If you are eloping at Garden of the Gods, on Pikes Peak or anywhere around Colorado Springs, the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder is your nearest license office, and it is one of the easier ones in the state. There is no appointment system for marriage licenses, and one office issues them on Saturday mornings, which none of the other county offices we cover do. You still have to do one thing before you arrive: the online application.
Where to go
El Paso County runs several Clerk and Recorder offices, but only two handle marriage licenses. The others are motor vehicle and driver’s license branches, so do not go to the closest one on the map.
| Office | Address | Marriage license hours |
|---|---|---|
| Main Office, Citizens Service Center | 1675 W. Garden of the Gods Rd., west of Centennial | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; ends at 4 p.m. on Fridays |
| North, Union Town Center Branch | 8830 N. Union Blvd., at Research Pkwy | Saturday only, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
The Southeast branch on Industrial Place and the Fort Carson branch offer motor vehicle and driver’s license services only, and Centennial Hall downtown is not a branch office. The county page does not say whether its offices close on holidays; if your visit lands on one, call (719) 520-6200 first.
Which office to pick
Weekday arrivals. Use the Main Office on Garden of the Gods Road. It is the Recording Department itself, with the longest hours. Fridays end at 4 p.m. for marriage licenses, so do not plan a late Friday stop.
Weekend elopements. The North office on Saturday morning is what sets this county apart. Fly in Friday night, pick up your license Saturday by 1 p.m., and marry Saturday evening or Sunday. The license is valid the moment it is issued.
Step by step
- Complete the online application. Both of you must fill out and sign it before you come in. It is linked from the county page.
- Print any forms you need from the county’s Forms Library: the Affidavit Concerning Social Security Number and the Absentee Affidavit. You can complete them before your visit.
- Go to the office together with your IDs. No appointment is needed. The county asks you to limit your party to four people.
- Pay $30 by cash, debit card or credit card. The county lists those as the only payment methods, so do not bring a check.
- Marry within 35 days, anywhere in Colorado.
- Get the certificate back within 63 days.
You do not need to be Colorado residents, there is no blood test, and there is no waiting period. The county also offers a short video that walks through the process, linked from its page.
What to bring
Both of you need valid ID with a legible date of birth. El Paso County accepts passports, driver’s licenses, birth certificates (a birth certificate not in English must include a certified translation), and military cards. It does not accept consular cards, city and county detention center IDs, novelty IDs, or souvenir birth certificates issued by hospitals.
The application asks for the last four digits of each Social Security number, under C.R.S. 14-2-105. If either of you does not have one, complete the Affidavit Concerning Social Security Number; you can have it notarized ahead of time or sign it in front of the deputy clerk.
If either of you has been divorced, you only need to state the date it was finalized, the city and state, and the type of court. The county says you do not need to bring the decree. The county page lists 18 and older as the age to apply; if your situation is different, call before you go.
If one of you cannot be there
The partner who cannot appear completes the county’s Marriage License Absentee Affidavit and has it notarized. The partner who comes in brings the original notarized affidavit plus a printed copy of the ID the absent partner used for notarization, showing proof of age. A photo on your phone will not do; print it.
Filling out the certificate
The county asks that the completed license include the county and location where you married, the date, the officiating party’s signature and title, and both of your signatures. Two details specific to El Paso County:
- Witnesses are not required in Colorado, though some officiants ask for them.
- Pet paw prints are no longer allowed in the witness section, because they cause problems for the county’s copy and scanning machines. If your dog is part of the day, keep the paw print for a keepsake copy.
You may marry yourselves. El Paso County confirms that couples may solemnize their own marriage under C.R.S. 14-2-109, but a friend or relative cannot sign as officiant unless they are legally able to perform marriages. Judges, retired judges, magistrates, authorized public officials and religious officials can, and clergy do not need to register in Colorado. To arrange a judge, the county points you to the Fourth Judicial District. Our self solemnization guide explains how to fill in the officiant lines yourselves.
Returning it
El Paso County places this on the officiant: the completed license must reach the Clerk and Recorder within 63 days. If you married yourselves, that means you. Mail it to:
El Paso County Recording Department P.O. Box 2007 Colorado Springs, CO 80901-2007
A late return carries a $20 fee, plus $5 for each late day, up to $50, matching state law. Photograph the signed certificate before you mail it, and use tracking if you can. Your license must be returned and recorded before either of you can change your name.
Certified copies
A certified copy is $1.00 per document. For copies mailed to you, the county adds a handling fee of $1.25 for one to ten pages. Request copies with the county’s Request for Marriage License/Certificate Copy form, linked from its page.
How El Paso compares
For a weekend elopement, El Paso County is the only office we cover with Saturday hours. Denver is appointment only on weekdays, Jefferson County and Boulder County are closed Fridays, and Boulder handles licenses by video and mail (Boulder County guide). If you are driving south from Denver on a weekday, Golden works too; the license is valid statewide. The statewide license guide compares all of them.
Plan the rest
Read the Garden of the Gods elopement guide for the wedding areas and rules, and the Colorado Springs guide for Pikes Peak, state parks, timing and a sample day. For a reception or an indoor ceremony, see Colorado Springs wedding venues. When you are ready to book, browse Colorado Springs vendors and officiants, and track every deadline in the free planner.
