Most couples find out about marriage license deadlines the hard way: the license expires a week before the wedding, or the waiting period eats the days they thought they had. Choose your state and wedding date below and the planner shows three dates — the latest day to get the license, the earliest day it makes sense to apply, and the deadline for the signed license to be returned after the ceremony.
The three dates the planner works out
- Latest day to get the license. This is your wedding date minus the waiting period, moved back to a weekday because county offices are generally closed on weekends. Holidays are not built in, so check your county’s calendar.
- Earliest sensible day to apply. Licenses expire. The planner counts back from the wedding using the validity period for your state, deliberately one day on the safe side. States with long windows (Arizona and Nevada give a year) leave you a lot of room; Hawaii, Missouri, New Jersey and Tennessee give about a month.
- Return deadline. After the ceremony the signed license has to reach the issuing office. Ohio, Texas, Georgia, Washington, Arizona, Indiana and Utah allow 30 days; Missouri allows 15; California, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Nevada and North Carolina allow 10; New York, Maryland, Minnesota and Virginia allow 5 (some clerks count business days); Tennessee and Wisconsin allow only 3. We found a figure for 21 of the 24 states. For New Jersey, Massachusetts and Hawaii the sources disagree or the state gives no day count, and we say so instead of guessing.
Why the same rule gives different dates in different states
Three details change the arithmetic, and they are easy to miss:
- The waiting period starts at different moments. In New York, Illinois, Texas and Washington it runs from the day the license is issued. In Michigan, Wisconsin and New Jersey it runs from the application. In Massachusetts it runs from the Notice of Intention, and in Pennsylvania it only starts once both of you have appeared together.
- The validity clock starts at different moments, too. Michigan counts 33 days from the application. Massachusetts counts 60 days from the notice. Washington’s 60 days begin only after the three-day wait ends. New Jersey’s application is good for six months, but once the license is issued you have 30 days.
- Waivers exist, but not everywhere. A premarital course removes the wait in Florida and Texas. Several states allow a judge or clerk to waive it. Washington does not allow any waiver, even by a court.
For the return deadline in detail, including who files and what happens when it is late, see marriage license return deadlines by state. For the full comparison of waiting periods see waiting periods by state, and for expiration windows see how long a marriage license is valid.
State-by-state reference
These are the same rules the planner uses, side by side. Where the return deadline says the sources disagree or it is not confirmed, ask your officiant or the issuing office.
| State | Waiting period | License valid for | Return deadline after the ceremony |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | None - you can marry the day the license is issued. | 12 months from issuance. | Within 30 days of the ceremony, to the clerk of the superior court (A.R.S. 25-123, as quoted by state and advocacy guides - confirm with your clerk). |
| California | None - you can marry the day the license is issued. | 90 days from issuance. | Within 10 days of the ceremony, to the county clerk-recorder. |
| Florida | 3 days for Florida residents. Non-residents are exempt. | 60 days from issuance. | Within 10 days of the ceremony, to the issuing clerk (Fla. Stat. 741.08). |
| Georgia | None - the license is valid the day it is issued. | No expiration in most counties; a few counties set a shorter window - confirm with your Probate Court. | Within 30 days of the ceremony, to the Probate Court (O.C.G.A. 19-3-30). |
| Hawaii | None - you can marry the day the license is issued. | 30 days from and including the date of issuance. | Statewide, to the Department of Health. Sources disagree on a fixed deadline - ask your Marriage License Agent. |
| Illinois | 24 hours after the license is issued. | 60 days, beginning the day after issuance. | Within 10 days of the ceremony, to the county clerk (750 ILCS 5/209; county clerks confirm). |
| Indiana | None - the license can be used the day it is issued. | 60 days from issuance. | Within 30 days of the ceremony, to the county clerk (reported by Indiana news coverage; statute text not confirmed - ask your clerk). |
| Maryland | About 48 hours - valid from 6:00 a.m. on the second calendar day after issuance. | 6 months from issuance. | Within 5 days of the ceremony, to the issuing clerk of the court (Maryland People's Law Library). |
