How Can We Pay for This?

Payment methods are the kind of detail nobody thinks to check until they’re standing at a counter, so here’s what we know so far.

The apostille step: cash, check, or money order only

The Colorado Secretary of State’s Authentications office does not accept credit or debit cards. You’ll need cash, a personal check, or a money order. If you’re traveling internationally and don’t normally carry US cash or hold a US checking account, this is worth planning for specifically; a money order is generally the easiest option to arrange without either. See the apostille process for the full walkthrough of this step.

The license fee itself

County methods for the $30 license fee vary: some may take cards, others may be cash- or check-only. Check the county list for what’s confirmed so far, and confirm directly with your specific county before your appointment so you’re not caught out.

Where a county does take cards, expect a convenience fee on top: Boulder County’s marriage license page discloses $0.75 plus 2.26% of the total for card payments, and a fee in the rough 2-3% range is typical for government payment processors generally. It’s a small amount on a $30 license, but it applies to certified copies and any other card payment in the process too. See what does it actually cost for the full admin cost breakdown.

The safe default

Until the county list has your specific county confirmed, the safe move is to bring cash or a checkbook for the license fee, and definitely bring cash, a check, or a money order for the apostille step; don’t count on being able to pay by card for either.