Marriage License Requirements by State (2026): Fees, Waits, Age

There is no federal marriage license. Each state's own statutes set the requirements, and a local official (a county clerk, probate court, register of deeds or town clerk, depending on the state) issues the license and keeps the record. What you pay, how long you wait, how long the license lasts, how old you must be and who may perform the ceremony all change at the state line, and in many states the fee changes at the county line too.

This guide puts all 50 states and the District of Columbia side by side. Every row in the comparison table links to a state guide that cites the statutes and county pages behind each figure.

Information last verified on October 7, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This hub summarizes marriage license law in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, plus the federal rules layered on top (constitutional marriage rights, the Respect for Marriage Act, Social Security numbers on applications, and immigration). It does not cover divorce, ordering copies of older marriage records, or informal marriage; see our marriage and divorce records guide and common-law marriage guide for those.

Marriage license requirements by state: comparison table

Fees are shown the way each state guide states them: a statewide figure where state law sets one, or "set by county" with examples from the county pages checked. County fees change, so treat the county's own page as the final word. "None" in the waiting-period column means none for adults; several states add a wait only for minors.

Who issues a marriage license

The federal government plays no part in licensing marriages or keeping marriage records. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics says so directly: "The federal government does not distribute certificates, files, or indexes with identifying information for vital records."

Its marriage registration handbook describes the system every state uses: "Each State has a procedure whereby a marriage license is issued by a specified local official and a record of the marriage filed with that official." Which official that is depends on the state:

• County clerks issue licenses in states such as Colorado (the county clerk and recorder), Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, Texas and Wisconsin.
• Courts and court clerks issue them in Arizona (clerk of the superior court), Florida (clerk of the circuit court or a county court judge), Georgia and Ohio (probate court), Indiana (clerk of the circuit court), Kansas and Montana (clerk of the district court), Maryland and Virginia (circuit court clerk), Oklahoma (court clerk), South Carolina (probate judge in most counties) and the District of Columbia (the Superior Court's Marriage Bureau).
• Recorders and registers of deeds issue them in Idaho and Iowa (county recorder), Missouri (recorder of deeds), North Carolina (Register of Deeds), South Dakota (register of deeds) and North Dakota (the county recorder or the office the county designates).
• Town and city clerks issue them in New England and New York: Connecticut (registrar of vital statistics in the town where the wedding will happen), Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. New Jersey uses the municipal registrar of vital statistics.
• Other offices: Delaware's county Clerk of the Peace, Pennsylvania's Register of Wills, Washington's county auditor, Louisiana's parish clerk of court (outside Orleans Parish), and Minnesota's local registrar.

Three states break the pattern. Hawaii's licenses come from agents appointed by the Department of Health, not from counties. Alaska couples apply to Alaska Vital Records or a local court. Alabama has issued no marriage licenses at all since August 29, 2019: couples complete the Alabama Marriage Certificate form, sign it before a notary, and have any probate court record it within 30 days of the later signature date.

Where the license can be used

In most states whose guides address it, a license from any county works anywhere in that state but only for a ceremony inside it, including Colorado, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming. A destination wedding therefore needs a license from the state where the ceremony happens.

A few states tie the license to a smaller area. An Illinois license is effective in the county where it was issued, and a Maryland license is valid only in the issuing county. If neither of you lives in Ohio, you apply in the county where the wedding will happen and must marry there. A New Jersey license issued to two nonresidents is valid only in the issuing municipality, and Connecticut couples apply in the town where the wedding will take place.

Do you have to live in the state?

Usually not. The guides for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming all say residency is not required.

Residency can still change the price or the place you apply. Indiana charges $65 instead of $25 when neither of you lives in the state, Michigan adds $10 when both of you live outside it, Kent County, Delaware charges nonresidents $120 instead of $70, and a Texas county clerk may add $100 when neither of you proves Texas residency. Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Rhode Island send couples who both live out of state to the county or town where the ceremony will take place.

Applying: who must appear and what to bring

Most states expect both of you at the counter together. California requires both applicants to appear in person before a county clerk, Illinois requires both to appear, and Kentucky requires both to be present when the license is issued. New Hampshire lets you fill out the worksheet ahead of time, but both of you still sign it at the clerk's office.

