Search El Paso County Marriage Records

Getting a Marriage License in El Paso County

The El Paso County Clerk & Recorder Recording Department issues marriage licenses for El Paso County. Clerk Steve Schleiker runs the office. The main location is 1675 W Garden of the Gods Rd, Suite 2201, Colorado Springs, CO 80907. Phones go through 719-520-6202. Counter hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Marriage license intake on Fridays ends at 4:00 p.m. The North Office takes walk-in license customers on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The official Recording marriage license page lists all the rules. No appointment is needed. Party size at the counter is capped at four.

Eligibility is straight. Both parties must be 18 or older. Colorado allows no exceptions for minors. The state dropped the blood test rule on July 1, 1989. Colorado does not require witnesses, though clergy or judges may ask for them. Pet paw prints in the witness section are no longer allowed. Couples can self-solemnize their own marriage. Judges, retired judges, magistrates, certain public officials, and clergy may also officiate. Clergy do not need to register in Colorado. The license is valid the day it issues and must be used in Colorado within 35 days. The officiant returns the signed license inside 63 days.

Colorado also recognizes common law marriage. A couple may be treated as married without a license if they hold themselves out as spouses, share a home, and act as a married couple. No state office records a common law marriage. The couple has the burden of proof if the marriage is later challenged. Most banks, employers, and federal agencies still ask for a license-based marriage certificate. Couples who want clear paperwork should file the regular license with the Recording Department.

Note: All applicants must finish the online marriage application before walking into the Recording counter.

How to Apply for an El Paso County Marriage License

Both parties must appear in person at the counter, with rare exceptions. One party may use a notarized absentee affidavit and a copy of the absent party's ID. Bring a valid ID for each party. Valid IDs include U.S. passports, driver's licenses, certified birth certificates with translation if not in English, and military cards. Consular cards, detention center IDs, novelty IDs, and souvenir hospital birth certificates are not accepted. The fee is $30 cash or debit or credit card. There is no waiting period in Colorado.

1. Finish the online marriage application at the El Paso County online marriage application portal.
2. Walk into the Recording Department at 1675 W Garden of the Gods Rd, Suite 2201, or the North Office on a Saturday morning. Bring valid ID for both parties.
3. Both parties sign at the counter. If one party can't appear, bring a notarized absentee affidavit and a copy of that party's ID.
4. Pay the $30 fee. Cash, debit, or credit are accepted.
5. Take the license. It is valid that day. There is no waiting period. The license must be used in Colorado within 35 days.
6. The officiant or self-solemnizing couple returns the signed license to the Recording Department, P.O. Box 2007, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-2007, within 63 days of the ceremony.
7. Request certified copies once the license is recorded. Name change agencies will ask for one.

The Marriage License Requirements page spells out each piece of the process. Below is a screenshot of that page.

The page shows fees, ID rules, age limits, hours, and the address to mail the completed license back.

El Paso County Marriage License Application Fields

The online marriage application gathers the same data the Clerk would ask for at the counter. The full list lines up with state law. Last four digits of each applicant's Social Security number are required under C.R.S. § 14-2-105. If an applicant has no SSN, they may sign an Affidavit Concerning Social Security Number at the counter. Prior marriage data must include the final divorce date, the city and state, and the type of court. The decree itself is not needed for the marriage application.

The portal also offers a Spanish flow, "Licencia Pública de Matrimonio." A live look at the portal sits below, linked to the source page.

The form opens after the online marriage application page logon.

The portal sits behind a logon screen. Applicants pick public or private computer, then fill in the rest at the counter.

Note: The Affidavit Concerning Social Security Number is signed in front of the Clerk if an applicant lacks a Social Security number.

El Paso County Marriage and Divorce Fees

Marriage license fees are flat. Copy fees scale with how the copy is delivered. Mail handling sits on top of the copy fee. Late return of the signed license costs $20 plus $5 per day, capped at $50. Divorce fees are set by the Colorado Judicial Branch, not the Clerk. Family case copy and certification fees flow through the District Court records request flow.

Fees can shift year to year. The Recording FAQ page holds the live numbers for marriage record copies. The court record request form holds the live numbers for divorce file copies.

