Blog · August 30, 2026
Colorado Counties Compared: Where to Get Your License
Every county office plotted on a map, plus a comparison of appointment rules, walk-ins, and notary availability for the 15 counties researched so far.
Click any pin for that office’s exact address and a directions link. The comparison table underneath covers process details — appointments, walk-ins, notary availability — for the 15 counties most relevant to routes covered on this site so far, 11 of which now have their own dedicated, full breakdown; click a county name below for the full post.
County office
Click or tap a pin to see its details.
At a glance
| If you want… | Go with |
|---|---|
| No appointment at all | Elbert (Kiowa) or Morgan (Fort Morgan) — genuine walk-in, no portal at either |
| Fully remote application | Boulder — video call only, license mailed to a Colorado address |
| A confirmed on-site notary | El Paso — deputy clerk notarizes the SSN affidavit on the spot |
| Closest office to Rocky Mountain National Park | Larimer, Estes Park branch (appointment required) |
| Closest office to Garden of the Gods | El Paso, Colorado Springs |
County comparison
| County | Distance from Denver | Appointment | Walk-ins | Notary on-site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 0 mi | Required (in-person or video) | No | SSN affidavit needs advance notarization, not on-site |
| Adams (Brighton) | ~20 mi / ~30 min | Required at both offices; Brighton bookable up to 60 days ahead | No | Yes, a deputy clerk can swear you in on the SSN affidavit |
| Arapahoe (Aurora) | ~15 mi / ~25 min | Required at both offices (currently, due to demand) | No | Yes, if both applicants are present |
| Broomfield | ~20 mi / ~30 min | Strongly encouraged; walk-in capacity currently limited | Limited | Yes, if applying in person; outside notary needed otherwise |
| Jefferson (Golden) | ~15 mi / ~25 min | Site says calendar opens 21 days ahead; booking system actually allows 28 days | Yes, or book ahead for guaranteed service | No general notary — but the SSN affidavit itself doesn’t need one |
| Boulder | ~35 mi / ~45 min | Video appointment required | No, entirely remote, license mailed to you (Colorado addresses only) | Yes, confirmed — SSN affidavit signed virtually during the same video call |
| Douglas (Castle Rock) | ~30 mi / ~40 min | Book up to 28 days ahead | Unconfirmed | Unconfirmed |
| Larimer (Fort Collins / Estes Park) | ~65–70 mi / ~1h10–1h30 | Required at Estes Park & Loveland; recommended in Fort Collins | Fort Collins only | Fort Collins only for general notary; SSN-specific witnessing at Estes Park unconfirmed |
| Weld (Greeley / Fort Lupton / Longmont) | ~55–65 mi / ~1h–1h15 | Required at all 3 offices | No | Unconfirmed |
| Elbert (Kiowa) | ~45 mi / ~1h | None — walk in, or apply online through the self-service portal | Yes | Yes, signed with the clerk on the spot |
| Morgan (Fort Morgan) | ~80 mi / ~1h20 | None — walk-in | Yes | Yes, functionally — signed in front of the Deputy Clerk |
| El Paso (Colorado Springs) | ~70 mi / ~1h10 | None needed, but an online pre-application is required first | Yes; Saturday hours at the Union Blvd office only | Yes, confirmed — deputy clerk can notarize the SSN affidavit on the spot |
| Pitkin (Aspen) | ~165 mi / ~3.5–4h | Book a marriage-specific slot ahead | Not clearly offered | Unconfirmed |
| Summit (Breckenridge) | ~85 mi / ~1.5–2h | Book up to 3 weeks ahead; fills fast | Residents only | Unconfirmed |
| Grand (Hot Sulphur Springs, near RMNP) | ~95 mi / ~2h | At least 24 hours ahead, no same-day | No | Unconfirmed |
This table covers 15 of Colorado’s 64 counties, the ones most relevant to the venues and routes covered elsewhere on this site. Office hours, appointment windows, and policies change; confirm directly with the specific county’s clerk and recorder before you build a trip itinerary around any of these details. Several .gov sites in this list actively block automated access, so some entries above draw on search-indexed page text rather than a direct page load; each county’s own dedicated post flags exactly which details that applies to. See where to find a notary for the fuller picture on notarization, including the fallback options if your county doesn’t offer it.
If your ceremony county isn’t the same as your license county, budget travel time between the two into your plans; see do you need a rental car in Colorado for why that combination usually rules out relying on rideshare alone. And since appointment windows here range from same-day to a month out, see what happens if you need to cancel or reschedule if your county’s slot falls through.
Notes specific to a few counties
- Denver’s office moved in December 2025, consolidating into a new headquarters at 200 W. 14th Ave. If you’ve seen an older address referencing the Wellington E. Webb building, it’s out of date; Denver also offers a Boulder-style video appointment as an alternative to the in-person visit. See the full Denver breakdown.
- El Paso’s “walk-in Mon-Sat” only applies across both offices together. The Garden of the Gods Road location is Monday-Friday only; Saturday service exists solely at the Union Boulevard office. See the full El Paso breakdown.
- Boulder mails the license to a Colorado address only. No Colorado mailing address means arranging in-person pickup instead — see the full Boulder County breakdown.
- Your license works statewide regardless of which county issued it — see the marriage license basics. If your ceremony county has an inconvenient appointment process, apply somewhere easier (like El Paso, Elbert, or Morgan) and hold the ceremony wherever you actually want.
- Pitkin County (Aspen): Independence Pass closes for winter, roughly mid-to-late November through the week before Memorial Day. Outside that window, the route from Denver runs via I-70 and Glenwood Springs instead. Grand and Larimer’s own access roads (US-40, US-34) stay plowed year-round, though Trail Ridge Road — the direct link between Larimer’s Estes Park side and Grand’s side, through Rocky Mountain National Park itself — is separately seasonal. See the best time to get married in Colorado.