There are exceptions worth knowing about:

• One of you can apply. Maryland's statute requires only one applicant to appear, and Montana's requires only one once both have signed (though Missoula County asks for both). In Vermont at least one of you must sign in front of the clerk. In Texas, if an adult applicant cannot appear, the other applicant or any adult may apply on their behalf with the absent applicant's affidavit. Wyoming's statute says one of you applies, but the state Judicial Branch and the Teton County clerk say both must come in.
• Remote or mail options. Kansas treats an electronically signed online application as an in-person appearance. Minnesota registrars may take your oath by phone, web conference or a verified statement since the 2025 amendments. New York City offers virtual appointments through Project Cupid, and Allegheny, Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania accept a video appearance. Alaska and Washington let you sign the sworn application before a notary and handle it by mail. Richland County, South Carolina handles everything online and mails the license. Colorado lets a county clerk take your appearance by video if the county offers it, the District of Columbia accepts online applications, St. Louis and St. Charles counties in Missouri take online applications when at least one of you lives in the county, Dane County, Wisconsin uses Zoom appointments, and Utah County lets couples complete the application online.
• One applicant cannot come. In North Carolina an applicant over 18 who cannot appear may send the other party with a sworn, notarized affidavit. Ohio's only statutory exception is a medical affidavit for illness or physical disability, and South Dakota bars using a power of attorney to get a license.

Bring government photo ID and proof of age in most states; Kansas is an exception, where the Judicial Branch says no documents or ID are required and age is sworn by affidavit. Indiana and Kentucky both accept documents such as a birth record, passport or driver's license as proof of age. Louisiana asks for a certified copy of your birth certificate plus a valid ID, and Wisconsin requires a certified birth record (or a REAL ID-compliant ID or other listed document in its place).

If either of you was married before, expect to show how that marriage ended: Georgia, Maine, New Hampshire and North Dakota all ask for the divorce decree or a death record. Idaho, Iowa, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota and South Carolina guides all mention giving a Social Security number on the application. Iowa and New Jersey also want a witness at the application stage: an adult who knows you both in Iowa, and a witness who is at least 18 in New Jersey.

Marriage license fees and premarital-course discounts

Many states charge one price statewide. Examples: $24 in Rhode Island, $30 in Virginia and Wyoming, $40 in Maine and South Dakota, $45 in the District of Columbia, $50 in Connecticut, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Oklahoma, $53 in Montana, $55 in New Mexico, $60 in Alaska and North Carolina, $65 in Hawaii, $80 in Vermont, $85.50 in Kansas, $98 in Arizona and $125 in Minnesota. New Jersey's Department of Health lists $28.00, Louisiana's statutes add up to $27.50, and Iowa's $35 includes one certified copy.

Elsewhere, counties set the price, sometimes on top of a state base fee. Michigan's base fee is $20, Wisconsin's statutory base is $49.50 before county add-ons (Dane County charges $150 plus a service fee), and Illinois caps county fees at $75. Washington's four largest counties charge $162 to $172 (the legislature's bill report puts the statewide range at $136 to $172) after a $100 domestic violence co-responder fee was added in 2025. Kentucky's statute lists $26.50 for the clerk's fee, but Fayette County lists a $60.00 application fee.

Premarital course discounts

Several states reward a premarital education course with a lower fee, a waived wait, or both:

• Minnesota: $125 drops to $50 with at least 12 hours of premarital education.
• Oklahoma: $50 drops to $5 with a premarital counseling certificate.
• Tennessee: a course of at least 4 hours cuts $60.00 off a $62.50 state add-on fee.
• Texas: a Twogether in Texas or similar certificate waives the 72-hour wait and cuts the fee for Texas residents ($60 off in Harris, Dallas and Bexar).
• Georgia: a certificate cuts the fee by $40 in every county where the discounted price was verified; the course must run at least six hours.
• West Virginia: the statutory fee falls from $55 to $35.
• Florida: $86 becomes $61 (a $25 reduction), and the certificate also skips the 3-day wait.
• Utah: counties with an online application system must take $20 off for qualifying premarital counseling or education.

South Carolina takes a different approach: a qualifying course earns a one-time $50 state income tax credit but does not lower the license fee.

Recent fee changes

Several fees moved recently, so an older county page may show the wrong figure. Arizona's fee rose to $98 effective December 28, 2024. New Mexico's rose from $25 to $55, effective June 20, 2025 per county clerks. Nebraska's rose to $50, effective July 18, 2026. Kansas added a surcharge authorized from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030. Washington County, Oregon has charged $85 since July 1, 2026. Los Angeles County has posted an increase of its public license fee to $176, but the adoption date could not be confirmed.