The FAQ page answers the most common copy and mailing questions and shows the same fee structure listed above.

How to Look Up El Paso County Marriage Records

Recorded El Paso County marriage records are searched through the Aumentum Recorder portal at publicrecordsearch.elpasoco.com. The portal is the public face of the Clerk & Recorder Recording Department. It holds recorded marriage licenses along with deeds, liens, and other recorded documents. The portal is free to search. Some image views and bulk downloads sit behind a paid account. Walk-in searches are also free at the Recording counter.

To find a marriage record, start with the names of both parties. The portal accepts last name and first name. A date range helps cut the result list. Years are picked from a dropdown that reaches back many years. For older marriages, the Recording staff at 719-520-6198 can help. Email copy requests to copyrequests@elpasoco.com. The Recording Department phone is 719-520-6202. The general recording inbox is recweb@elpasoco.com.

Colorado does not run a single statewide marriage index. The Recording Department main page stays the right entry point for any El Paso County marriage records search. The state Vital Records office holds birth and death records, not marriage licenses. Couples married in another Colorado county must search that county's recorder.

The Recording page links to the Aumentum search, the marriage license page, the copy request inbox, and the office hours.

Note: The Aumentum portal is the only official public window into El Paso County marriage records search.

How to Find El Paso County Divorce Records

Divorce records are not Clerk & Recorder records. Divorce decrees and the full divorce case file sit with the El Paso County District Court through the Combined Court Clerk. The Clerk & Recorder marriage page sends divorce questions to the 4th Judicial District at 719-452-5000. The court is at 270 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. The Clerk of Court handles all family case copies, including divorce decrees, separation orders, and parenting plans.

The fastest path is the Colorado Judicial online Record/Document Request Form. Pick Case Type Divorce or Family Matters. Pick El Paso County. Add the case number if known. Add party names and date of birth. Check the Divorce Decree box, or pick other family case documents. Pay after the Notice of Fees comes back. The El Paso Combined Court also takes paper requests by mail using the PDF form at coloradojudicial.gov/media/11252. Both flows require a copy of the requestor's ID.

A divorce file usually shows the case caption, filing date, the petition, the response, financial affidavits, parenting plans for cases with kids, the temporary orders, and the final decree. Some pieces stay sealed. Financial account numbers, addresses kept under address confidentiality, and minor-child medical or school records may be redacted under court rules. The court can also seal whole files in narrow cases. Self-represented filers can use the Access Guide to Public Records and the Self-Help center forms.

Colorado is a no-fault divorce state. The petition asks the court to dissolve the marriage on grounds that the marriage is irretrievably broken. The District Court Domestic Relations division handles every dissolution case in El Paso County. For broader case lookup options, see El Paso County court records.

Getting Certified Copies of El Paso County Marriage Records

Certified copies of marriage records cost $1 per document at the Recording Department. Mail orders add a handling fee. Most agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the DMV, and most banks, want a certified copy. Plain uncertified license copies cost $0.25. Plain copies are fine for personal files but not for legal use. Email orders go to copyrequests@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-6198. Walk-in orders are filled the same day, supply permitting.

Certified copies of a divorce decree come from the District Court, not the Recording Department. The court charges $20 per certified document and $0.25 per page for plain copies. Order through the online record request form on the Colorado Judicial Branch site, or by mail to the El Paso Combined Court. Public access to El Paso County court records is also covered on the broader public records page.

El Paso County Clerk & Recorder Recording Office

The Recording Department contact card sits below. The office takes walk-ins, mail requests, and email copy requests. The Clerk & Recorder is an elected county office, separate from the District Court.

Email general questions to recweb@elpasoco.com. Email copy requests to copyrequests@elpasoco.com. The Aumentum public records portal at publicrecordsearch.elpasoco.com is the only official public search for recorded El Paso County marriage records.

Related El Paso County Records

For estate filings, see El Paso County probate records. For broader open records work, see public records. For Clerk filing info on family cases, see the Clerk of Court page. For the trial court that handles divorce and family law, see the District Court page.