| Massachusetts | 3 days after the Notice of Intention to Marry is filed. | 60 days from the date the Notice of Intention is filed. | Not confirmed - municipal pages give different timings (10 days for some filings; the 10th of the following month at one clerk). Ask your city or town clerk. |
| Michigan | 3 days after you apply. | 33 days from the date of application, usable anywhere in Michigan. | Within 10 days of the ceremony, to the county clerk (MCL 551.104). |
| Minnesota | None - the license can be used immediately. | 6 months from issuance. | Within 5 days of the ceremony, to the county that issued the license (Minn. Stat. 517.13; Hennepin and other counties confirm). |
| Missouri | None - the license can be used the day it is issued. | 30 days from issuance. | Within 15 days of the ceremony, to the official who issued the license (county Recorder of Deeds guidance; confirm with your recorder). |
| Nevada | None - licenses are issued same-day with no waiting period. | 1 year from issuance. | Within 10 days of the ceremony, to the county recorder (NRS 122.230; Washoe, Nye, Eureka and Carson City confirm). |
| New Jersey | 72 hours from the time the application is submitted (weekends count). | Once issued, the license must be used within 30 days (the application itself is valid 6 months). | The state form says to file with the registrar of the municipality where the ceremony took place but does not give a day count; secondary sources say 5 days. Ask the local registrar. |
| New York | 24 hours after the license is issued. | 60 days, beginning the day after issuance. Valid anywhere in New York State only. | Within 5 days of the ceremony (NYC: 5 business days), to the clerk that issued it. |
| North Carolina | None - the license can be used immediately. | 60 days from issuance. | Within 10 days of the ceremony, to the Register of Deeds that issued it (county Registers of Deeds confirm). |
| Ohio | None - you can marry the day the license is issued. | 60 days from issuance. | Within 30 days of the ceremony, to the probate court (ORC 3101.13). |
| Pennsylvania | 3 days, starting only once both of you have appeared together to complete the application. | 60 calendar days; if unused, the full application must be repeated. | Within 10 days of the ceremony, to the issuing county office. |
| Tennessee | None - you can marry the day the license is issued. | 30 days from issuance. | Within 3 days of the ceremony, to the county clerk (T.C.A. 36-3-303). One county counts 3 business days. |
| Texas | 72 hours after the license is issued. | 90 days from issuance (the 72-hour wait counts against this window). | Within 30 days of the ceremony, to the county clerk. |
| Utah | None - you can marry the day the license is issued. | 32 days from issuance. | Within 30 days of the ceremony, to the county clerk (Utah County and Grand County guidance). |
| Virginia | None - you can marry the day the license is issued. | 60 calendar days, and the marriage must take place in Virginia. | Within 5 days of the ceremony, to the circuit court clerk that issued it (clerk guidance; one county says 5 business days). |
| Washington | 3 days after the license is issued. Cannot be waived, even by a court. | 60 days, beginning after the 3-day waiting period ends. | Within 30 days of the ceremony, to the county (the officiant's responsibility). |
| Wisconsin | 3 days after you apply. | 60 days from issuance, usable in any Wisconsin county. | Within 3 days of the ceremony, to a register of deeds in any Wisconsin county (Wis. Stat. 765.19). |
Frequently asked questions
Can we get the license and marry on the same day?
In states with no waiting period, such as California, Ohio, Arizona and Nevada, yes. In states with a waiting period (New York, Illinois, Texas, Washington and others) you need a waiver or the waiting period has to pass first. Choose your state in the planner to see the exact rule.
What if the license expires before the wedding?
You have to apply again and pay the fee again. In Pennsylvania the full application must be repeated. That is why the planner shows the earliest sensible day to apply, not just the latest.
Who is responsible for returning the license?
In the states we verified, the officiant. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 19-3-30) and Washington both put the filing duty on the person who performed the ceremony. Even so, the marriage is not recorded until the license arrives, so ask your officiant when it will be mailed.
What do we do after the license is returned?
Order certified copies from the office that recorded it. Our certified copy calculator shows how many you need and what they cost in the counties we have verified.
How many certified copies will you need? → Step-by-step guide to getting a license →