Getting a Marriage License in Pitkin County
Marriage and civil-union licenses are handled by the Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder, not the Clerk of Court. The Recording Department issues and records marriage and civil-union licenses. The county online-services page says users may begin through the Marriage/Civil Union License Kiosk by logging in as a guest, opening the Marriage/Civil Union menu, and selecting Create New.
Both parties still must come to the Clerk and Recorder office to show IDs and pick up the license. The online application speeds the process, but it does not replace the in-person ID step. The Clerk and Recorder is located at 530 E Main Street, Suite 104, Aspen, CO 81611, and the recording contact for copy questions is 970-429-2716 or recordingdepartment@pitkincounty.com.
The Pitkin marriage and civil-union license kiosk opens the county's online application workflow.
The kiosk starts the license application workflow, but the county research still requires both parties to appear with IDs to pick up the license.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
The county's online-services instructions are specific. Use the marriage or civil-union kiosk first, then complete the in-person ID and pickup requirement. Colorado permits self-solemnization under C.R.S. 14-2-109, so the couple may act as their own officiants. Witnesses are not required in Colorado.
- Open the Marriage/Civil Union License Kiosk linked from Pitkin County online services.
- Log in as guest.
- Choose the Marriage/Civil Union menu.
- Select Create New to start the application.
- Both parties appear at the Clerk and Recorder office with IDs to pick up the license.
- After the ceremony, return the license by mail or in person for recording.
Couples who self-solemnize may take the license to the ceremony or location of choice to sign, or sign at the county counter so the office can record and return it. No appointment is needed to record the license. The county adds an unusual local warning that dog prints are discouraged because they often become a black blob in the witness signature area, may cover important text, and a dog cannot testify in court if needed.
After the ceremony, the signed license must be returned to the Clerk and Recorder for recording. The county allows return by mail or in person. That final recording step is what creates the local recorded certificate that can later be searched or ordered. A couple that completes a ceremony but fails to return the license may have trouble obtaining a recorded certificate, so the post-ceremony return is part of the records process, not just a filing detail.
Marriage License Application Fields
The research did not capture a full field-by-field online application screen, but it did capture the official application workflow and required in-person identity step. Treat the following as the field and step inventory supported by the county's instructions, not as a complete hidden-form transcript.
| Field or Step | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Login as guest | Yes | Used in the Marriage/Civil Union License Kiosk. |
| Marriage / Civil Union menu | Yes | Select the correct menu after login. |
| Create New | Yes | Begins the application. |
| ID presentation | Yes | Both parties must come to the office to show IDs and pick up the license. |
| Payment | Likely | The exact marriage-license application fee was not located in the captured official source. |
Pitkin County Marriage and Divorce Fees
The research captured copy fees for marriage and civil-union certificates from the Clerk and Recorder, and court copy fees for divorce records from the Colorado Judicial Branch court record request form. The initial marriage-license application fee and divorce filing fee were not captured in the Pitkin research, so they should be verified with the office or current court fee schedule before filing.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plain copy of civil-union or marriage certificate | $0.25 |
| Certified copy of civil-union or marriage certificate | $1.25 |
| Court copy per page for divorce records | $0.25 |
| Maximum copy fee for party or attorney in own case | $15.00 |
| Certified or exemplified court document | $20.00 per document |
| Court name search | $5.00 |
| Research/redaction after first hour | $30.00 per hour |
| Marriage license application fee | Not captured in official research |
| Divorce filing fee | Not captured in official research |
How to Look Up Pitkin County Marriage Records
Pitkin County marriage and civil-union records are searchable through the local public-records portal. The county copy instructions say to go through Clerk and Recorder, Online Services, Search Public Records, log in as Public, accept the terms, and click search public records again. The county also links directly to CountyFusion/GovOS. The county warns that Google Chrome is the most reliable browser for this software and that Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox are not very reliable for the search.
For marriage or civil-union certificate searches, choose "Marriage / Civil Union License" under Search Types. Enter the last name of the groom or the maiden last name of the bride in the name field. The county instructs users to type "LAST NAME SPACE FIRST NAME" and not enter other information. After results appear, double click the blue reception number in the first column, then click Certified Copy in the upper middle right of the page. Enter credit-card information, number of copies, and mailing address, and the office mails certified copies.
The Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder public records portal is the county-linked recorded-document search system.
The portal is the local source for recorded marriage and civil-union records, distinct from divorce case files held by the court.
The CountyFusion public records login supports the same recorded-document search workflow.
Use the public login path and marriage/civil-union search type rather than a court records request when the needed document is a recorded marriage certificate.
Mail Requests for Certified Copies
Certified marriage or civil-union certificate copies may also be requested by mail. Send the request to Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder, Attn: Recording Dept, 530 E Main St, Suite 104, Aspen, CO 81611. Include the names, especially the names used on the marriage license, the date of ceremony if known, or the year if the exact date is not known. Include a return-to address and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
For additional information, the research lists 970-429-2716 and recordingdepartment@pitkincounty.com. The office mails certified copies after the online order workflow or mail request is processed.
Mail requests should be written narrowly enough for the recording staff to identify the correct record. Names matter because the portal instructions search by the last name of the groom or the maiden last name of the bride, typed as last name, space, first name. A broad request without names, ceremony year, or return address may delay processing. The county's copy workflow is also separate from the court-certified copy workflow for divorce decrees, so a mail request for a marriage certificate should not be sent to the court clerk.
How to Find Pitkin County Divorce Records
Divorce records are court records, not Clerk and Recorder records. Divorce cases are District Court domestic-relations matters in Colorado. Use the Colorado Judicial Branch record/document request form, select Pitkin County as the county or location of records, provide the case number if known, or provide party names, date of birth if known, and other identifying information. Family Matters document options include Divorce Decree, Parenting Plan, Separation Agreement, Support Order, and Petition.
Certain divorce documents may contain confidential or protected information and may require government-issued photo ID. Juvenile, adoption, protected-party, sealed, suppressed, and sensitive family details may be limited or redacted under Colorado court access rules. If a person needs to file a divorce rather than obtain a copy, Colorado Judicial Branch domestic-relations forms are used in District Court. Pitkin County's court location is 506 E Main Street, Aspen.
Divorce copies can have different uses. A plain copy may be enough for personal review, while a certified copy is often needed for legal, financial, or agency purposes. The court request fee schedule lists certified or exemplified court documents at $20 per document, plus copy, search, retrieval, and research or redaction fees when they apply. The record request form says the court will generally respond within three business days unless extenuating circumstances exist, but that response may be a fee estimate, question, or access determination rather than the final document.
Family Court Help and State Records
The 9th Judicial District family court facilitator is Alana Billings, serving Garfield, Pitkin, and Rio Blanco. Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator Amy Davis also serves the district. Those roles are process-navigation resources, not record custodians. Divorce copies still route through the court record request process, while marriage certificates route through the Clerk and Recorder.
Pitkin County's marriage page also links to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for state vital-record information. The research did not capture a local state-vital-records address or fee table, so county marriage certificate orders should use the Clerk and Recorder instructions unless a state-level certificate is specifically needed.