Created and reviewed for accuracy by researchers at the Universal Life Church Ministries

Colorado Outline

Congratulations! If you've found yourself at this page it is likely that you are either planning to be married or have been asked to perform a wedding ceremony in Colorado. Ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church have successfully performed thousands of legal marriages in Colorado. The information provided below will walk you through the steps one must follow to become a minister and perform a valid wedding ceremony in the state of Colorado.

Quick Facts
  • ULC Ordination Accepted: Yes
  • Minister Registration Required: No
  • Minister's Residency: Irrelevant
  • Minister's Minimum Age: 18
  •  
  • Marriage License Waiting Period: 0 days
  • Marriage License Valid For: 30 Days
  • Marriage License Return Within: By Expiration
Regional Information

For more specific information about performing a wedding in certain parts of Colorado, choose a location below. If your area isn't listed, don't worry - just continue scrolling to review the helpful general information on this page.

1 How to Become an Ordained Minister in Colorado

If you haven't already, you should get ordained online with the Universal Life Church. Ordination is free and can be completed in just a matter of minutes. Thousands of legally valid marriages are performed by ULC ministers around the world every year. Begin the process by clicking the big blue button below!

2 Officiating a Wedding in Colorado

Next, you should contact the office of your local marriage authority (typically your county clerk). Let them know that you are a minister of the Universal Life Church in Seattle, and ask what they will require of you to officiate a legal marriage.

Select your County Clerk Recorder to quickly generate the contact information for your local marriage authority.



Select a county recorder contact

3 Colorado Officiant Requirements

After you've contacted your marriage authority, you should visit our online store to purchase whatever documentation will be required. We typically advise ministers in Colorado to get an Ordination Package. While Minister registration is not technically required in Colorado you may be asked to display proof of your ordination to the county clerks before they will accept the marriage as having been legally solemnized. Having this proof of your ordination will also provide peace-of-mind to any couple that you intend to marry. Additionally, please attempt to leave at least 3 weeks between the date of the wedding ceremony and your order, to ensure that you receive all of your materials in advance.

The state of Colorado is one of the few places in the United States that allows people to solemnize their own marriage. Colorado Revised Statute 14-02-0109 allows couples to perform their own wedding ceremony with or without religious authorization. The couple must, of course, meet the age and status requirements for marriage before performing a ceremony. It is important to note that, in the case of self-married couples, both the bride and groom must list themselves as the officiants on their marriage certificate and only the bride and groom may list themselves as officiants.

4 How to get Married in Colorado

Colorado's Top Wedding Spot

Colorado's Top Wedding Spot

The San Sophia Overlook, in Telluride

Now that you've done all of the above, you are ready to perform the wedding! Be sure that the couple has picked up their Colorado marriage license from the appropriate office. This license is valid for 30 days, and there is no mandatory waiting period between when the couple receives the marriage license in Colorado and when the ceremony may be legally performed. Please be aware that the signed license must be returned to the issuing office before its date of expiry.

At the Universal Life Church we receive several calls from wedding officiants in Colorado, after they've received their license to marry by getting ordained online, asking for guidance on how to perform a wedding ceremony. Once the legal matters have been taken care of, officiating a wedding (while a sometimes-daunting task) can be a great deal of fun. We would suggest that new Colorado wedding ministers concerned about the ceremony peruse one of our helpful wedding guides. The minister training section of our website should offer a helpful refresher for more experienced ministers.

5 Colorado Wedding Considerations

Planning to perform a wedding in Colorado is an exciting ordeal! There are a few factors unique to the state that you will want to consider when making your arrangements. First of all, adventurers from all over are drawn to the outdoor wedding venues in Colorado for the vast mountainous beauty. This can mean you may be planning for chilly weather or maybe even snow! Pack warm layers and book four-wheel-drive transportation if you are officiating off-road or at high elevation. People often wonder how much a wedding minister should charge in Colorado, but the truth is there’s no cut and dry answer – fees might vary widely based on the minister’s experience level, amount of involvement, and other responsibilities the couple might need covered. For example, are they just going to be running the ceremony or are they also hosting the rehearsal and acting as a master of ceremonies for the resort of the evening? The distance that the minister is going to be traveling must also be figured into the price for time and travel expenses. If the couple is planning to hold their ceremony in a large city or expensive destination, they should be expecting that the minister will have a higher fee as well.


