Hinsdale County Marriage Custodians
Marriage licenses are issued by the Hinsdale County Clerk and Recorder, not the Clerk of Court. The County Clerk and Recorder office is downstairs in the courthouse, and the elected County Clerk is Joan Roberts. The office handles marriage licenses and certified marriage copies along with recording, elections, vehicle title and registration, voter registration, and county liquor licenses.
Divorce records are court records. CDPHE states that county clerk and recorder offices are the source for marriage records, while district court clerks are the source for divorce, separation, or annulment records. For Hinsdale, a divorce decree or family-case document goes through the Colorado Judicial Branch record/document request form or court contact. That split is the most important rule for anyone trying to find Hinsdale County marriage and divorce records.
The CDPHE vital records page is one of the manifest sources for this Hinsdale County marriage and divorce records page.
Use the state vital records source to understand which office holds each record type, then contact the local clerk or court as needed.
Hinsdale County Marriage License Rules
The County Clerk and Recorder issues Hinsdale County marriage licenses at 317 North Henson Street, PO Box 9, Lake City, CO 81235. The office phone is 970-944-2225 ext. 120, with deputy clerk ext. 121, fax 970-944-2202, and clerk@hinsdalecountycolorado.us. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is downstairs in the courthouse.
The county clerk page says both applicants who are age 18 or older need to appear with photo IDs such as driver's licenses. If either applicant has been widowed or divorced, the applicants need the date and place. They also need the last known residence, city and state, of their parents and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. The county phrases timing as coming in within 35 days before the wedding date.
Hinsdale County Clerk and Recorder
317 North Henson Street
PO Box 9
Lake City, CO 81235
970-944-2225 ext. 120
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Apply for a Hinsdale County Marriage License
Because Hinsdale County is remote and weather can affect travel to Lake City, call the clerk when timing is tight. The license process is simple, but it depends on both applicants bringing the right information and payment method.
- Call the County Clerk and Recorder if weather, travel, or wedding timing could affect the visit.
- Both applicants appear in person at the clerk's office with photo ID.
- Provide prior marriage termination information if either applicant was widowed or divorced.
- Provide parental last known residence information and the last four digits of Social Security numbers.
- Pay the license fee by cash or check only.
- Use the license within the county's stated timing window before the wedding date.
- Return the license for recording after the ceremony within the required return period.
- Buy certified copies if needed for a name change or other proof.
Hinsdale County Marriage Application Fields
The research file does not provide a downloaded application form, but it does identify the information the county requires from applicants. These fields should be gathered before going to the clerk's office.
| Field or item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Both applicants present | Yes, if age 18 or older | The county clerk page says both need to be present |
| Photo identification | Yes | Driver's license is listed as an example |
| Widowed or divorced date and place | Conditional | Needed if either applicant has been widowed or divorced |
| Parents' last known residence | Yes | City and state are specifically noted |
| Last four digits of Social Security numbers | Yes | Required information noted by the county |
| Payment | Yes | Cash or check only |
Hinsdale County Marriage Record Fees
The county clerk page gives the local marriage fees and payment method. It also notes that couples commonly purchase three certified copies for a name change. Divorce document copy and certification fees are court fees, not county clerk marriage fees, and should be confirmed through the court record request process when the court responds.
| Item | Fee or note |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $30 |
| Certified marriage copy | $3 each |
| Typical name-change copy bundle | Three certified copies = $9 |
| Typical total with license and three copies | $39 |
| Payment methods | Cash or check only |
| Certified divorce decree copy | Requested from the court; court confirms fees |
Return Hinsdale County Marriage Licenses
The county clerk page says the couple has 63 days to return the license for recording after the ceremony. That return step matters because a license that has not been returned and recorded may not produce the certified marriage record needed later for a name change, benefits, insurance, or other proof. The same clerk office that issues the license is the local record source for certified marriage copies.
Certified copies should be requested from the Hinsdale County Clerk and Recorder when a local marriage record is needed. A state verification through CDPHE may help in some eligible situations, but a local certified copy from the county clerk is often the document a person needs after a Hinsdale marriage ceremony.
Search Hinsdale County Marriage Records
For a Hinsdale County marriage record, start with the County Clerk and Recorder. The clerk is the local source for marriage licenses and certified marriage copies. If the search is broader than Hinsdale or a statewide verification is needed, CDPHE can provide marriage, civil union, and dissolution verification through its ordering process for eligible requesters.
The CDPHE certificate ordering page is another manifest source for this page.
Use CDPHE for state verification options and the county clerk for Hinsdale marriage licenses and certified local copies.
Note: CDPHE states vital records, including marriage and divorce, are confidential under C.R.S. 25-2-117.
Find Hinsdale County Divorce Records
Divorce, legal separation, and annulment records are court records. For Hinsdale, use the Colorado Judicial Branch record/document request form or contact the court at 970-944-2227. If immediate court assistance is needed when the local court is not available, the county court page routes users to Gunnison Combined Courts at 970-642-8300.
A divorce search may begin in the Colorado Judicial Docket Search by selecting Hinsdale County, using case class DR if known, and searching by party name, case number, or date range. Docket Search is not a document download system. It can help locate a case or hearing, while decrees and family documents must be requested from the court.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Number | Text | Optional | Use if known, such as the case-number format shown on the form |
| County | Dropdown | Recommended | Select Hinsdale County if the divorce was filed there |
| Date of Birth | Date | Optional | MM/DD/YYYY for the primary party if known |
| Party Information | Text | Required | Names on the case |
| Family Matters | Checkbox group | Optional | Divorce Decree, Parenting Plan, Separation Agreement, Support Order, Petition |
| Contact/address fields | Text, email, phone, dropdowns | Several required | Used for the court response and any fees |
Hinsdale County Divorce Documents
The Judicial Branch request form's Family Matters section lists Divorce Decree, Parenting Plan, Separation Agreement, Support Order, Petition, and other family records. Some documents may include protected information. The court record request form warns that suppressed cases, juvenile and probate records, or documents with confidential or protected information may require a U.S. government-issued photo ID.
The Colorado Judicial Branch divorce and separation self-help page covers getting or responding to divorce or legal separation of a marriage or civil union and converting legal separation to divorce. The research notes a waiting period of at least 182 days from entry of a legal separation decree before filing paperwork to change it to a divorce.
Common-Law Marriage Records
Colorado recognizes common-law marriage. The research file notes that a common-law marriage is valid for all purposes the same as a ceremonial marriage and can only be terminated by death or divorce. That means a dispute about whether a common-law marriage exists may affect divorce, estate, benefits, or family-law issues even when no ceremonial license exists.
If a common-law marriage question is part of a divorce, separation, or dissolution record request, give the court as much identifying information as possible. If a ceremonial Hinsdale license exists, start with the County Clerk and Recorder. If the issue is a divorce decree or court order, use the court record request path.
Marriage and Divorce Privacy
CDPHE's research data page states that vital records are confidential under Colorado law, including marriage and divorce. That matters for online expectations. A person should not expect a free public database with full Hinsdale marriage or divorce documents. Eligibility, identity, relationship, court status, or document type may control what can be released.
The CDPHE research data request page is the third manifest image source for this topic.
That source reinforces that vital records access is not the same as an unrestricted court or county search.