Search Douglas County Marriage License

Marriage licenses in Douglas County are handled by the Clerk and Recorder in Castle Rock. Online applications are available to speed up the process.

Douglas County Clerk and Recorder Office

The Douglas County Clerk and Recorder is at 301 Wilcox Street in Castle Rock. This office issues all marriage licenses for the county. Staff are available Monday through Friday during business hours to help couples apply. The office serves both Douglas County residents and visitors from other areas.

Douglas County offers online applications to save time. Fill out the form at douglas.co.us before your visit. This makes the in-person part faster. Both people must still appear together to pick up the license.

Douglas County allows couples to complete the entire process in one visit. You can apply, receive your license, self-solemnize, sign, and record it during your office appointment. Or you can take the license and use it for a ceremony elsewhere in Colorado. The choice is yours.

How to Apply for a License

Start by filling out the online application on the Douglas County website. The form asks for your full names, birth dates, birth places, and social security numbers. You need the last four digits of your SSN. Parents' names and addresses are also required.

If you were married before, list that information too. The form takes about 10 minutes to complete. Save your confirmation or print it out. This speeds up your office visit.

Visit the clerk office in Castle Rock with your partner. Both of you must be there. Bring valid photo ID. A driver license, passport, or military ID works. State-issued ID cards are fine too. If you have no photo ID, bring an original birth certificate.

Pay the $30 fee by cash, check, or credit card. The clerk will verify your documents and print your license. It is issued the same day. No waiting period exists under C.R.S. 14-2-107. You can use it right away anywhere in Colorado.

Required items:

• Completed online application
• Valid photo ID for both people
• Social security number or affidavit
• $30 payment
• Divorce decree if applicable

Douglas County Marriage Requirements

Both people must be at least 18 years old to apply without restrictions. If either person is 16 or 17, a judicial order from juvenile court is required under C.R.S. 14-2-108. No one under 16 can get married in Colorado.

You do not need to be a Colorado resident. Out-of-state couples are welcome. The only residency requirement applies to proxy marriages. One party must be a Colorado resident for a proxy wedding. That person also needs to be in the armed forces or working as a government contractor.

If you were married before, bring proof that it ended. A divorce decree or death certificate works. The clerk needs to see this. Colorado bans bigamy under C.R.S. 14-2-110. You cannot have two active marriages at once.

Certain family relationships are prohibited. You cannot marry a parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew. Marriage between first cousins is allowed in Colorado. This differs from many states.

Foreign birth certificates must be in English. If yours is in another language, bring a notarized translation. The clerk needs to read and verify all documents.

Getting Married in Douglas County

Colorado law at C.R.S. 14-2-109 allows three types of ceremonies. You can choose a religious ceremony with clergy. You can have a civil ceremony with a judge or magistrate. Or you can self-solemnize without an officiant.

Self-solemnization is a unique Colorado option. You do not need a third party. Just the two of you can make it legal. Sign the marriage certificate as the officiating party and as the married couple. Fill in the date, time, and place of your ceremony. Return it to the Douglas County Clerk within 63 days.

Douglas County makes this easy. You can self-solemnize right at the clerk office during your appointment. This completes the whole process in one visit. Or take the license home and do it at your own ceremony later.

For a civil ceremony, contact a judge or magistrate. Public officials with authority can perform marriages. Douglas County Court may offer this service. Call ahead to schedule.

Religious ceremonies need an officiant from a recognized denomination or tribe. The officiant does not need Colorado registration. Out-of-state clergy can officiate here. Friends or relatives cannot serve as officiants unless they have legal or religious credentials.

Witnesses are not required in Colorado. You can have them if you want. There is no age limit. Kids can sign if you choose. Douglas County notes that friends or relatives cannot solemnize a marriage unless authorized to conduct a religious or civil ceremony in Colorado.

Recording Your Marriage

The completed marriage certificate must be returned to the Douglas County Clerk and Recorder within 63 days. If you had an officiant, they usually handle this. If you self-solemnized, you mail it back yourself.

Mail to: Douglas County Clerk and Recorder, 301 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, CO 80104. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want copies mailed back.

Late returns trigger fees. A $20 minimum late fee applies. An additional $5 per day is charged up to a max of $50 total. These fees are set by C.R.S. 14-2-109. Return your certificate on time to avoid extra costs.

Once recorded, the marriage becomes official. You can order certified copies from the Douglas County Clerk. The cost is $1.25 per certified copy. Plain copies are 25 cents per page. Certified copies are needed for name changes, joint accounts, and legal matters.

Douglas County notes that a copy of a marriage license is not considered official unless it is obtained from the County Clerk's Office. Get your copies from the proper source to ensure they are accepted.

Privacy and Public Access

Marriage license applications are held confidential under Colorado law. Not everyone can access them. Only the parties to the marriage or people with a legal interest can request copies of the application.

The marriage certificate itself becomes a public record once filed. Anyone can request a copy. If you need privacy protections, ask the clerk about your options. Some information may be redacted from public copies.

To order certified copies by mail, send a written request to the Douglas County Clerk. Include your name, the names on the license, the marriage date, and payment. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope to avoid shipping and handling charges.

Legal Assistance in Douglas County

Colorado Legal Services provides free legal help to low-income residents. They handle family law matters including marriage issues. Call 303-837-1313 or visit coloradolegalservices.org for help.

The Colorado Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service at 303-860-1115. This can connect you with family law attorneys in Douglas County. The first consultation is often at a reduced rate.

Cities in Douglas County

Douglas County has several cities and towns. All residents apply for marriage licenses at the Douglas County Clerk and Recorder in Castle Rock. Cities with populations over 25,000 are listed below.

Other towns in Douglas County include Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, and Larkspur. All use the same clerk office in Castle Rock for marriage licenses.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Douglas County. You can get a marriage license from any Colorado county. The license works statewide. Some couples choose based on location or wait times.