Marriage license waiting periods and how waivers work

Nineteen states make adults wait between applying and marrying, and they measure the wait differently. Some count from the application, others from the day the license is issued.

24 hours to 2 days:

• Delaware: get the license at least 24 hours before the ceremony; the Clerk of the Peace may shorten the wait for good cause.
• Louisiana: wait 24 hours after the license is issued; a judge or justice of the peace may waive it for serious and meritorious reasons.
• New York: wait 24 hours after the license is issued unless a judge signs a waiver order.
• South Carolina: the application must be on file 24 hours before the license can issue, and the statute contains no waiver.
• Illinois: the license becomes effective one day after it is issued unless a court orders otherwise.
• Connecticut: since October 1, 2026, a town cannot issue the license until at least 48 hours after you apply, so same-day weddings are no longer possible.
• Maryland: the license takes effect at 6 a.m. on the second calendar day after it is issued; a circuit court judge can make it effective earlier for good cause if one of you is a Maryland resident or a service member.

72 hours to 3 days:

• New Jersey: no license sooner than 72 hours after you apply without a Superior Court order.
• Texas: 72 hours after issuance, unless you are active-duty military, work for the Department of Defense, get a written waiver, or completed a premarital course in the past year.
• Alaska: the application must be filed three days before the license issues (Vital Records says three full business days), and the licensing officer may waive the wait for undue hardship.
• Florida: a 3-day delay unless you have a premarital course certificate; nonresidents and couples asserting hardship are excepted.
• Iowa: the license is not valid until three days after it is issued; a district court judge can approve an earlier date in an emergency.
• Kansas: no license before the third calendar day after you apply, and the Judicial Branch advises applying at least two weeks ahead.
• Massachusetts: the license issues on or after the third day after you file (Sundays and holidays count); a court waiver costs $195 in total.
• Michigan: a 3-day wait that counts the application day; the clerk can release the license sooner for good cause for a county fee.
• Oregon: the license takes effect three days after you sign; a judge or the county clerk may waive it, though Lane County does so only for deploying military.
• Pennsylvania: no license before the third day after you apply, unless a court allows it in an emergency or for a National Guard or reserve member called to active duty.
• Washington: the license cannot be used until three days after application, and King County says the wait cannot be waived even by court order.
• Wisconsin: no license until 3 days after you apply, though the clerk may issue it sooner for an added fee of up to $25.

Some states with no adult wait add one for minors: 5 business days for a 17-year-old in Arkansas, 72 hours for an underage applicant in Oklahoma, 14 days after juvenile court consent in Ohio, 15 days after a court order in Kentucky or Indiana, 15 days after emancipation in Georgia, and 30 days after court approval in South Dakota.

The remaining 31 states and the District of Columbia set no general waiting period for adults according to their guides, though the Kentucky and New Hampshire guides word it carefully: each found none in the statutes reviewed (and, in New Hampshire, the clerk pages checked), so confirm with the clerk if timing is tight. West Virginia repealed its old 3-day wait effective June 9, 2023.

How long is a marriage license valid?

Validity runs from 30 days to never expiring, and the clock starts at different points: the issue date in most states, the application or filing date in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan and New Hampshire, and the effective date in Illinois, Maryland and Oregon.

• Does not expire: the District of Columbia, Idaho and Iowa (an issued Iowa license does not expire, but the application is void if the license is not issued within six months). County clerks in Mississippi (DeSoto and Monroe) and New Mexico (Bernalillo and Santa Fe) say the same.
• 30 days: Delaware (extendable up to 180 days for good cause), Hawaii (counting the issue day), Kentucky (including the issue date), Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
• 32 to 35 days: Utah (32 days), Michigan (33 days after the application date) and Colorado (35 days).
• 60 to 65 days: Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus Connecticut at 65 days. New York City lets active-duty military applicants use the license for 180 days.
• 90 days or 3 months: Alaska, California, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Texas.
• 6 months: Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota and Montana (180 days).
• 1 year: Arizona, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming.

