Delta County Marriage and Divorce Custody
Delta County uses a split records system. Marriage licenses, civil-union licenses, recorded license returns, and certified marriage copies are county Clerk and Recorder records. That office is led by Delta County Clerk and Recorder Teri A. Stephenson and is separate from the Colorado Judicial Branch court clerk. The Clerk and Recorder also handles recorded documents, selected vital records, board records, elections, motor vehicle services, plats, and other county-record functions.
Divorce records take a different route. Divorce decrees, parenting plans, separation agreements, support orders, petitions, and other family case documents are court records. For a divorce filed in Delta County, copies come from the Delta County Combined Court or the statewide Judicial Branch record/document request form. The county records routing page states that court records are maintained by the Colorado Judicial Branch, not Delta County government.
The Delta County Clerk and Recorder page is the county source for license office context.
This office context matters because the same courthouse address can point to two different custodians with different copy rules.
Delta County Marriage License Rules
A license is obtained from the Clerk and Recorder between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. The research captured Delta County's civil-union license page, and its workflow closely maps the local licensing process. The license is valid when issued and must be used in Colorado within 35 days. A license from another state is not valid for certifying a Colorado civil union.
Both applicants must normally appear in person. Applicants do not need to be Colorado residents, and Colorado has not required blood tests since July 1, 1989. Each party must be 18 or older. If either party is under legal guardianship, written guardian consent must be provided when the application is made. Valid identification can include a birth certificate, driver's license, passport, state ID, military ID, alien registration card, or another government ID that shows photo, gender, date of birth, issue date, and expiration date.
- One party cannot already be married or in another civil union.
- A divorce or dissolution must be final before a new license is issued.
- Ancestor and descendant relationships are barred.
- Sibling relationships are barred, including whole or half blood.
- Uncle and niece or aunt and nephew relationships are barred.
- Cousins are permitted for Colorado civil unions.
Apply for Delta County Marriage Records
The Delta County license process is an in-person Clerk and Recorder workflow. The office is at 501 Palmer Street, Suite 211, Delta, CO 81416, with phone 970-874-2150 and fax 970-874-2161. Office and recording hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but license applications are handled between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
- Confirm that both parties can appear at the Clerk and Recorder's Office during license hours.
- Bring valid identification for each applicant and any required guardian consent.
- Prepare prior-marriage or prior-civil-union details, including final divorce or dissolution information.
- Pay the license fee in cash because Delta County requires cash for the license fee.
- Use the license in Colorado within the valid period, then return it to the Clerk and Recorder after the ceremony.
If one party cannot appear, the absent party must complete an absentee affidavit, have it notarized, and provide a copy of the absent party's ID. That exception should be prepared before the in-person applicant goes to the Clerk and Recorder counter.
Delta County Application Field Table
The application asks for identity, birth, family, and prior-relationship facts. These fields help the Clerk and Recorder confirm eligibility and create an indexable license record. Prior divorce details are especially important because Colorado requires the prior divorce or dissolution to be final before the new license can be issued.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Last name at birth | Yes | Used to identify each applicant in the license record. |
| Social Security number | Yes, if applicable | Listed in Delta County's required application information. |
| City and state of birth | Yes | Entered for each party. |
| Parent or legal guardian names | Yes | Father, mother, or legal guardian information is requested. |
| Parent or guardian residence | Yes | City and state where the parent or guardian lives. |
| Prior divorce details | If divorced | Date, city, state, and type of court for the divorce. |
| Recent divorce decree | If within 12 months | A decree copy is required if the divorce occurred within the past 12 months. |
| Date of death | If widowed | Used when a prior spouse or partner is deceased. |
Return Delta County Marriage Records
Colorado allows a judge, retired judge, or magistrate to perform a civil ceremony. A person recognized by a religious denomination or Indian Tribe or Nation may perform a religious ceremony. The parties may also certify their own civil union. A friend or relative cannot certify the license unless that person fits one of the authorized categories. Witnesses are not required.
The license must be returned to the Clerk and Recorder in person or by mail within 63 days after the ceremony. A late return can result in a fine of up to $50 when the license is recorded. This return step is what changes a license from an issued permission document into a recorded marriage or civil-union record that can later support a certified copy request.
Delta County's civil-union license page lists the local return and ceremony rules.
The return deadline is a records issue as much as a ceremony issue because the recorded copy depends on the completed license reaching the Clerk and Recorder.
Delta County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Delta County publishes county Clerk and Recorder copy fees for recorded-document and marriage-copy work, while the Judicial Branch record request form publishes court-copy fees for divorce documents. The table keeps the two fee systems separate because one office cannot quote or collect every fee for the other office's records.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Civil union license | $30 cash required |
| Certified copy of marriage license | $1.25 |
| Clerk and Recorder certification | $1 |
| Standard recorded-document copy | $0.25 per page |
| Online Tyler copy | $2 per document, or $1 per document with subscription |
| Court copy per page for divorce records | $0.25 |
| Certified or exemplified court copy | $20 per document |
| Court name search | $5 |
Search Delta County Marriage Records
Marriage and civil-union record searches start with the Clerk and Recorder. The office offers a Tyler recorded-document portal, but the visible capture notes that the public user must accept a disclaimer before reaching the search session. The disclaimer says the index is like a library card catalog and should not be relied on as the underlying document. It also warns users to search spelling variations and other criteria.
For a certified copy, the practical route is the Clerk and Recorder counter or the office's published record channels, not the court clerk. The Clerk and Recorder's recording information also explains standard copy, oversized copy, plat, certification, and notary fees. Credit cards are accepted in Motor Vehicle and Recording/Vitals Departments with an administrative fee, but credit-card payments are not accepted over the phone.
Find Delta County Divorce Records
Delta County divorce records are kept with the court where the divorce was filed. For a Delta County divorce, that means the Delta County Combined Court at 501 Palmer Street #338, Delta, CO 81416, phone 970-874-6280, or the statewide Judicial Branch record/document request form. The form includes case type Divorce and document options for divorce decree, parenting plan, separation agreement, support order, and petition.
The Colorado Judicial Branch divorce and separation page directs people to the courthouse where the divorce was filed for decree copies.
That court route is also used when a person needs family case papers beyond the decree, such as support or parenting-plan documents.
Delta County Divorce Request Fields
The Judicial Branch request form asks for enough facts to find the correct family case. A requester should provide the case number if known, select case type Divorce, choose Delta County as the location, provide the filing year when possible, and list party names. Date of birth can help identify a primary party when names are common.
Requested documents can include a divorce decree, parenting plan, separation agreement, support order, or petition. Suppressed cases, juvenile-related materials, and documents with confidential or protected information may require U.S. government-issued photo ID. Financial identifiers, minor information, protected addresses, and similar data may be redacted from public copies.
Note: Do not request a divorce decree from the county Clerk and Recorder unless that office separately recorded a related instrument.
Certified Delta County Copies
Certified marriage copies and certified divorce decrees serve different legal uses and come from different custodians. A certified marriage-license copy proves the recorded license held by the Clerk and Recorder. A certified divorce decree proves the court order entered in the divorce case. The certified court copy fee from the Judicial Branch form is $20 per document, while the certified marriage license copy is listed at $1.25.
For probate after a spouse's death, a marriage record may help show relationship, while the divorce decree may show that a prior marriage ended. When estate records are also involved, the Probate Division of District Court page explains how wills, letters, and estate filings are requested from the court clerk.