Las Animas County Marriage License Search

The Las Animas County Clerk and Recorder in Trinidad issues marriage licenses for couples throughout southern Colorado.

Las Animas County Clerk and Recorder

Marriage licenses in Las Animas County come from the Clerk and Recorder office in Trinidad. Trinidad sits in the far south of Colorado near the New Mexico border. The town is about three hours from Denver and two hours from Colorado Springs. It is a good option for couples in southern Colorado or northern New Mexico who want a Colorado marriage license.

Both people must visit the clerk office together. Bring your IDs and payment. The staff will help you fill out the application. Most visits take less than half an hour. You get your license the same day with no waiting period.

What to Bring to the Clerk Office

Las Animas County follows Colorado state law for marriage licenses. You must be at least 18 years old to marry. If you are 16 or 17, you need a judge to sign a court order first. No one under 16 can get married in Colorado per state statute.

Bring a current photo ID to your visit. A driver license is the best choice. A passport also works. So does a state ID card. Make sure your ID is not expired. The clerk needs to verify your age and identity before issuing a license.

You need your Social Security number. The clerk only asks for the last four digits. If you do not have a Social Security number, you can sign an affidavit instead. The clerk will give you this form at the counter.

The application asks for your parents' names and addresses. This includes your mother's maiden name. If you do not know all this information, write what you can. The clerk will help you complete the form.

• Valid photo ID like driver license or passport
• Birth certificate if no photo ID available
• Last four digits of Social Security number
• Parents' full names
• Details of previous marriages if applicable
• $30 fee

Applying for Your Marriage License

Walk into the Las Animas County Clerk office during business hours. Tell the staff you need a marriage license. They will give you an application form. You can fill it out there or bring a completed form if you got it online first.

The form asks for basic information about both of you. Write your full names, birth dates, and places of birth. List your current addresses. Add your parents' names if you know them. If you were married before, include when that marriage ended. This can be a divorce date or the date your spouse died.

Give your completed form and IDs to the clerk. They will check everything and type up your license. You get it the same day. The whole process usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. Some days may be busier than others depending on how many people are at the office.

Pay the $30 fee before you leave. Your license is valid for 35 days from the date it is issued under C.R.S. 14-2-107. You can use it anywhere in Colorado. After 35 days it expires and you must apply again if you did not get married yet.

How to Get Married in Las Animas County

Colorado law allows self-solemnization. This means you can marry yourselves without a judge, minister, or other officiant. Just sign your license on your wedding day. The law is in C.R.S. 14-2-109.

Self-solemnization is simple. On your wedding day, fill out the ceremony details on your license. Write the date, time, and place. Both of you sign as the parties to the marriage. That is all you need to do. No witnesses are required in Colorado, but you can have them if you want.

If you prefer a traditional ceremony, you can have one. Judges, magistrates, and clergy can all perform weddings in Colorado. Retired judges are also allowed. Your friend or family member cannot sign as the officiant unless they are ordained clergy or an authorized judge.

After your ceremony, return the completed license to Las Animas County within 63 days. You can mail it or drop it off in person. Anyone can return it for you. If you are late, you may owe a fee of $20 plus $5 per day up to a maximum of $50.

Fees and Getting Copies

The marriage license costs $30 in Las Animas County. This is the same price in all 64 Colorado counties. The fee is set by state law in C.R.S. 14-2-106. You pay when you pick up your license.

After your license is recorded, you can order certified copies. The Las Animas County Clerk charges $1.25 per copy. This is much cheaper than the state charges. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment charges $17 for a copy from their office in Denver.

To order copies, contact the clerk office in person or by mail. If you mail your request, include a note with both full names and the marriage date. Send a check for the copy fee. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope to avoid handling fees. The clerk will mail your copies back to you.

Finding Marriage Records

Marriage records are public in Colorado. Anyone can request a copy of a marriage certificate. The license application itself is confidential. Only the people named on the license can get copies of the application.

To find a marriage record in Las Animas County, contact the Clerk and Recorder office. Give them the names of both people and the approximate date of marriage. The staff will search their files. Recent records are easy to find. Older records may take longer if they are archived.

You can also contact the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Their office is at 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South in Denver. Call (303) 692-2000 with questions. They keep a central database of all Colorado marriages. The fee is $17 for a certified copy.

Online ordering is available through VitalChek at vitalchek.com. This is a private company that works with the state. They charge service fees on top of the state fee. It is faster than mail but costs more.

Other Counties Near Las Animas

If Las Animas County is not convenient, try a nearby county. All Colorado marriage licenses work statewide. You can apply in one county and marry in another. The fee is always $30.

Huerfano County is north of Las Animas County. The county seat is Walsenburg. This is about 30 miles from Trinidad. The clerk office there issues marriage licenses for the same $30 fee.

Pueblo County is farther north. The city of Pueblo has a clerk office. Call (719) 583-6507 for information about marriage licenses. Pueblo is about 80 miles from Trinidad.

Otero County is east of Las Animas County. The county seat is La Junta. This is about an hour drive from Trinidad. The clerk office there follows the same state rules for marriage licenses.