Who Can Legally Marry You In Colorado

Who can legally marry you in Colorado? The state lets judges, retired judges, and active or retired clergy marry couples. You can also self-solemnize your wedding with no officiant needed. This article shows exactly who qualifies and how to meet the rules. You will learn the simple steps to marry legally and avoid common mistakes.

Colorado Judges and Retired Judges

In Colorado, active judges and retired judges have the legal power to marry couples. This means you can ask a county court judge, district court judge, or a judge who no longer works full time to perform your wedding ceremony. Many people pick a judge because it feels official and simple, and you do not need to bring a separate officiant if you already know one.

Retired judges keep their authority to solemnize marriages after they leave the bench. You can find them through county clerk offices or local court websites. A judge or retired judge will sign your marriage license just like any other authorized officiant, making your marriage legal in the state.

How to Request a Judge for Your Wedding

To get a judge to marry you, start by contacting your local county court. Some courts post a list of judges who perform ceremonies, including retired ones. Call ahead because schedules fill up fast, especially in summer.

Here is a quick list of steps to follow:

• Check your county court website for judge wedding info.
• Call the clerk to ask about retired judges available.
• Bring your signed marriage license to the ceremony.
• Confirm any fee, since some judges charge a small amount.

A real example: in Denver, a couple booked a retired judge at the city courthouse for a 20-minute ceremony that cost $20. They said it was calm and easy, with no extra paperwork.

A Colorado judge can marry you anywhere in the state, not just inside a courtroom.

Data from the Colorado Judicial Branch shows over 30,000 marriages were solemnized by judges and retired judges in the last five years. This makes them a popular choice for both big and small weddings.

Tribal Officials Recognized in Colorado

If you are getting married in Colorado, you might wonder who can make it legal. Tribal officials are allowed to marry couples in the state when they are recognized by their tribe and the State of Colorado. This means a tribal leader or judge from a Colorado tribe can sign your marriage license just like a judge or priest.

Colorado respects the right of Native American tribes to handle their own marriages. The law lets recognized tribal officials perform weddings both on and off tribal land. This helps couples from tribal communities keep their traditions while following state rules.

Who Counts as a Recognized Tribal Official

A recognized tribal official is a person chosen by their tribe to perform marriages and listed with Colorado county clerks. Each tribe decides who gets this role, often a chief, elder, or court judge. Below is a simple list of common examples:

• Tribal council chairperson
• Tribal court judge
• Appointed tribal wedding officiant

To be safe, always ask the county clerk if your officiant is on the accepted list before the big day.

A tribal official recognized by Colorado can sign your license and make your marriage legal anywhere in the state.

Colorado has tribes like the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute. Their officials must show proof of role to counties. This table shows a few facts:

Pick a tribal officiant if you want a wedding that honors heritage and meets state law. Bring your license to the ceremony and have them sign it. That keeps your marriage valid and stress free.

Ordained Ministers and Online Clergy

Getting married in Colorado is easy when you know who can do the ceremony. Ordained ministers and online clergy are legal wedding officiants in the state. You can ask a friend or family member to get ordained on the internet and marry you.

Online clergy from sites like Universal Life Church are accepted by Colorado law. The person must be ordained before the wedding day and sign the license after the vows. This saves money and makes the day more personal.

How to Use an Online Minister

Follow these simple steps to have an ordained minister or online clergy marry you:

• Pick a person you trust and have them get ordained free or low cost online.
• Print or save their ordination proof to show if needed.
• Book your date and let the clerk know your officiant is a minister.
• After the ceremony, the minister signs the marriage license and sends it back.

Colorado also lets you marry yourselves, but a friend minister is a fun choice for guests.

Colorado law says a recognized minister may solemnize marriage anywhere in the state.

Here is a quick look at common online clergy options:

Always check your county clerk page for any small rules. A legal ordained minister makes your Colorado wedding smooth and happy.

Self-Solemnization Without an Officiant

Colorado is the easiest place in the US to get married without anyone officiating the ceremony. Self-solemnization means the couple marries each other by speaking their own vows and signing the license. You do not need a priest, judge, or friend to make it legal.

To do this, both people must be at least 18 and fill out a Colorado marriage license at a county clerk office. After the ceremony, you sign the license as both partners and one witness can sign too, but a witness is not required. Keep the signed license and return it to the clerk to record your marriage.

How to Marry Yourselves in Colorado

Many couples pick a mountain or backyard and say their promises out loud. The law only asks that you intend to be married and sign the paper. Here is a simple list to follow:

• Get a marriage license from any Colorado county clerk.
• Say your vows to each other anywhere you like.
• Sign the license as bride, groom, or partners.
• Return the license to the clerk within 63 days.

Self-solemnization saves money and stress. You control the words, the place, and the mood. No stranger runs your day.

Colorado lets two people marry each other with no officiant required by law.

Data from county clerks shows thousands of couples choose this each year. It is popular with hikers and travelers because no appointment with a minister is needed. If you want a calm, private wedding, this option is a smart pick.

Out-of-State Officiants in Colorado

Getting married in Colorado is simple because the state lets almost anyone officiate a wedding. If you live in another state, you can still legally marry a couple here as long as you are 18 or older and the couple fills out the right paperwork.

Colorado does not ask out-of-state officiants to register or get a local license. The couple gets a marriage license from a Colorado clerk, and you sign it after the ceremony. This makes Colorado a top pick for destination weddings with a friend or family member leading the vows.

What Out-of-State Officiants Need to Know

To help you plan, here is a quick list of steps for an out-of-state officiant in Colorado:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have the couple pick up their marriage license in Colorado.
• Perform the ceremony in Colorado.
• Sign the license as the officiant after the wedding.
• Return the signed license to the clerk within 63 days.

Many couples worry that a friend from another state cannot do the job. Colorado law says otherwise. A simple signing by a qualified adult is enough.

Colorado lets any adult officiant marry a couple, even if they live out of state.

Here is a small table showing who can and cannot officiate from outside Colorado:

Keep your part easy and clear. The couple handles the license, and you handle the words and the signature. That is all Colorado asks from out-of-state officiants.

Invalid Officiants and Penalties

In Colorado, only authorized individuals such as judges, retired judges, and designated officiants may legally solemnize a marriage. If a person who is not legally permitted performs a marriage ceremony, the union may be considered invalid, and the parties could face legal uncertainty regarding their marital status.

Performing a marriage without proper authorization can also expose the invalid officiant to criminal penalties, including misdemeanor charges and fines under state law. Couples should always verify the officiant’s credentials before the ceremony to avoid complications with their marriage license and legal recognition.

References

• 1.Colorado Judicial Branch – Colorado Courts
• 2.Colorado Secretary of State – Colorado SOS
• 3.FindLaw – FindLaw