Kansas Marriage License Requirements 2026: $85.50, 3-Day Wait

In Kansas, the clerk of the district court issues marriage licenses under K.S.A. 23-2505. The license cannot be issued before the third calendar day after you apply, it expires six months after issue, and Kansas district courts charge $85.50. You can apply through the Kansas Judicial Branch's online application without visiting the courthouse, but plan on about two weeks.

For the rules in other states, see our guide to marriage license requirements by state.

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

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers getting a marriage license and marrying in Kansas under K.S.A. 23-2501 to 23-2518, together with the Kansas Judicial Branch's published marriage license guidance and the Shawnee County District Court's procedures. It does not cover divorce, ordering older marriage records, common-law marriage, or the rules of other states.

Where to Get a Marriage License in Kansas

In Kansas, marriage licenses come from the courts, not a county clerk. K.S.A. 23-2505(a) directs that "The clerks of the district courts or judges thereof, when applied to for a marriage license ... shall issue a marriage license." Any person who is one of the two parties may apply.

The license is addressed "TO ANY PERSON authorized by law to perform the marriage ceremony," and the statute does not tie the wedding to the county that issued it. It is a Kansas license for a Kansas wedding: the Judicial Branch answers "No" to whether you can apply for a Kansas license if you live in Kansas but plan to marry in another state.

Applying online

Kansas runs a statewide online marriage license application through the Judicial Branch, and you need an email address to use it. The court clerk issues the license after processing the application. The Judicial Branch explains: "When you electronically sign your marriage license application, it is treated as if you appeared in person. You are not required to visit the courthouse."

Applying in person

You can also apply at the courthouse. In Shawnee County (Topeka), the district court handles marriage licenses through the Probate Department of the Clerk's Office, Room 209 of the courthouse, and points applicants to the online application; call (785) 251-6362 with questions. Check your own county's district court for its hours and process.

Documents and Information You Need

The Judicial Branch answers the ID question directly: "Am I required to submit documents or show identification when I apply for a marriage license? No."

The application still asks for details, including your parents' names and places of birth, your Social Security number, and information about any previous marriage. The Judicial Branch's instructions cover two common gaps:

• No Social Security number: "Enter 999-99-9999 as the number."
• Divorce date unknown: "Enter 99/99/9999 as the date."

Proof of age works by sworn statement. Under K.S.A. 23-2505(d), the judge or clerk "may issue a license upon the affidavit of the party personally appearing and applying therefor, to the effect that the parties ... are of lawful age." A false affidavit is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 (K.S.A. 23-2505(e)).

We found no residency requirement in K.S.A. 23-2505 or the Judicial Branch guidance.

What a Kansas Marriage License Costs

The Judicial Branch states: "A marriage license is $85.50. You will also be charged a $2.14 fee if you pay by credit or debit card, or a $1.25 fee if you pay by electronic check." The Judicial Branch fee schedule and Shawnee County District Court both list $85.50.

That price has two parts. K.S.A. 23-2510(a) sets a $59 fee. House Bill 2393 (2026 Session Laws ch. 35, approved April 3, 2026) amended K.S.A. 23-2510(c) so that, from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030, the Kansas Supreme Court "may impose an additional charge, not to exceed $26.50 per marriage license fee, to fund the costs of non-judicial personnel."

The state splits the fee: under K.S.A. 23-2510(b), 38.98% goes to the protection from abuse fund, 15.19% to the family and children trust account, 16.95% to the crime victims assistance fund, and the rest to the state general fund. We found no premarital-course discount in K.S.A. 23-2505, 23-2510 or the Judicial Branch guidance.

The Three-Day Wait and How Long the License Lasts

K.S.A. 23-2505(b) sets the waiting period: "No clerk or judge of the district court shall issue a marriage license before the third calendar day ... following the date of the filing of the application." The only way around it is an order from a district judge permitting issuance without the wait in an emergency or extraordinary circumstances. We found no premarital-course or military waiver.

Real-world timing is longer than three days. The Judicial Branch warns that online processing can take two weeks: "You can't get a marriage license the same day you apply. Plan to apply at least two weeks before your wedding date."

Once issued, the license gives you time. Under K.S.A. 23-2505(f): "Every marriage license shall expire at the end of six months from the date of issuance if the marriage for which the license was issued does not take place within the six-month period of time." After that, you must apply again.