Colorado Marriage Code

Colorado Flag

Colorado Marriage Code

Marriage in Colorado is governed by Title 14 of Colorado's General Statutes. Ministers who got ordained online with the Universal Life Church have successfully solemnized thousands of weddings in the state. Below, you will find that we have reproduced a relevant excerpt of this code.

14-2-109. Solemnization and registration. (1) A marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court, by a court magistrate, by a retired judge of a court, by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, by the parties to the marriage, or in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination or Indian nation or tribe. View the Colorado Statutes on the official state site.

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Learn All About Marriage Law in Colorado

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Adams County

4430 S. Adams County Pkwy. 1st Floor, Suite E2400
Brighton, Colorado
80601

Phone: (720) 523-6020
Fax: (720) 523-6009
Adams County website »

Alamosa County

Alamosa County Office Building 402 Edison Avenue
Alamosa, Colorado

Phone: (719) 589-6681
Alamosa County website »

Arapahoe County

5334 S. Prince St
Littleton, Colorado
80120

Phone: (303) 795-4520
Arapahoe County website »

Archuleta County

449 San Juan St.
Pagosa Springs, Colorado
81147

Phone: (970) 264-8350
Archuleta County website »

Baca County

741 Main St., Suite 3
Springfield, Colorado
81073

Phone: (719) 523-4372
Fax: (719) 523-4881
Baca County website »

Bent County

725 Bent Ave
Las Animas, Colorado
81054

Phone: (719) 456-2009
Bent County website »

Boulder County

1750 33rd Street, Suite 201
Boulder, Colorado
80301

Phone: (303) 413-7770
Boulder County website »

Chaffee County

104 Crestone
Salida, Colorado
81201

Phone: (719) 539-4004
Chaffee County website »

Cheyenne County

51 South 1st P.O. Box 567
Cheyenne Wells, Colorado

Phone: (719) 767-5685
Cheyenne County website »

City and County of Broomfield

1 DesCombes Drive
Broomfield, Colorado

Phone: (303) 464-5819
City and County of Broomfield website »

City and County of Denver

201 W. Colfax Ave Dept. 101
Denver, Colorado
80202

Phone: (720) 865-8400
City and County of Denver website »

Clear Creek County

405 Argentine St.
Georgetown, Colorado
80444

Phone: (303) 679-2339
Clear Creek County website »

Conejos County

6683 County Rd. 13
Conejos, Colorado
81129

Phone: (719) 376-5422
Conejos County website »

Costilla County

400 Gasper St.
San Luis, Colorado
81152

Phone: (719) 937-7671
Costilla County website »

Crowley County

631 Main Street
Ordway, Colorado

Phone: (719) 267-5225
Crowley County website »

Custer County

205 S. 6th St.
Westcliffe, Colorado
81252

Phone: (719) 783-2441
Custer County website »

Delta County

501 Palmer Street, Suite 211
Delta, Colorado

Phone: (970) 874-2150
Delta County website »

Dolores County

409 North Main Street
Dove Creek, Colorado
81324

Phone: (970) 677-2381
Dolores County website »

Douglas County

301 Wilcox Street, First Floor
Castle Rock, Colorado
80104

Phone: (303) 660-7446
Douglas County website »

Eagle County

500 Broadway, Suite 101
Eagle, Colorado
81631

Phone: (970) 328-8723
Eagle County website »

El Paso County

1675 W. Garden of the Gods, Suite 2201
Colorado Springs, Colorado
80907

Phone: (719) 520-6202
El Paso County website »

Elbert County

440 Comanche Street
Kiowa, Colorado
80117

Phone: (303) 621-3116
Elbert County website »

Fremont County

615 Macon Ave. Room 102
Cañon City, Colorado
81212

Phone: (719) 276-7330
Fremont County website »

Garfield County

109 8th Street, Suite 200
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
81601

Phone: (970) 384-3700
Garfield County website »

Gilpin County

203 Eureka Street
Central City, Colorado
80427

Phone: (303) 582-5321
Gilpin County website »

Grand County

308 Byers Ave.
Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado
80451

Phone: (970) 725-3110
Grand County website »

Gunnison County

221 N. Wisconsin Suite #C
Gunnison, Colorado

Phone: (970) 641-1516
Gunnison County website »

Hinsdale County

317 North Henson Street
Lake City, Colorado
81235

Phone: (970) 944-2225
Hinsdale County website »

Huerfano County

401 Main Street, Suite 204
Walsenburg, Colorado
81089

Phone: (719) 738-2380
Huerfano County website »

Jackson County

396 LaFever Street
Walden, Colorado

Phone: (970) 723-4334
Jackson County website »

