Hinsdale County Recorder Office
The Hinsdale County Clerk and Recorder is the local county office for recording and marriage license services. The elected County Clerk is Joan Roberts, and the Deputy Clerk is Allison Athey Waddington. The office is in the historic Hinsdale County Courthouse at 317 North Henson Street, PO Box 9, Lake City, CO 81235. The main phone number is 970-944-2225 ext. 120, the deputy clerk extension is 121, the fax is 970-944-2202, and the email address is clerk@hinsdalecountycolorado.us. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The county clerk page says the office can assist with voter registration, vehicle title and registration, election information, recording, liquor licenses for the County of Hinsdale, and marriage licenses. The office is downstairs in the courthouse, while County Court is upstairs and court records are handled through the separate Clerk of Court. The official courthouse history page helps explain why several offices share the same building, but the record duties are not the same.
Hinsdale County Clerk and Recorder
Clerk: Joan Roberts
Deputy Clerk: Allison Athey Waddington
317 North Henson Street
PO Box 9
Lake City, CO 81235
970-944-2225 ext. 120
Deputy clerk: ext. 121
clerk@hinsdalecountycolorado.us
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hinsdale County Clerk Split
Hinsdale County has a split clerk structure under the state court map. Court case records are administered through the Clerk of Court for the Colorado Judicial Branch. Recorder records are administered through the County Clerk and Recorder. The difference controls where a search should start, which fees apply, and which office can certify a copy. A court disposition cannot be issued by the recorder, and a recorded deed is not issued by the court clerk.
| Record or service | County Clerk and Recorder | Clerk of Court |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded deeds and plats | Yes | No |
| Marriage license and certified marriage copies | Yes | No |
| Election, voter, title, and registration services | Yes | No |
| Civil, criminal, divorce, probate, and traffic case files | No | Yes |
| Court dispositions, decrees, and orders | No | Yes |
A reader looking for District Court or County Court case copies should use the Hinsdale County Clerk of Court. A reader looking for land recording, marriage license copies, or iCounty document search should stay with the County Clerk and Recorder.
Search Hinsdale Recorded Documents
The county links iCounty.org for document searching. The research identifies iCounty as an official-linked recording search channel, not a court case search. Access terms on the county clerk page are $300 for a monthly subscription or $30 for 24 hours. The page says there are no printing fees except plat copies, which are $5 per page. Because this is a paid recording channel, it is best used when the record sought is a recorded document rather than a case file.
- Confirm the record is a recorded county document, such as a deed, plat, recorded lien, or similar recorder filing.
- Use the county clerk's linked iCounty search or contact the Clerk and Recorder before buying access.
- Search with names, document details, or property-related clues available from the transaction.
- Check whether a plain copy, plat copy, certified copy, or mailed copy is needed before paying fees.
- Use the court clerk instead when the record is a judgment, order, probate filing, divorce decree, or case disposition.
Recorded documents can connect to a court case without becoming court records. For example, a probate estate can produce a court order and also require a recorded real estate document. The order is requested from District Court. The recorded instrument is searched or requested through the County Clerk and Recorder. Keeping those trails separate helps avoid incomplete searches.
Hinsdale County Recorder Fees
The county clerk page is the official local source for the fees listed below. The recording chart itself is linked as an image on the county page, so the researched table preserves only the fees and notes available from the page text. Payment limits matter for marriage licenses because the county states that office accepts cash or check only for the marriage license transaction described in the research.
| Item | Fee or note |
|---|---|
| Letter or legal copies | $0.25 per page |
| Plat copies | $5.00 per page |
| Recording | See county recording chart linked on the clerk page |
| Documentary fee | $0.01 per $100 of purchase price for sales over $500 |
| Security agreement filings | $40.00 per document |
| Faxing | $3.00 first three pages, $1.00 each additional page |
| Emailing fees | $3.00 first three pages, $1.00 each additional page |
| Marriage license | $30.00 |
| Certified marriage copies | $3.00 each |
| Mailing expenses | Actual postage |
| Returned checks | NSF charge effective January 1, 2021 |
Note: Court copy fees are separate from recorder fees and should be confirmed with the Clerk of Court.
Hinsdale County Marriage Records
The County Clerk and Recorder handles marriage licenses locally. The county says both applicants must be present if they are 18 or older and must bring photo IDs such as a driver's license. If either applicant has been widowed or divorced, they need to know the date and place. Applicants also need the last known residence, city, and state of their parents, plus the last four digits of their Social Security numbers.
Couples have 35 days before the wedding date to come in and do the license. The marriage license fee is $30. Certified marriage copies for a name change are $3 each. The county notes that couples commonly get three certified copies for $9, making a total of $39 with the license. The couple has 63 days to return the license for recording. The office accepts cash or check only.
| Marriage license field or item | Hinsdale County requirement |
|---|---|
| Applicant appearance | Both applicants present if 18 or older |
| Photo ID | Required, such as a driver's license |
| Prior marriage information | Date and place if widowed or divorced |
| Parents' last known residence | City and state needed |
| Social Security information | Last four digits needed |
| Return after ceremony | Within 63 days for recording |
Hinsdale County CORA Records
The county has an official Public Records Request CORA page that links a Public Records Request Form PDF and a County Public Records Policy PDF. A CORA request is appropriate for county-created administrative records, county policies, county office records, and other records held by county offices. It is not the normal route for court case files. Court records are requested through the Colorado Judicial Branch and the Clerk of Court.
The Colorado Department of Revenue CORA summary explains that public records are open for inspection by any person at reasonable times unless a law makes them nonpublic. The Colorado Attorney General summary distinguishes CORA from the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act. Official action records must be available for inspection, while other criminal justice records may be open subject to the custodian's discretion. The correct custodian still matters.
Records Not Held Here
The County Clerk and Recorder should not be treated as a one-stop court records counter. Criminal court files, civil case pleadings, divorce decrees, probate orders, case dispositions, traffic case records, and court docket records are court records. They are handled through the Colorado Judicial Branch, the local Clerk of Court, Docket Search, or the record/document request form. Sheriff's reports, booking records, warrant confirmation, and law enforcement records are also outside the recorder's office and should be directed to the proper criminal justice agency.
That split is especially important in Hinsdale County because the courthouse houses several public offices in a small space. The County Clerk, Assessor, and Treasurer are on the first floor or downstairs, while County Court is on the second floor. The Hinsdale County homepage is a useful starting point for county departments, but a person visiting Lake City should still confirm the correct office before travel because the county is remote and the court schedule is limited.