Age Requirements to Marry in Kansas

The Judicial Branch summarizes the rule: "You must be 18 years old to get a marriage license, unless you have permission from a parent, guardian, or a judge." K.S.A. 23-2505(c) sets out who must consent:

• Age 16 or 17: the express consent of the father, mother or legal guardian, plus the consent of a district judge. A judge's consent is not needed if both the mother and the father and any legal guardian consent (or all living parents and any legal guardian do). Consent not given in person must be in a written, attested certificate.
• Parents deceased, no guardian: a district judge may give consent after investigation.
• Age 15: a district judge may, "after due investigation, give consent and issue the license authorizing the marriage of a person 15 years of age when the marriage is in the best interest of the person 15 years of age."
• Under 15: no license may issue. The statute provides no exception below 15.

For how a minor can become legally independent in Kansas, see Kansas emancipation laws.

A bill to end marriage under 18 (not law)

House Bill 2026 in the 2025-2026 Legislature would have amended K.S.A. 23-2505 to require that both parties be 18, with no exceptions. It died in a House committee, so it is not law. The consent rules above still apply.

Who Cannot Marry in Kansas

K.S.A. 23-2503 voids marriages between close relatives: parents and children (including grandparents and grandchildren), brothers and sisters of the half or the whole blood, and, in the statute's words, marriages "between uncles and nieces, aunts and nephews, and first cousins, are declared to be incestuous and absolutely void." First cousins cannot marry in Kansas. The Kansas Supreme Court has, however, treated a first-cousin marriage validly entered in another state as valid in Kansas when it was not an attempt to evade Kansas law (In re Estate of Loughmiller, 229 Kan. 584 (1981)).

K.S.A. 23-2501 still defines marriage as "a civil contract between two parties who are of opposite sex. All other marriages are declared to be contrary to the public policy of this state and are void." That language cannot be enforced. The U.S. Supreme Court held in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), that "same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry."

No Blood Test Required

Kansas does not require a blood test. K.S.A. 23-2505 imposes no blood test or medical requirement, and the Judicial Branch's list of what you need to apply contains none.

Who Can Marry You in Kansas

K.S.A. 23-2504(b) authorizes these officiating persons:

• any currently ordained clergyman or religious authority of any religious denomination or society;
• a licentiate, or a person a bishop has appointed, serving as a regular clergyman;
• any judge or justice of a court of record;
• any municipal judge;
• any retired judge or justice of a court of record.

The Judicial Branch notes that judges "can choose to perform marriage ceremonies and charge a fee for the service." They are not required to.

We found no officiant registration requirement in K.S.A. 23-2504 or the Judicial Branch guidance, and you do not need to name your officiant when you apply. We also found no Kansas statute, court decision or official guidance on online ordination. If your officiant was ordained online, ask the district court clerk before the wedding. Performing a ceremony without being an authorized officiant under K.S.A. 23-2504 is a misdemeanor under K.S.A. 23-2517. Separately, K.S.A. 23-2516 recognizes Quaker (Friends) marriages in their traditional form and lets a Baha'i local spiritual assembly perform marriages.

Two witnesses are required

Under K.S.A. 23-2504(a), the marriage must take place "in the presence of at least two competent witnesses over 18 years of age, other than the officiating person."

Marrying without an officiant

Kansas allows a couple to marry without an officiant in one setting. K.S.A. 23-2504(c) provides: "The two parties themselves, by mutual declarations ... in accordance with the customs, rules and regulations of any religious society, denomination or sect to which either of the parties belong, may be married without an authorized officiating person." This route depends on the customs of a religious body one of you belongs to.

Remote ("Proxy") Ceremonies

The marriage statutes do not address proxy marriage. The Judicial Branch's guidance says the Office of Vital Statistics will accept a remote ceremony: "Yes, as long as the officiant and one party are in Kansas and two witnesses are able to view the ceremony." Electronic signatures are accepted. Because this comes from court guidance, not a statute, confirm the details with the district court before you plan around it.

A stand-in (proxy) ceremony, where another person takes an absent party's place, is a separate question. Kansas Attorney General Opinion 80-261 (1980), affirming earlier opinions back to 1944, concluded that such marriages are legal in Kansas if the absent party gives the stand-in a power of attorney to enter the marriage and the license, fee and waiting-period requirements are met first. An attorney general opinion is not binding law, so ask the district court before relying on it.

