Colorado Paternity and Parentage Resources
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When parents were never married, parentage usually has to be established before a court will set a schedule or an amount of support. In Colorado that case is handled by the District Court.
Establishing parentage is what gives a father the standing to ask for time with his child, and it is what lets either parent ask the court for support. In many states the same case can settle parentage, the parenting schedule, and child support together.
Official Colorado paternity resources
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Colorado family law forms (official index) (Colorado judicial branch): The official statewide collection of Colorado family law forms. When a direct document link stops working, this index is where the current version lives. https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help/about-family-cases-forms?language=en
Colorado court self-help resources (Colorado courts self-help): Official self-help information for people handling their own Colorado family case, including instructions and plain-language guides. https://www.courts.state.co.us/Self_Help
Colorado Courts E-Filing (Colorado Judicial Branch): People without lawyers can use Colorado Courts E-Filing statewide, but only in domestic relations and eviction cases. Registration is free and you can only file into your own case. https://www.jbits.courts.state.co.us/efiling/web/login.htm
Colorado child support guideline resources (courts.state.co.us): Official Colorado child support guideline materials, worksheets, or calculators. https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/self-help/about-family-cases-forms?language=en
Verified official Colorado parentage documents
These official documents are used to establish or contest parentage in Colorado.
JDF 1504 Admission of Parentage, form JDF 1504 (Paternity), official document: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/JDF1504.pdf
JDF 481 Affidavit of Presumptive Paternity, form JDF 481 (Paternity), official document: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/sites/default/files/2023-07/JDF%20481%20Affidavit%20of%20Presumptive%20Paternity.pdf
Parentage Information Sheet (JDF1509), form JDF1509 (Paternity), official document: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/JDF1509.pdf
Official link data for Colorado was last verified June 2026. Report anything outdated through our contact page and we will re-check the official source.
Frequently asked questions
Does signing the birth certificate settle everything?
A voluntary acknowledgment can establish parentage, but on its own it does not create a parenting schedule or a support order. Those come from a court case.
Can parentage, custody, and support be handled together?
In many states one case can cover all three. Check the official Colorado forms and self-help material above to see how this state organizes it.