How to Get a Marriage License: The Step-by-Step Process

Every marriage in the United States starts the same legal way: before a wedding ceremony can be legally recognized, the couple needs a marriage license issued by a government office — almost always the clerk of the county (or, in a handful of states, the town or city) where they apply. The process is broadly similar everywhere, but the specifics — fee, waiting period, what counts as valid ID, how long the license lasts — are set at the state and county level, which is why “how do I get a marriage license” doesn’t have one universal answer. Here’s the process that applies almost everywhere, step by step.

Step 1: Check your state and county’s specific rules

Start with the state your ceremony will actually take place in — not necessarily the state you live in. A marriage license is generally valid for a ceremony anywhere within the issuing state (sometimes with county-specific limits — see our guide on getting married in a different county than you applied in), so what matters is where the wedding happens. From there, find the specific county clerk or marriage license office for that location. We publish a guide for each county we cover with the exact local fee, wait, and process — browse them from our homepage.

Step 2: Gather your identification and documents

Requirements vary by office, but nearly every county asks for:

• Government-issued photo ID for both applicants — a driver’s license, state ID, passport, or military ID.
• Proof of age, usually satisfied by the same photo ID; a certified birth certificate is sometimes requested if the ID doesn’t clearly show a birth date.
• Social Security number — most states require it for the license application, though it’s used for state records, not printed on the public license.
• Divorce or death certificate if either applicant was previously married and that marriage ended within a certain period before the county will issue a new license — timing rules vary by county, so check the specific guide for your office.
• Parental consent and/or a judge’s order if either applicant is under 18 — rules vary significantly by state, and some states don’t permit marriage under 18 at all.

Neither party typically needs to show proof of residency in the county or state — you can generally apply in any county, in any state, regardless of where you live. Some counties do charge a higher fee to non-residents, so check before you go.

Step 3: Apply — in person, online, or by appointment

Historically, both applicants had to appear together, in person, at the clerk’s office. That’s still the most common setup, but it’s no longer universal: a growing number of counties now offer an online pre-application (where you fill out the paperwork remotely and only need a short in-person visit to pay and get the physical license, or in some states can complete the entire process remotely with identity verification), and many offices now require or strongly recommend scheduling an appointment rather than walking in. Each ClerkGuide county page tells you which of these options your office supports.

Step 4: Pay the fee

Marriage license fees are set locally and typically run somewhere between $25 and $115, though a few counties are lower and a few destination-wedding counties are higher. Some states discount or waive the fee if both applicants complete a state-approved premarital education course. Most offices accept card and cash; a smaller number are cash- or exact-change-only, which is worth confirming before you go so you’re not turned away.

Step 5: Wait out any required waiting period

Most states let you marry the same day the license is issued. A meaningful minority impose a mandatory waiting period between when the license is issued and when the ceremony can legally happen — commonly three days, though it ranges from 24 hours to six days depending on the state, and some states shorten or waive it if you complete a premarital course. This is set by state law, not county policy, so it’s the same across every county in a given state.

Step 6: Get married before the license expires

A marriage license isn’t valid forever. Depending on the state, it’s typically good for somewhere between 30 and 90 days from the date it’s issued, though some states allow up to a year. If your ceremony date falls outside that window, the license expires and you’ll need to reapply and pay the fee again — so it’s worth timing your application deliberately around your wedding date rather than applying too early “just in case.”

Step 7: Return the signed license

The marriage license itself isn’t the final legal record of your marriage — it’s the permission slip. After the ceremony, your officiant is responsible for signing the license (along with witnesses, in most states) and returning it to the issuing county’s office, usually within a set number of days. Once the county records it, it becomes your official marriage record, and you can request a certified marriage certificate as proof. See our guide on the difference between a marriage license and a marriage certificate for what happens next.

Frequently asked questions