How to Get a Marriage License in Denver: Step by Step

If you want your nikah to be a legal marriage in Colorado as well, you need a marriage license first. Here is how it works in Denver, from applying to collecting the license, in plain steps.

At a glance

Where

Denver Clerk and Recorder, 200 W. 14th Ave., Denver, CO 80204

Booking

Appointment required, in person or virtual (Microsoft Teams). Appointments can be booked up to 7 days ahead; if none are open, check again the next day. Arriving more than 10 minutes late means rescheduling. The page gives conflicting notes on when in-person appointments resume (a banner mentions Oct. 13; another section mentions construction through late September), so confirm. Office hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Fee

$30 A 2.5% service fee applies to card payments (from May 1, 2025). Recording within 63 days of the ceremony is free; after 63 days there is a $20 late fee plus $5 per additional day (up to $50). Copies: $0.25 uncertified, $1.25 certified for license or application copies.

Payment

Cash, check payable to Manager of Finance, or Visa, MasterCard or Discover. Virtual appointments must be paid by card. Temporary checks are not accepted and card details are not taken by phone.

Who attends

Both people must appear, in person or on the same virtual screen at the same time (within Colorado for virtual). Up to two guests may come; witnesses are not required in Colorado. A notarized absentee affidavit or notarized power of attorney exists for a partner who cannot attend.

Valid for

Must be signed (solemnized) in Colorado within 35 days of the issue date, and returned for recording within 63 days of the ceremony. The license and certificate are one form; do not separate them.

Same day?

Virtual appointments: the license is mailed to a Colorado address. If the wedding is within two weeks, the page advises booking an in-person appointment because mailed licenses may not arrive in time.

Step by step

1. Apply. Both people complete the online application first (no account needed), then schedule an appointment. The page asks you to read the marriage license requirements PDF before applying.
2. Book or plan your visit. Appointment required, in person or virtual (Microsoft Teams). Appointments can be booked up to 7 days ahead; if none are open, check again the next day. Arriving more than 10 minutes late means rescheduling. The page gives conflicting notes on when in-person appointments resume (a banner mentions Oct. 13; another section mentions construction through late September), so confirm. Office hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.
3. Gather your ID and documents. See the list below. Bring originals.
4. Attend and pay. Both people must appear, in person or on the same virtual screen at the same time (within Colorado for virtual). Up to two guests may come; witnesses are not required in Colorado. A notarized absentee affidavit or notarized power of attorney exists for a partner who cannot attend. Cash, check payable to Manager of Finance, or Visa, MasterCard or Discover. Virtual appointments must be paid by card. Temporary checks are not accepted and card details are not taken by phone.
5. Give the license to your officiant. Your imam needs it at the ceremony, and must be authorized to solemnize marriages in Colorado. Must be signed (solemnized) in Colorado within 35 days of the issue date, and returned for recording within 63 days of the ceremony. The license and certificate are one form; do not separate them.

What to bring

• Valid ID for both people: U.S. state driver's license or permit, U.S. state ID, U.S. military ID, or passport (English or with certified translation). Birth certificates, baptismal certificates and foreign consular IDs are not accepted as ID.
• Name on the license must match the ID exactly
• Social Security number is required if you have one; if you do not, an affidavit accompanies the application
• Prior marriage or civil union: give the exact date and place of the divorce or death; a certified divorce decree is needed if the divorce was final within 30 days before applying
• No waiting period and no blood test
• Not required to be a Colorado resident
• Minimum age: not stated on the page read

Good to know

• Permitted officiants listed include ordained or recognized religious clergy, judges, and an ordained friend or relative; out-of-state clergy do not need to register in Colorado
• Self-solemnization is allowed (no officiant or witness needed)
• Return the signed license by mail or drop box

Your nikah and the license

The license is what makes your marriage legal. Your nikah is the religious ceremony. If your imam is authorized to solemnize marriages in Colorado, one ceremony can be both. See imams serving Denver and our Colorado nikah guide for who may officiate and how the marriage is recorded.

A few common questions

Details come from the Denver Clerk and Recorder website, checked in October 2026. Fees, hours and booking rules change, so confirm before you go. Denver Clerk and Recorder: marriage license page. Contact: 311, or 720-913-1311 from outside Denver; clerkandrecorder@denvergov.org. This guide is general information, not legal advice.