Custer County Marriage License Office
Marriage licenses are issued and recorded by the Custer County Clerk & Recorder. The office is led by Kelley Camper and is separate from the Custer Combined Court clerk. This distinction is important because marriage records are county clerk records, while divorce decrees are court records.
The Clerk & Recorder's office is at the Custer County Courthouse, 205 S. 6th Street, Westcliffe, CO 81252. The office lists phone numbers 719-783-2441 and 719-783-0441, email custerclerk@custercounty-co.gov for marriage-license material, and Monday through Thursday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The official Clerk & Recorder page identifies the office that keeps Custer County marriage records and other county records.
Use this office for marriage licenses and marriage record questions, not for divorce decrees filed in District Court.
Apply for Custer County Marriage License
A Custer County marriage license is valid upon issue and must be used in Colorado within 35 days. At least one party must appear in person. Applicants do not have to be Colorado residents, and no blood test is required.
- Contact the Custer County Clerk & Recorder or appear during posted office hours.
- Bring valid identification, such as a passport, driver's license, or birth certificate.
- Provide Social Security numbers, or complete the required affidavit if a party has no Social Security number.
- Pay the $30 marriage license fee.
- Use the license in Colorado within 35 days and return the completed certificate within 60 days.
The official Custer County marriage license page lists local license rules, fees, ID requirements, self-solemnization, and return instructions.
The license page is the main source for current Custer County marriage application details.
Custer County Marriage Application Fields
Applicants should be ready to provide identity, eligibility, and prior-marriage information. If either party has been divorced, that party must recite the date finalized, city and state, and type of court. A divorce decree is not required for the marriage application according to the local research.
| Field / Item | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party names | Text | Yes | Both parties are listed on the application. |
| Valid ID | Document | Yes | Passport, driver's license, and birth certificate are listed examples. |
| Social Security number | Text | Yes unless no SSN | An affidavit is required if a party has no SSN. |
| Prior divorce details | Text | Conditional | Date finalized, city/state, and type of court are required if divorced. |
| Fee | Payment | Yes | $30. |
| In-person appearance | Appearance | Yes | At least one party must appear in person. |
| Age approval | Eligibility | Conditional | Ages 16 and 17 require judicial approval. |
Custer County Marriage Rules and Fees
Colorado allows self-solemnization. Custer County's official material says couples may solemnize their own marriage, but a friend or relative who is not otherwise authorized cannot solemnize solely because the couple can self-solemnize. Witnesses are not required, though an officiant may ask for them.
Eligibility rules should be checked before applying. A person who is still married cannot receive a new Colorado marriage license. The local page also lists prohibited family relationships, while cousin marriage is permitted in Colorado. Applicants age 18 or older do not need parental consent. Applicants age 16 or 17 need judicial approval, and applicants younger than 16 require the consent listed by law plus judicial approval with no exceptions.
| Item | Amount or Rule |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $30. |
| License validity | Valid upon issue and must be used in Colorado within 35 days. |
| Certificate return | Return to the Clerk & Recorder within 60 days. |
| Late return fee | $20, with possible additional $5 per day up to $50. |
| Certified divorce decree copy | $20 per document estimate through the court. |
| Court copy pages | $0.25 per page for court records. |
| Court name search | $5. |
Look Up Custer County Marriage Records
The Clerk & Recorder keeps permanent records of marriages performed in Custer County. For older county records, the official page says Custer County records date back to 1877. Recorded-document systems can help with county records, but marriage-license questions should still start with the Clerk & Recorder.
When asking for a marriage record, provide both parties' names, an approximate marriage date, and the county where the license was issued or returned. If the marriage occurred under a license from another Colorado county, Custer County may not be the recording office even if the ceremony occurred nearby. Certified-copy needs should be stated up front so staff can apply the correct copy and certification process.
The official recording services page explains local record search stations, iCounty pricing, digitized date ranges, and copy fees.
Recording-service tools are useful for county records, but divorce decrees and court orders remain with the court clerk.
Find Custer County Divorce Records
Divorce is a District Court matter. Custer County divorce decrees, parenting plans, separation agreements, support orders, petitions, and registers of action should be requested through Custer Combined Court or the Colorado Judicial Branch record/document request form. The county Clerk & Recorder does not issue divorce decrees.
When requesting a divorce record, choose Custer County, case type Divorce, and the needed document type. Provide party names, case number if known, filing year, and date of birth if known. Divorce files may contain child, financial, protected-address, or sealed information, so redaction or identification requirements may apply.
Office split: Marriage licenses are county clerk records. Divorce decrees are court records from Custer Combined Court.
Custer County Divorce Filing Records
Filing for divorce starts in District Court, not the county Clerk & Recorder. The research summary identifies the broad filing path: confirm venue and Colorado residency, use Colorado Judicial Branch domestic-relations forms, file with Custer Combined Court, pay the filing fee or request a fee waiver, serve the other party unless filing jointly, and complete required disclosures and parenting forms if children are involved.
After a decree is entered, certified copies come from the court record channel. A certified divorce decree may be needed for name changes, benefits, remarriage proof, or out-of-state use. Ask for certified or exemplified copies when the receiving agency requires formal proof.
Restricted Custer County Family Records
Marriage-license records are generally a county clerk function, but not every related family record is open. Divorce files may include restricted child details, financial identifiers, protected addresses, sealed filings, and orders limited by court rule. Juvenile and adoption records should not be treated as public search records.
For divorce records, use the court request process and expect redaction where CJD 05-01, privacy rules, or a court order restricts access. For marriage record questions, call the Clerk & Recorder before making assumptions about certified-copy eligibility or proof requirements locally.
Note: DD214 military discharge copies recorded with the county clerk are restricted and require written request plus photo ID.
Custer County Family Record Followup
Marriage and divorce records often get confused because both may be needed for name changes, benefits, remarriage, or identity proof. The offices are different. The Clerk & Recorder issues and records marriage licenses. Custer Combined Court keeps divorce decrees and domestic-relations orders. A certified marriage record does not prove the terms of a divorce, and a divorce decree does not replace a marriage license record.
For marriage records, ask the Clerk & Recorder what proof is needed, whether the record was a Custer County marriage, and whether the certificate was returned within the required period. For divorce records, use the court request form with party names, filing year, case number if known, and the exact document needed. Divorce documents with child, financial, protected-address, or sealed information may be redacted before release.
Colorado self-solemnization is a useful local detail, but it does not let any friend or relative act as an officiant unless that person is otherwise authorized. Couples who self-solemnize still need the license, the completed certificate, and timely return to the Clerk & Recorder. Late return fees can apply even when the license was valid.
For older family-record research, use the record's event location. A marriage performed and recorded in Custer County belongs with the Custer County Clerk & Recorder. A divorce filed in another Colorado county will not become a Custer District Court record merely because a party later moved to Westcliffe. If the county is uncertain, gather names, dates, prior residence, and the court or clerk location before requesting paid searches.
Certified copies should be requested from the issuing office. A certified marriage record comes from the Clerk & Recorder. A certified divorce decree comes from the court. If the receiving agency asks for a raised seal, certification, or exemplification, state that requirement when making the request.