Jefferson County

100 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 2530
Golden, Colorado
80419

Phone: (303) 271-8186
Jefferson County website »

Kiowa County

1305 Goff St
Eads, Colorado
81036

Phone: (719) 438-5421
Kiowa County website »

Kit Carson County

251 16th Street, Suite 203
Burlington, Colorado
80807

Phone: (719) 346-8638 ext 301
Kit Carson County website »

La Plata County

679 Turner Drive, Suite C
Durango, Colorado
81303

Phone: (970) 382-6280
La Plata County website »

Lake County

505 Harrison Avenue
Leadville, Colorado
80461

Phone: (719) 486-1410
Lake County website »

Larimer County

200 West Oak, Main Floor
Fort Collins, Colorado
80521

Phone: (970) 498-7860
Larimer County website »

Las Animas County

200 East 1st Street, Room 205
Trinidad, Colorado
81082

Phone: (719) 846-3314
Las Animas County website »

Lincoln County

103 3rd Ave
Hugo, Colorado

Phone: (719) 743-2444
Lincoln County website »

Logan County

315 Main Street, Suite 3
Sterling, Colorado

Phone: (970) 522-1158
Logan County website »

Mesa County

200 S. Spruce St
Grand Junction, Colorado
81501

Phone: (970) 244-1679
Mesa County website »

Mineral County

1201 N. Main St
Creede, Colorado

Phone: (719) 658-2440
Mineral County website »

Moffat County

221 W. Victory Way, Ste. 200
Craig, Colorado
81625

Phone: (970) 824-9104
Moffat County website »

Montezuma County

140 West Main Street, Suite 1
Cortez, Colorado
81321

Phone: (970) 565-3728
Fax: (970) 564-0215
Montezuma County website »

Montrose County

320 South First Street Room 101
Montrose, Colorado
81401

Phone: (970) 249-3362 Ext. 2
Montrose County website »

Morgan County

231 Ensign Street
Fort Morgan, Colorado
80701

Phone: (970) 542-3521
Morgan County website »

Otero County

13 W. 3rd Street, Room 210
La Junta, Colorado
81050

Phone: (719) 383-3020
Otero County website »

Ouray County

112 Village Square West
Ouray, Colorado
81427

Phone: (970) 325-7320
Ouray County website »

Park County

501 Main St.
Fairplay, Colorado
80440

Phone: (719) 836-4333
Park County website »

Phillips County

221 South Interocean Avenue
Holyoke, Colorado

Phone: (970) 854-3131
Phillips County website »

Pitkin County

530 E. Main St. 3rd Floor
Aspen, Colorado
81611

Phone: (970) 920-5200
Pitkin County website »

Prowers County

301 South Main, Suite 210
Lamar, Colorado
81052

Phone: (719) 336-8011
Fax: (719) 336-5306
Prowers County website »

Pueblo County

215 W. 10th Street
Pueblo, Colorado
81003

Phone: (719) 583-6507
Pueblo County website »

Rio Blanco County

500 Main Street
Meeker, Colorado

Phone: (303) 878-5068
Rio Blanco County website »

Rio Grande County

965 6th Street
Norte, Colorado

Phone: (719) 657-3334
Rio Grande County website »

Routt County

522 Lincoln Ave.
Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Phone: (970) 870-5556
Routt County website »

Saguache County

501 4th Street
Saguache, Colorado
81149

Phone: (719) 655-2512
Saguache County website »

San Juan County

1557 Greene St
Silverton, Colorado
81433

Phone: (303) 387-5671
San Juan County website »

San Miguel County

305 W. Colorado Ave, 1st Floor
Telluride, Colorado
81435

Phone: (970) 728-3954
San Miguel County website »

Sedgwick County

315 Cedar St, Ste 220
Julesburg, Colorado

Phone: (970) 474-3346
Sedgwick County website »

Summit County

208 Lincoln Avenue
Breckenridge, Colorado

Phone: (970) 453-2561
Summit County website »

Teller County

101 W. Bennett Avenue
Cripple Creek, Colorado
80813

Phone: (719) 689-2951
Teller County website »

Washington County

150 Ash Ave
Akron, Colorado
80720

Phone: (303) 345-6565
Washington County website »

Weld County

1402 North 17th Avenue
Greeley, Colorado
80631

Phone: (970) 304-6530
Weld County website »

Yuma County

310 Ash, Suite F
Wray, Colorado
80758

Phone: (970) 332-5809
Yuma County website »