Civil Union License Details
- A civil union license must be used within 35 days including the date of issue
- A civil union license may only be used in the state of Colorado
- Witnesses are not required
- Blood tests are not required
The Recording Division physical office is closed to the public. Online/phone services are available Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Limited in-person services are available by appointment.
Apply for Civil Union License
Civil Union License Requirements
To obtain a civil union license remotely, you will need the following:
- Access to the internet on a computer (for application)
- Video chat capability (for appointment)
- Required ID (scroll down for checklist)
- Payment (credit card only, to be processed during appointment)
- Both parties are present, together in the same room, and in Colorado to apply for the license
- We will only mail the license to an address within the state of Colorado
- If you are coming from out-of-state, please contact the Recording office for options.
Once the application process and online appointment is completed, your application and civil union license will be mailed to you. Please allow plenty of time for USPS delivery. The signed application and license must then be returned to our office in order to be considered valid.
Note: Applicants requiring an Absentee Affidavit cannot be done remotely. Please contact the office for details.
Applying for Civil Union License – Key Steps
- Complete the online application.
- Schedule an appointment for a video call for ID verification. Appointments with Spanish-speaking staff members are available.
- Download Microsoft Teams in advance of your appointment. Application is free and available for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices.
- Look for an email confirmation of your appointment time and a separate email with the invitation to the Teams meeting. When it is time for your appointment, follow the link in the Teams invitation. Both parties must be present in the same room and have IDs and payment ready.
- After your appointment, the application and license will be mailed to you via USPS. Once you receive these, you must:
- Both parties fill in the last 4-digit of SSN
- Both parties sign the application
- Complete the certificate portion of the license on your union.
- Return BOTH the signed application and completed license to the Recording office. A pre-addressed envelope will be provided. You will need postage unless you choose to use our drop box in Boulder or Longmont.
Please note your license will not be recorded and will not be considered valid if the signed documents are not returned.
Statement: Pursuant to C.R.S. 14-2.106.5 (3) the Recording Division staff has completed the required training and curricula developed by the Human Trafficking Council created in section 18-3-505.
Checklist
Both applicants must provide the following to obtain a civil union license:
- ID (Please have one of the following available during the video meeting):
- Current U.S. driver’s license
- Colorado licenses with the black strip that reads, “Not valid for federal identification…” are not accepted
- Passport
- Original or certified copy of birth certificate
- Current U.S. driver’s license
- Social Security number (if a foreign applicant doesn’t have a Social Security number they must complete a Sworn Statement Affidavit, which will be sent with the application and license).
- $30 fee for the license (e-check and credit card accepted; minimal fee for using a credit card of $0.75 + 2.26% of the total)
Recording a Civil Union License
Licenses may be submitted by mail or placed in one of our drop boxes in Boulder or Longmont. It will be returned within two weeks from the time we received it. To record the license:
- Complete the ‘civil union certificate’ portion of the license
- Signatures of witnesses are not required
- Put in provided envelope or a blank one marked “Recording” and place in our drop box OR mail the license to 1750 33rd St., Suite 201, Boulder, CO 80301
Please note your license will not be recorded and will not be considered valid if the signed documents are not returned. If a civil union license is not returned to the parties one month after the ceremony, contact the office. The Recording Division may not have received the license from the officiating party.
Other Requirements and Restrictions
If either applicant has previously been married or has previously been party to a civil union, provide the following in addition to the items listed above:
- Name of previous spouse or partner
- Date of divorce or dissolution (month/day/year)
- Place of divorce or dissolution (city and state)
- Type of court for the divorce or dissolution
If either applicant is widowed, provide the following in addition to the items detailed above:
- Date of death (month/day/year)
- Place of death (city and state)
Applicants for a civil union license must be 18 years of age or older. If 18 years of age or older and under legal guardianship, applicants require consent from their guardians.
View the legal guardian consent form.
Civil unions are prohibited if an applicant is already married or in another civil union. Unions between the following are also prohibited:
- Ancestor and descendant
- Siblings
- Uncle and niece or uncle and nephew
- Aunt and nephew or aunt and niece
A civil union ceremony may be performed by the following:
- The couple themselves
- Judge or court magistrate
- Religious or tribal official authorized to perform a ceremony
Find judges and magistrates who perform ceremonies in Boulder County.