Alabama has no license to expire, but the probate court must receive the completed form within 30 days of the later signature date, or the marriage is not valid and you start over. An expired license means a new application and a new fee in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, and their guides say so expressly. Arkansas's statute sets no expiry but requires the license to be returned within 60 days of its date, so plan to marry within that window, Georgia's statutes set no expiration period (DeKalb County says its licenses do not expire), and South Carolina's guide found no statewide limit (6 months in Richland County, no expiry in Greenville).

Minimum marriage age: the states that ban marriage under 18

As of October 7, 2026, 16 states and the District of Columbia allow no one under 18 to marry, with no parental-consent or court exception. Two more have enacted bans that are not yet in effect: Oklahoma's Senate Bill 504 ends every exception effective November 1, 2026, and California's AB 1267 (Chapter 850, Statutes of 2026) repeals the court-order route effective January 1, 2027.

The 17 jurisdictions with a ban in force:

• Connecticut: Public Act 23-44, effective July 1, 2023.
• Delaware: no license for anyone under 18 (13 Del. C. § 123(a)).
• District of Columbia: D.C. Law 25-311, since March 21, 2025.
• Maine: Public Law 2025, chapter 47 repealed the 17-year-old exception.
• Massachusetts: St. 2022, c. 126 ended the parental-consent and court routes.
• Michigan: a marriage entered in Michigan by someone under 18 is void (MCL 551.51, as amended by 2023 PA 71).
• Minnesota: Minn. Stat. 517.02, with no consent route in the marriage statutes.
• Missouri: since August 28, 2025 (SB 43).
• New Hampshire: the court-approval route was repealed effective January 1, 2025 (RSA 457:4).
• New Jersey: P.L.2018, c.42, approved June 22, 2018.
• New York: Chapter 306 of the Laws of 2021 (DRL 15-a).
• Oregon: Senate Bill 548 (Oregon Laws 2025, chapter 224), effective January 1, 2026.
• Pennsylvania: Act 18 of 2020 (23 Pa.C.S. 1304(b)).
• Rhode Island: since June 7, 2021 (R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-2-14).
• Vermont: Act 8 of 2023, as of July 1, 2023.
• Virginia: Va. Code 20-48 sets 18 with no exceptions.
• Washington: a marriage in which either person is under 18 is void (RCW 26.04.010).

Where minors can still marry

In the other states, 16- and 17-year-olds (or only 17-year-olds) still have a route, and the routes differ sharply:

• Parental consent alone: Alabama (16 or 17), Idaho (16 or 17, and no partner 3 or more years older), North Dakota (16 or 17, written consent), South Carolina (16 or 17, sworn consent affidavit), West Virginia (16 or 17, partner no more than 4 years older) and Wisconsin (16 or 17). Oklahoma allows it until October 31, 2026.
• 17 only: Arkansas (notarized parental consent), Florida (parental consent, partner no more than 2 years older), Tennessee (parental consent unless emancipated, partner less than four years older), Georgia (emancipation, a partner no more than four years older and a premarital education certificate), Kentucky (court order), Maryland (parental consent or a medical certificate plus a court order), Nevada (parental consent plus a district court's authorization) and Ohio (juvenile court consent, a partner no more than four years older if only one of you is 17, and a 14-day wait).
• A court must approve: Alaska, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming require a judge's approval (often plus parental consent) for 16- and 17-year-olds, though Wyoming also lets a 16- or 17-year-old marry without one if emancipated or holding the right to contract. Texas allows a minor to marry only after a court removes the disabilities of minority, and California keeps its court-order route only until January 1, 2027.
• Consent or a court: Illinois (both parents or a guardian, or judicial approval), New Mexico (each living parent or a district court order) and North Carolina (a court order or the required written consent, with a partner no more than four years older). Arizona accepts a custodial parent's consent or an emancipation order, with a partner no more than three years older.
• Other routes, including below 16: Hawaii's statute still allows 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with written parental consent, and a 15-year-old with family court approval as well, even though its Department of Health page gives 18 as the legal age. Kansas allows 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with the consents its statute requires, and lets a district judge allow a 15-year-old to marry only after an investigation, and New Mexico lets only a children's or family court judge authorize a marriage under 16. Until October 31, 2026, an Oklahoma court may authorize a marriage under 16 only in settlement of a seduction or paternity suit, or when the female is pregnant or has given birth.

Two states run on different ages. Nebraska's minimum is 17, and because its age of majority is 19, anyone 17 or 18 needs a parent's or guardian's sworn consent unless emancipated. Mississippi requires parental consent for anyone under 21, and its statute sets capacity at 17 for males and 15 for females, minimums a judge may waive.

