Did you know you can get married as young as 16 in Colorado – Lawmakers look to change that
Feb 19, 2026, 4:10 PM
You can’t drink alcohol or gamble until you’re 21. You can’t vote until you’re 18… But in Colorado you can get married as young as 16-years-old. Is that too young? Some lawmakers in our state think so.
Senate Bill 26-048, sponsored by State Senator Janice Marchman and Senator Nick Hinrichsen, would require that individuals be at least eighteen years old to obtain a marriage license in Colorado.
The bill passed its first vote on Tuesday, February 17, in the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee.
One of the main arguments for passing the bill is that married minors cannot file for divorce or protection orders without an adult. They are emancipated from their parents and often no longer covered by child protection services. And marriage shields the adult spouse from statutory rape or sexual assault charges.
At least 4,763 marriage license applications submitted in Colorado between 2000 and 2025 involved someone under the age of eighteen, according to state data.