After the Ceremony

The officiant files the record. K.S.A. 23-2511 requires the officiant to endorse the certificate on the license, give a duplicate copy to the couple, and "return the license, within 10 days after the marriage, to the judge or clerk of the district court who issued it." The Judicial Branch says either the couple or the officiant may return it, by mail, by hand or through the court's drop box. Under K.S.A. 23-2513, an officiant who fails to comply with the marriage statutes commits a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100. The clerk then sends the record to vital statistics by the third day of the following month.

Certified copies come from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Office of Vital Statistics, not the court. The Judicial Branch advises: "You must wait at least two weeks after the ceremony before you request a certified copy of the marriage certificate." Check the Office of Vital Statistics for the current fee. For ordering copies, see Kansas marriage and divorce records.

Choosing a new name at marriage

Kansas lets you set your new name through the marriage itself. K.S.A. 23-2506 states: "At the time of marriage, a person may designate a new legal name, by which such person shall subsequently be known." The new name can include a combination of both names or derivatives of them. You make the choice in the name-change section of the application. It takes effect on the endorsed certificate, and a certified copy serves as proof of identity for a Kansas driver's license. If you skip it on the application, the Judicial Branch says a later change requires a petition to the district court and a filing fee. See Kansas name change laws and name change after marriage.

Common Myths About Kansas Marriage Licenses

"You can get a Kansas license in three days." Three days is the legal minimum under K.S.A. 23-2505(b). The Judicial Branch says processing can take two weeks and there is no same-day license.

"A Kansas marriage license costs $59." $59 is the statutory base fee. Kansas courts charge $85.50, which includes the Supreme Court surcharge.

"You have to go to the courthouse." You do not. An electronically signed online application is treated as a personal appearance.

"You always need an officiant." Not always. K.S.A. 23-2504(c) lets a couple marry by mutual declaration under the customs of a religious body one of them belongs to.

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about getting a marriage license in Kansas under K.S.A. 23-2501 to 23-2518. It is not legal advice. The information was verified on October 7, 2026. For your specific situation, contact the clerk of the district court in your county or consult a lawyer licensed in Kansas.

Related

• Marriage license requirements by state
• Kansas marriage and divorce records
• Kansas common-law marriage
• Kansas name change laws
• Colorado marriage license requirements
• Missouri marriage license requirements

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I get a marriage license in Kansas?

From the clerk of the district court under K.S.A. 23-2505(a). You can apply online through the Kansas Judicial Branch or at the courthouse.

How much is a marriage license in Kansas?

$85.50, according to the Kansas Judicial Branch, plus $2.14 by card or $1.25 by electronic check. That is a $59 statutory fee plus a surcharge of up to $26.50 under K.S.A. 23-2510.

How long is the waiting period for a Kansas marriage license?

The license cannot be issued before the third calendar day after you apply (K.S.A. 23-2505(b)). The Judicial Branch says processing can take two weeks, so apply at least two weeks ahead.

How long is a Kansas marriage license valid?

Six months from the date of issue. If you do not marry within that time, the license expires under K.S.A. 23-2505(f).

Do you need witnesses to get married in Kansas?

Yes. K.S.A. 23-2504(a) requires at least two competent witnesses over 18, other than the officiant.

Can first cousins marry in Kansas?

No. K.S.A. 23-2503 declares marriages between first cousins incestuous and absolutely void. The Kansas Supreme Court has, however, treated a first-cousin marriage validly entered in another state as valid in Kansas when it was not an attempt to evade Kansas law (In re Estate of Loughmiller, 229 Kan. 584 (1981)).

Can a 16-year-old get married in Kansas?

Only with the consents K.S.A. 23-2505(c) requires: a parent's or guardian's consent plus a judge's, or the consent of both parents and any guardian. A judge may allow a 15-year-old to marry only after investigation.

Do I need ID to apply for a Kansas marriage license?

No. The Kansas Judicial Branch says you do not have to submit documents or show identification. You swear to your age by affidavit under K.S.A. 23-2505(d).

How long does the officiant have to return a Kansas marriage license?

10 days after the wedding. K.S.A. 23-2511 requires the officiant to return it to the district court that issued it.