Pending bills to end marriage under 18 are not law: Illinois HB 1744, North Carolina Senate Bill 452, Ohio Senate Bill 341 and South Carolina Senate Bill 25. Nebraska's LB984 was indefinitely postponed on April 17, 2026, Wisconsin's AB 656 failed on March 23, 2026, and three Mississippi bills to lower its age of majority to 18 died.

Who can officiate a wedding

Who may perform the ceremony varies more than any other part of the license process, especially for anyone who is not a judge or member of the clergy.

Marrying yourselves (self-uniting)

• Colorado: the couple may solemnize their own marriage, and no witnesses are required.
• District of Columbia: the code lists the parties to the marriage among those who can perform it.
• Pennsylvania: a self-uniting (Quaker) license lets the couple marry without an officiant, with two witnesses signing; Philadelphia charges $100 for it.
• Wisconsin: a couple may solemnize their own marriage under the customs of a religious society either of them belongs to.
• Kansas: the couple may marry by mutual declaration, without an officiant, under the customs of a religious society either of them belongs to (K.S.A. 23-2504(c)).
• Illinois: where the couple's religious practice has no individual officiating alone, both of you complete the marriage certificate yourselves (750 ILCS 5/209(a)).
• Montana: you can marry without an officiant by filing a written declaration of marriage, attested by two witnesses, for a $53 fee.
• Alabama: no ceremony or officiant is required at all.

Several other guides describe a route that works only within a faith's own practice: Quaker ceremonies in Maine (and Baha'i ceremonies there), Maryland, Massachusetts and Nevada; the customs of a religious society either of you belongs to in Kentucky and Missouri; the creed or custom of a denomination that dispenses with a minister in South Dakota (where the couple files the return within 30 days); and in North Carolina, consent given in the manner of a denomination that does not use officiants. New York has no self-uniting license but recognizes a written marriage contract signed by both of you and two witnesses and acknowledged before a judge of a court of record. Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan and Minnesota, by contrast, have no self-uniting option.

A friend or relative as officiant

Several states offer a one-wedding license or designation, so a friend does not need to be ordained:

• New York: any adult can get a $25 one-day marriage officiant license to marry one named couple anywhere in the state.
• Massachusetts: a one-day designation from the Governor for a particular marriage, date and city or town.
• Rhode Island: an adult can apply to be designated by the governor to officiate one particular wedding.
• New Hampshire: a special marriage officiant license from the Secretary of State costs $85.
• Vermont: a temporary officiant registers with the Secretary of State for $100 per ceremony.
• Nevada: a friend or relative can get single-ceremony permission from the clerk in the county of the wedding ($55 in Clark County), applying at least 30 days ahead.
• Alaska: anyone 18 or older can be appointed a marriage commissioner by a court, for $25.
• District of Columbia: the court lists $25 for a one-wedding temporary officiant.
• California: some counties appoint a friend as a deputy commissioner for one wedding, such as Los Angeles County ($75).
• Hawaii: every officiant, including a friend or relative, needs a Department of Health license to solemnize; anyone 18 or older may apply for a civil license.
• Virginia: an officiant needs a minister's order or a civil celebrant order unless their position appears on the statutory list of officials.

States that require officiant registration

In some states ordination alone is not enough. Hawaii requires every officiant to hold a Department of Health license to solemnize before the ceremony. Minnesota officiants must be at least 21 and registered as civil marriage officiants with a county registrar under the 2025 amendments. Nevada officiants need a certificate of permission from a county clerk before the ceremony. Louisiana officiants other than judges and justices of the peace must register with a parish clerk of court (in Orleans, the state registrar of vital records), Massachusetts clergy marrying a couple in the state for the first time file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Delaware clergy register with a Clerk of the Peace, Arkansas ministers record their credentials with a county clerk, West Virginia religious officiants register with the Secretary of State, and Ohio ministers must hold a license from the Ohio Secretary of State. Officiants from outside the DC Courts must be authorized and registered with the Marriage Bureau. In New York City, anyone authorized to perform marriages must register with the City Clerk ($15) before officiating there, though one-day officiants are exempt. A New Hampshire minister must live in the state or have a pastoral charge there; an out-of-state minister can instead get a $25 special license from the Secretary of State naming the couple.

