late fees.

If you miss the 63-day deadline, you will owe a late fee. The minimum late fee is $20 under C.R.S. 14-2-109. After that, the county can charge $5 per day up to a maximum of $50. Drop off or mail your completed certificate on time to avoid these extra costs.

Important Timelines

Your marriage license is valid as soon as Boulder County issues it. There is no waiting period in Colorado. You can hold your ceremony the same day you receive your license if you want. The license remains valid for 35 days from the date of issue under C.R.S. 14-2-107. Plan your ceremony within that window or your license will expire.

If your license expires before you use it, you must apply for a new one and pay the $30 fee again. Boulder County cannot extend the 35-day validity period. After your ceremony, you have 63 days to return the completed certificate to the Recording Division. You can mail it or drop it off at any of the three 24-hour drop box locations listed above.

Proxy Marriages and Absentee Affidavits

If one person cannot attend the video appointment, that person may complete an absentee affidavit. This is a notarized form that allows the other person to apply alone. Boulder County notes that absentee affidavit cases cannot be done remotely. Call the office at 303-413-7770 for details on how to handle an absentee situation.

Colorado allows proxy marriages in very limited situations under C.R.S. 14-2-109. One party must be a Colorado resident. The other party must be in the armed forces stationed abroad or working as a government contractor supporting military operations. Both people must be 18 or older. Self-solemnization is not allowed for proxy marriages. You must have an authorized officiant perform the ceremony. Boulder County requires additional forms for proxy marriages, including an Absentee Application, Sworn Statement Affidavit, and Authorization of Proxy Marriage.

Age Rules

You must be 18 years old to get a marriage license in Boulder County without extra steps. If you are 16 or 17, you need a court order from a juvenile court judge. Colorado law under C.R.S. 14-2-108 does not allow parental consent. You must go through the court process. No one under age 16 can marry in Colorado. This rule was set in 2019 with HB19-1316.

Both people must be legally free to marry. If you are still married to someone else, Boulder County cannot issue a new license. All prior marriages must be ended by divorce or death. You also cannot marry a close blood relative under C.R.S. 14-2-110. Marriage between cousins is allowed in Colorado.

Additional Boulder County Resources

Boulder County has an online public records search system available at boulder.co.publicsearch.us. You can search for recorded marriage certificates and other documents. The county also has online services at recorder.bouldercounty.org for various recording division functions.

Colorado does not require blood tests for marriage. There is no waiting period after you get your license. You can use it immediately. Clergy do not need to register in Colorado. They just need to be ordained by a recognized religious organization. Out-of-state clergy can perform marriages in Boulder County as long as they are ordained.

Common law marriage is recognized in Colorado. If you and your partner have lived together and presented yourselves as married, you may have a common law marriage even without a license. You can apply for a regular license and self-solemnize to create an official record of your relationship in Boulder County.

Cities in Boulder County

Boulder County includes several cities. All residents in these cities get their marriage license from the Boulder County Recording Division through the remote video process.

Other cities in Boulder County include Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Superior, and parts of Broomfield. All couples in these areas use the same remote video application process through Boulder County.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Boulder County. You can apply for a marriage license in any Colorado county.