Washington County Marriage License Office
Marriage and civil union licenses are issued by the Washington County Clerk and Recorder, not by Washington Combined Court. The Clerk and Recorder office is at 150 Ash Avenue / P.O. Box L, Akron, CO 80720. The elected Clerk and Recorder is Annie Kuntz, and the office phone is (970) 345-6565. The department page lists office hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
A Colorado marriage license obtained in Washington County is valid upon issue, must be used in Colorado within 35 days, and costs $30.00. Applicants do not have to be Colorado residents, and Colorado does not require blood tests. At least one party must apply in person before the Clerk and Recorder or deputy clerk. Both parties must complete and sign the application, and both must know their Social Security numbers if issued.
Washington County Clerk and Recorder
150 Ash Avenue / P.O. Box L
Akron, CO 80720
(970) 345-6565
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Apply for Washington County Marriage Records
The license application process is short when both parties have the required information ready. Valid identification is required for both parties. The official county page lists a birth certificate with photo ID, driver's license, military ID, or passport as acceptable ID examples. If one party cannot appear, that absent party must complete a Marriage Affidavit or Civil Union Affidavit with a notarized signature and must provide valid ID showing proof of age.
- Confirm that the license will be used in Colorado within 35 days after issue.
- Bring valid ID for both parties and know each issued Social Security number.
- Have both parties complete and sign the marriage or civil union application.
- If one party cannot appear, bring the required notarized affidavit and proof-of-age ID copy.
- Pay the $30.00 license fee to the Washington County Clerk and Recorder.
- After solemnization, return the completed certificate to the issuing clerk within 63 days.
Washington County Marriage Requirements
The county license rules are specific. The legal age of consent is 18. Applicants who are 16 or 17 must obtain permission from a juvenile court and present that court order when applying. Persons under 16 may not obtain a marriage license. If either party has been divorced, the party must recite the date the divorce was finalized, the city and state where the divorce took place, and the type of court.
Prohibited marriages include a marriage where one party is still married to another person. All divorces must be final. Colorado also prohibits marriage between ancestor and descendant, brother and sister, uncle and niece, and aunt and nephew, whether the relationship is half blood or whole blood. Cousin marriage is permitted in Colorado. A couple already married and renewing vows may obtain a license by stating they are married to each other.
| Field / requirement | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant names | Text | Yes | Both parties complete the application. |
| Signatures | Signature | Yes | Both parties must sign. |
| Valid ID | Document | Yes | Birth certificate plus photo ID, driver's license, military ID, or passport. |
| Social Security numbers | Identifier | Yes if issued | No-SSN affidavit is required when a party has no SSN. |
| Prior divorce date | Date | Conditional | Required if previously divorced. |
| Prior divorce location | Text | Conditional | City and state are required. |
| Prior divorce court type | Text | Conditional | Required for prior divorce details. |
| Absent party affidavit | Notarized form | Conditional | Required if one party cannot appear. |
| Juvenile court order | Court order | Conditional | Required for 16- or 17-year-old applicants. |
Washington County Record Sources
The Washington County marriage and civil union license page is the local source for application rules, fee, ID requirements, and certificate return instructions.
Use the county license page for marriage and civil union records because those records belong to the Clerk and Recorder office.
The Colorado Judicial divorce and separation page is the official court self-help source for divorce forms and decree copy direction.
Use the court channel for divorce decrees because a decree is a District Court record, not a county license document.
The Colorado vital records certificate ordering page provides state verification channels for marriage, civil union, and dissolution records.
Vital records verification can support identity or event confirmation, but it is not the same thing as a certified divorce decree from court.
Washington County Marriage Fees
The researched local fee schedule is limited to the amounts published on the Washington County marriage and civil union license page. The page gives a $30.00 license fee. It also gives late return penalties when the solemnized certificate is not returned to the issuing county clerk within 63 days. The research did not locate a Washington County amount for certified marriage copies or certified divorce decree copies, so those amounts should be confirmed with the issuing office before ordering.
| Item | Amount / rule |
|---|---|
| Marriage or civil union license | $30.00 |
| Late return after 63 days | $20.00 late fee plus $5.00 per additional day, maximum $50.00 |
| Certified copies of recorded documents | Fee applies, but amount was not located in official research. |
| Divorce decree copy | Request from Washington Combined Court; researched copy amount not located. |
| State vital-record verification | Use CDPHE channels; researched Washington County page did not give this fee. |
Return Washington County Marriage Certificates
After a marriage is solemnized, the person solemnizing the marriage must complete the license and forward it to the Clerk and Recorder within 63 days. Completed marriage license and certificate returns go to Washington County Clerk and Recorder, 150 Ash Avenue - P.O. Box L, Akron, CO 80720-0380. The certificate must include the county and location of the marriage, date, officiating party signature and title, and bride and groom signatures.
Civil union records follow a similar county-record path. A Colorado civil union license is valid only in Colorado. Civil union licenses from another state are not valid for solemnization in Colorado. If either party was previously married or in a civil union, the applicant must provide the name of the spouse or other party, date of dissolution or death, type of court, and location of dissolution or death.
Find Washington County Divorce Records
Divorce and separation cases are District Court records. The official Colorado Judicial divorce page says to contact the courthouse where the divorce was filed for copies of divorce paperwork or a divorce decree. For Washington County divorces, that courthouse is Washington Combined Court at 26861 Hwy 34, P.O. Box 455, Akron, CO 80720. The phone is 970-345-2756, and the court email listed in research is Washingtonclerksoffice@judicial.state.co.us.
Divorce files may include petitions, responses, sworn financial statements, parenting plans, child support worksheets, separation agreements, decrees, permanent orders, and post-decree motions. Some financial, child, protected-address, and private identifier information may be redacted or restricted. A person who needs the full court file should use the court records request route, not the county marriage license office.
Colorado vital records can provide verification of a marriage, civil union, or dissolution. That verification is useful for certain proof needs, but divorce decrees are court records from the District Court file. CDPHE vital records is appointment-based for in-person services and also uses official ordering channels.
File Divorce in Washington County
Colorado Judicial Branch divorce forms are the starting point for filing a new divorce or separation case. A Washington County case is filed in District Court through Washington Combined Court or through approved e-filing where applicable. The process may include filing forms, paying filing fees or requesting a fee waiver, serving the other party if the case is not filed jointly, completing required financial disclosures, attending an initial status conference or mediation if ordered, resolving parenting, support, and property issues, and obtaining decree or permanent orders.
Local mediation rules, exact hearing practices, and current filing fee amounts were not found in the Washington County research. Use the statewide Colorado Judicial forms and confirm current instructions with Washington Combined Court before relying on a timeline. Court staff can provide forms and filing process information, but they cannot give legal advice.
Note: Marriage licenses are county records, while divorce decrees are District Court records from the case file.