Other states require nothing of the kind. Officiants in Illinois and Michigan do not register with any government office, and Oklahoma ministers no longer file credentials with the court clerk.

Online ordination

Tennessee's statute has said since July 1, 2019 that persons receiving online ordinations may not solemnize a marriage; a federal court dismissed a challenge to that rule in 2025, and the dismissal is on appeal. In North Carolina, case law casts serious doubt on ceremonies by Universal Life Church ministers. If your officiant was ordained online, read your state's guide before the wedding.

Witnesses

Witness rules range from none to two. Colorado, Illinois, New Hampshire, Tennessee and Vermont law require no witnesses, the Connecticut, District of Columbia, Ohio and South Carolina statutes set no witness requirement, and California's confidential license needs none. County pages in Arkansas (Pope), Georgia (Cobb), Idaho and Texas (Harris) say witnesses are not required there either. Alaska, Nevada and New York require one, and a California public license needs at least one and no more than two. Arizona, Delaware, Iowa (per its state instructions), Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming require at least two (North Dakota has two witnesses sign the certificate, and in South Dakota the officiant confirms the names of two witnesses), and Kentucky requires at least two people present besides the couple and the officiant. In New Jersey (per Matawan's registrar) and New Mexico (per Santa Fe and Bernalillo counties) two witnesses sign the certificate; New Mexico's statute requires witnesses without setting a number.

Proxy marriage and remote ceremonies

Only a few state guides describe proxy marriage, where one partner is absent from the ceremony. Colorado allows it in limited cases: one of you must be a Colorado resident, both must be at least 18, and the absent party must be a member of the U.S. armed forces stationed elsewhere in support of military operations, or a government contractor or employee supporting U.S. forces. Montana allows it only when one of you is on federal active military duty or is a Montana resident when you apply. California allows it only for a member of the U.S. armed forces stationed overseas and serving in a conflict or a war, through an attorney in fact (Fam. Code 420(b)), and Texas only for a service member stationed in another country in support of combat or another military operation who cannot attend. Kansas statutes are silent, but a 1980 Attorney General opinion, which is not binding, concluded a stand-in marriage is legal if the absent party gives the stand-in a power of attorney.

Others rule it out. Alaska Vital Records and Maine's vital records office say proxy marriage is not permitted, Louisiana requires both parties to be physically present, New Hampshire bars any magistrate or minister from solemnizing a marriage by proxy, Vermont's Department of Health says you cannot marry by proxy, and Utah does not allow a stand-in to marry for an absent party. Hawaii requires the couple and the officiant to be in the same place at the same time, and the District of Columbia requires everyone to be physically present in the District. Iowa's state instructions say ceremonies are not valid by proxy, telephone or other electronic means. Ohio's marriage chapter has no proxy-marriage provision. Tennessee does not allow marriage by telephone, and allows video participation only for service members stationed in another country in support of combat or another military operation.

Utah is the notable remote-ceremony state: online ceremonies with a party outside Utah are allowed only under conditions S.B. 257 added on May 6, 2026, including a warning in at least six languages that the officiant must read aloud, and the officiant must be physically in Utah. The Kansas Judicial Branch says a remote ceremony is accepted if the officiant and one party are in Kansas and two witnesses can view it, though that is court guidance, not statute.

Immigration law treats proxy marriages separately. Under 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(35), "spouse," "wife" and "husband" do not include a spouse "by reason of any marriage ceremony where the contracting parties thereto are not physically present in the presence of each other, unless the marriage shall have been consummated." That rule governs federal immigration benefits only; state law decides whether the marriage itself is valid.

Covenant marriage

Arizona, Arkansas and Louisiana offer covenant marriage, which requires premarital counseling (Arkansas also requires a notarized declaration), and in Arizona limits the grounds for ending the marriage. Tennessee does not offer it; a bill to create it (HB 315 / SB 737) is pending and is not law.

