Elbert County County Clerk and Recorder
The elected Elbert County Clerk and Recorder is Rhonda Braun. The county Recording page lists Rhonda Braun as Elbert County Clerk and Recorder and Debby Inhulsen as Recording Manager. The recording office is at 440 Comanche Street, Kiowa, CO 80117, with mail sent to PO Box 37, Kiowa, CO 80117. The phone number for recording and marriage licenses is 303-621-3128, and the email is recording@elbertcounty-co.gov. Public hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The county Clerk page separates departments by function. Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners is listed at 720-595-3605, Elections at 303-621-3127, Motor Vehicle at 303-621-3123, and Recording and Marriage Licenses at 303-621-3128. The same page says divorce information should go to the Elbert County Clerk to the Courts at 303-621-2131, which confirms that court files and recorded county documents are separate record sets.
That office split is the main rule for this page. The Clerk and Recorder is the right office for recorded instruments, marriage license work, recording-copy questions, and county clerk records. The Clerk of Court is the right office for case filings, dockets, divorce decrees, probate files, criminal dispositions, and certified court documents. The two offices are both in Kiowa, but the research lists different addresses, schedules, phone numbers, and record systems.
Elbert County Clerk and Recorder Recording Office
Clerk and Recorder: Rhonda Braun
440 Comanche Street
Kiowa, CO 80117
303-621-3128
recording@elbertcounty-co.gov
Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Elbert County Recorder Records
The Clerk and Recorder page is the correct local office for recorded documents and marriage services. The research file identifies the official county recording page, the Self Service Web portal, marriage documents, the current recording fee sheet, and the county CORA fallback for records not already online.
- Recording and recorded-document searches.
- Marriage license applications and recorded marriage records.
- Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners contact routing.
- Elections and motor vehicle department contact routing.
- County CORA fallback when a county record is not available through a public page or portal.
Search Elbert County Recorded Documents
The Elbert County Clerk and Recorder Self Service Web portal is the county recording search system. The portal is for recorded-document indexes, watermarked images, clean copy purchases, and registered subscriptions. It is not the court case search system, so it should not be used for divorce decrees, criminal cases, traffic cases, probate files, or dockets.
Public search in the portal gives access to indexes and watermarked images at no charge. Clean copies must be purchased. Registered users may buy a subscription, and the research file lists a one-month subscription at $300.00. Most casual users looking for a single recorded document should review the public search and cart options before assuming a subscription is needed.
| Portal field or mode | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home / Instructions | Tab | No | Landing tabs are visible. |
| Log in | Link/button | Only for registered use | Used for registered users and subscriptions. |
| New Registered User | Login workflow | No | Accessed after selecting Login. |
| Public Search | Portal mode | Unspecified | Indexes and watermarked images are searchable at no charge. |
| Registered User Search | Portal mode | Login required | Subscription activates view, download, and print images at no extra charge. |
| Cart | Link | No | Used for purchased copies. |
Note: The Self Service page recommends Chrome browser for portal use.
Request Certified Recorder Copies
Certified copies of recorded county documents should be requested through the Clerk and Recorder, not through the Clerk of Court. The research notes that clean copies can be purchased through the Self Service portal and that certified copies purchased online may be picked up in office or mailed for a $2 fee.
- Search the Self Service portal for the recorded-document index or watermarked image if available.
- Confirm whether a clean copy or certified copy is needed.
- Use the portal cart, office pickup, mail, phone, or email channel as directed by the recording office.
- Confirm any mailing cost before requesting mailed certified copies.
- For documents not found online, contact recording staff at 303-621-3128 or recording@elbertcounty-co.gov.
Elbert County Recording Fees
The Elbert County recording fee sheet effective July 1, 2025 lists the following local fees. These are recording-office fees, not court filing or court copy fees.
| Item | Fee / note |
|---|---|
| General recording flat fee per document | $43.00 |
| Documentary fee on real property transfer values over $500 | 0.01% of transfer value |
| Transfer values at or below $500 | $0.00 documentary fee |
| UCC filings walk-in/mail, 1-2 pages | $13.00 |
| UCC filings walk-in/mail, 3+ pages | $18.00 |
| UCC filings eRecord | $8.00 flat fee |
| Death certificate | Exempt |
| Marriage application for license/certificate | $30.00, good for 35 days |
| Standard copy, 8.5x11 or 8.5x14 | $0.25 per page |
| Registered-user search subscription | $300.00 for one month |
Elbert County Marriage Records
Marriage licenses and recorded marriage records are a major reason to use the Clerk and Recorder. The county lists marriage application, marriage license information, authorization of proxy marriage, civil union absentee affidavit, common-law affidavit, marriage license absentee affidavit, and Social Security number affidavits among its marriage documents. Both parties generally apply in person before recording staff, and marriage applications are not accepted after 4:30 p.m.
Divorce is different. The Recording page directs divorce information to the Elbert County Clerk to the Courts at 303-621-2131. A person seeking a divorce decree, legal separation order, parenting plan, or domestic relations docket should use the Elbert County Clerk of Court rather than the recording office.
A Colorado marriage license may be obtained from any Colorado county, but it must be returned to the issuing county. For an Elbert County-issued license, that means returning the completed license to Elbert County. The county information document also states that applicants do not need to be Colorado residents, no blood test is required, and Colorado permits religious, civil, and self-solemnization ceremonies.
Elbert County CORA Requests
If a county-government record is not already online through the Self Service portal, board records, or another county page, Elbert County provides a centralized CORA process. Requests may be emailed to openrecords@elbertcounty-co.gov or mailed to Elbert County Open Records Department, PO Box 7, 215 Comanche St., Kiowa, CO 80117. The county policy says requests should describe the records sought with as much specificity as possible.
| Field / requirement | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Requester contact information | Yes | Completed forms are submitted by email or mail. |
| Description of records sought | Yes | State the record with as much specificity as possible. |
| Clarifying criteria | Conditional | Broad requests may be returned for clarification. |
| Submission method | Yes | Email or mail to the Open Records Department. |
| Fee acknowledgement | When charged | Fees must be paid before release, and deposit may be required. |
County CORA timing is generally three business days after receipt, excluding the receipt date, unless extenuating circumstances allow up to seven additional business days. Requests after 4:00 p.m. are treated as received on the next county business day.
CORA is a fallback, not the first stop for everything. If a recorded document is already available through Self Service, use the portal or the recording office's copy process. If a request is really for a court case, sheriff criminal justice record, or jail record, the county CORA mailbox may not be the custodian. Routing the request to the correct office helps avoid clarification letters and fee delays.
The county CORA policy also gives practical cost details. Staff time may be charged at $41.37 per hour after the first free hour, regular paper copies are $0.25 per page, thumb drives are $10, and the county may require prepayment or a deposit before release. Fees can be paid by check or online credit card under the researched policy.
County Clerk vs Court Clerk
Elbert County's local research makes one warning clear: do not use the Clerk and Recorder as a substitute for the court clerk. A recorded document search can show county recording information, but it does not provide a criminal case disposition, a divorce decree, a probate order, a county-court traffic docket, or a District Court civil judgment. Those records are court records, even when they involve the same person or property.
The reverse is also true. The Clerk of Court is not the office for a marriage license application, recorded-document subscription, documentary fee, UCC recording fee, or Clerk to the Board contact. The county Clerk and Recorder page is the correct source for those services. Keeping that boundary clear is the main way to make an Elbert County public-records search faster.
Hours are another clue. Recording and marriage services follow the county schedule listed in the research, Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and marriage applications stop at 4:30 p.m. Court records follow the courthouse schedule, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The different schedules are practical proof that the offices are separate.