Who cannot marry: cousins and waits after divorce

The state guides treat first cousins very differently:

• First cousins barred: Arkansas, Connecticut (since October 1, 2025), Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana (collaterals within the fourth degree, which by the Civil Code's count includes first cousins), Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi (first cousins by blood, in the most recent official text its guide could open), Missouri, Montana, Nebraska (cousins of the whole blood), Nevada (cousins of the whole blood), New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon (except cousins related only by adoption), Pennsylvania, South Dakota (including half blood and adoption), Tennessee (since a 2024 law), Texas (each applicant swears the other is not a first cousin), Washington (anyone nearer of kin than second cousins), West Virginia and Wyoming.
• Allowed only on conditions: Arizona (both 65 or older, or a superior court judge's approval on proof that one cannot reproduce), Illinois (both 50 or older, or a sterility certificate), Indiana (both at least 65), Maine (a physician's certificate of genetic counseling), Utah (both 65 or older, or both 55 or older with a district court finding that either cannot reproduce) and Wisconsin (the woman 55 or older, or a sterility affidavit).
• Not on the prohibited list: Alaska, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia. North Carolina allows first cousins to marry but not double first cousins.

Some states also make a divorced person wait before remarrying. After an Alabama divorce, neither former spouse may marry someone else for 60 days. A Texas clerk will not issue a license to anyone divorced in the last 30 days unless the couple divorced each other or the bar is waived. Nebraska, Oklahoma and Wisconsin impose six months; in Oklahoma, marrying in another state does not get around it, because living with the new spouse in Oklahoma during that time is also a felony. Someone divorced in Maine within the last 21 days needs a copy of the signed waiver of appeal, and Mississippi counties set their own windows for recent divorce papers. Missouri law also declares common-law marriages null and void; see our common-law marriage guide for the states that still recognize them.

What federal law adds

States run the licensing system, but federal law sets the outer limits and attaches consequences.

The right to marry. In Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967), the Supreme Court struck down Virginia's laws barring interracial marriage under the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses, calling marriage one of the "basic civil rights of man." In Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), the Court held that "same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry," and that "there is no lawful basis for a State to refuse to recognize a lawful same-sex marriage performed in another State on the ground of its same-sex character." Every state must therefore license same-sex marriages.

The Respect for Marriage Act. Enacted December 13, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-228), the Act provides that, for federal purposes, "an individual shall be considered married if that individual's marriage is between 2 individuals and is valid in the State where the marriage was entered into." It also bars anyone acting under color of state law from denying full faith and credit to another state's marriage records on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin (28 U.S.C. 1738C). The Act does not require nonprofit religious organizations to provide services for the solemnization or celebration of a marriage, and does not authorize federal recognition of marriages between more than two people.

Social Security numbers. Federal child support law, 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(13), requires each state's child support plan to include procedures for recording the Social Security number of any marriage license applicant on the application. It is a condition on state plans rather than a direct federal command to you, and a state that puts a different number on the face of the document while keeping the SSN on file must tell applicants so. That is why so many state applications ask for it.

Fiancé(e) visas. A K-1 visa holder and the U.S. citizen petitioner have 90 days to marry each other, and K-1 status "automatically expires after 90 days and cannot be extended." The statute requires the petition to show the couple is "legally able and actually willing to conclude a valid marriage in the United States within a period of ninety days after the alien's arrival." Because the license rules above still apply, a K-1 couple marrying in a state with a waiting period or a short-lived license needs to plan inside that window.

After the wedding: returning the license and getting copies

In most states the officiant (or, where there is no officiant, the couple) returns the signed license to the issuing office, and some deadlines are short:

• 72 hours to 4 days: Rhode Island (72 hours), Tennessee (three days), Wisconsin (the document must reach a register of deeds within 3 days), Hawaii (three business days to the Department of Health agent) and Delaware (4 days under one code section).
• 5 to 7 days: Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon and Virginia (5 days), New York City (5 business days), New Hampshire (6 days) and Alaska (7 days).
• 10 days: California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Vermont. Teton, Albany and Laramie counties in Wyoming also ask for the license back within 10 days.
• 15 days: Iowa, Nebraska and South Carolina; Missouri counts 15 days from when the license was issued, and Maine allows 15 working days.
• 30 days: Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Montana, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Washington; Oklahoma requires the ceremony and the return within 30 days of issuance.
• Longer or calendar-based: Arkansas (60 days from the license date), Colorado (63 days, with a late fee of at least $20), New Mexico (90 days), Kentucky (one month), by the end of the first week of the following month in Connecticut, before the sixth day of the following month in West Virginia, and by the 10th day of the following month in Massachusetts.

Mississippi counties state different deadlines, so confirm with the circuit clerk who issued the license. Idaho has two rules on the books: Idaho Code 39-262 says 10 days, and a return later than 30 days is a misdemeanor.

Once the record is filed, you order certified copies from the county or state vital records office, not from the officiant. Our marriage and divorce records hub lists where to order in every state, and our guide on how to get a copy of your marriage certificate walks through the process.

If you plan to take a new surname, the marriage certificate is the document you will need. The Social Security Administration has advised newlyweds (in an August 2024 notice) to wait at least 30 days after the date of the marriage before requesting a replacement card with a name change, so the state has time to update its records. Many states let you choose your new surname on the license application itself, including California, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon and South Dakota. See our guide to changing your name after marriage for the full sequence.

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about marriage license requirements under the laws of the 50 US states and the District of Columbia, and related federal law, as verified on October 7, 2026. It is not legal advice. Fees, forms and office procedures change, and county practice can differ from the statute. For your specific situation, contact the issuing county clerk or other licensing office in the state where you will marry, or consult a lawyer licensed in that state.

Related

• Marriage and divorce records by state
• How to get a copy of your marriage certificate
• Common-law marriage by state
• Name change after marriage

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a marriage license good for?

It depends on the state. Licenses last 30 days in states such as Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri, New Jersey and Tennessee, 60 days in many others, 90 days in California and Texas, and 1 year in Arizona, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. DC, Idaho and Iowa licenses do not expire once issued, Georgia's statutes set no expiration, and New Mexico county clerks say theirs do not expire.

Do you need a blood test to get married?

None of our state guides lists a blood test as a requirement, and many say outright that none is required. Alaska repealed its premarital tests in 1984, Pennsylvania its syphilis test in 1997 and Connecticut its test requirements in 2003.

Can you get married the same day you get the license?

In states with no waiting period, often yes: Indiana's courts say you may marry as early as the same day, and Georgia, Virginia and Wyoming licenses can be used as soon as they are issued. You cannot in waiting-period states such as Connecticut (48 hours since October 1, 2026), New York (24 hours) or Texas (72 hours, with exceptions).

Which states have no waiting period to get married?

According to our state guides, 31 states and DC set no general waiting period for adults, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming. Some, like Ohio and Oklahoma, impose a wait only on minors.

Can a friend officiate our wedding?

In many states, yes, with paperwork. New York sells a $25 one-day officiant license, New Hampshire an $85 special license, and Vermont registers temporary officiants for $100, while Massachusetts and Rhode Island use a one-wedding designation from the governor. Hawaii requires every officiant to hold a Department of Health license.

Does online ordination count?

It depends on the state. Tennessee's statute says persons receiving online ordinations may not solemnize a marriage (a court challenge is on appeal), and Hawaii, Minnesota, Nevada and Ohio require officiants to be licensed or registered, so ordination alone is not enough there.

Can we get a license in one state and get married in another?

Generally no. Every state guide that addresses it says the license is valid only for a ceremony in the issuing state, including Colorado, Iowa, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina and Utah. In Illinois and Maryland the license is good only in the issuing county.

Do you have to live in a state to get married there?

Usually not. Many state guides, including those for Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, North Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming, say there is no residency requirement, though some charge nonresidents more: Indiana's fee is $65 instead of $25 when neither of you lives in the state.

Can a 16- or 17-year-old get married?

Not in the 16 states and DC that ban marriage under 18, and Oklahoma (November 1, 2026) and California (January 1, 2027) are next. Elsewhere it depends on the state: some require only parental consent, some a judge's approval, and some allow only 17-year-olds.

Do I have to give my Social Security number on a marriage license application?

Many states ask for it, because 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(13) requires state child support plans to have procedures for recording SSNs on marriage license applications. A state that shows another number on the license while keeping the SSN on file must tell applicants.

Can you get married by proxy?

Only in narrow cases. Colorado allows it for absent military members and certain government contractors or employees supporting U.S. forces (one of you must be a Colorado resident and both at least 18), Montana when one of you is on active military duty or a Montana resident, and California and Texas for service members stationed overseas in a conflict or military operation; Louisiana, New Hampshire and Vermont rule it out. For immigration, 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(35) does not treat a proxy ceremony as creating a spouse unless the marriage was consummated.

How much does a marriage license cost?

Prices range widely: $24 in Rhode Island, $30 in Virginia and Wyoming, $50 in Connecticut, and $162 to $172 in the Washington counties checked. Many states let counties set the fee, so check your county's page before you go.