Mississippi Marriage License Requirements 2026: Fees, Age, No Wait

In Mississippi, the circuit clerk of any county issues marriage licenses under Miss. Code 93-1-5, and both of you apply in person with proof of age. There is no waiting period and no blood test, the fee is set by county ($36 to $37 in the counties we checked), and anyone under 21 needs parental consent. Bills to change that age rule died in the 2025 and 2026 sessions.

For 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 Mississippi under Miss. Code 93-1-5 and 93-1-17, read from the Mississippi Legislature's 2026 bill printings that reprint those sections, together with the published procedures of the Hinds, DeSoto, Lafayette, Monroe and Lee county circuit clerks. 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 Mississippi

Marriage licenses come from the circuit clerk, and you can use any county. Miss. Code 93-1-5(1)(a): "Application for the license is to be made in writing to the clerk of the circuit court of any county in the State of Mississippi. The application shall be sworn to by both applicants."

County clerks require you to come in together. Hinds County: "To obtain a marriage license in Hinds County, both applicants must appear together in the Circuit Clerk's Office." DeSoto, Lee and Lafayette say the same. DeSoto accepts walk-ins and Lafayette says no appointment is needed, while Lee County's page says to call (662) 432-2300 to make an appointment.

We found no online application. Lafayette County lets you download a blank application and fill it in before your visit, but you still sign and swear to it at the counter.

The statute also tells the clerk to refuse a license to an applicant who appears intoxicated or mentally unable to understand the application (93-1-5(1)(e)).

What to Bring

Proof of age. Under 93-1-5, proof of age may be "either a birth certificate, baptismal record, armed service discharge" or ID card, a life insurance policy or certificate, a school record, a driver's license, a tribal identification card, or another official document. The clerk examines it and keeps a copy.

County pages list a driver's license, ID card, passport or birth certificate (Hinds, DeSoto). Lafayette County's clerk puts it this way: "BOTH PARTIES MUST BE PRESENT, 21 YEARS OLD AND HAVE A GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION CARD."

Parents' information. The application lists the names, ages and addresses of the parties and of their parents (or a guardian or next of kin for an applicant under 21). Lee County asks for both parents' full names, including mothers' maiden names.

Prior marriage and divorce papers. The clerk needs the date your last marriage ended. If it ended in a recent divorce, bring a copy of the divorce papers, but the window depends on the county:

We found no statute setting either window, so ask your circuit clerk what they need before you go.

We found no residency requirement and no Social Security number requirement on the pages we reviewed.

How Much a Mississippi Marriage License Costs

The fee is $36 or $37 in every county we checked. The statute behind the clerk's fee was not opened, so treat each county's page as the final word; fees can change.

We found no premarital education discount in Mississippi. Lafayette County warns that if you lose the license, you start over and pay a new $37 fee.

Waiting Period and Expiration

There is no waiting period. Monroe County: "There is no waiting period." Lafayette County: "THERE IS NOT A WAITING PERIOD IN MISSISSIPPI," and "YOU CAN GET MARRIED THE SAME DAY YOU RECEIVE YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE." Section 93-1-5 sets none.

The license does not run out on a fixed date, according to DeSoto and Monroe counties: "the license does not expire once it has been issued." The statute text we reviewed sets no expiration either. If you see a 30-day limit quoted elsewhere for a Mississippi county, confirm it with that county's clerk.

Age Requirements: 21, With Consent Below That

Mississippi's marriage age rules are unusual. Section 93-1-5(1)(c) and (d) read: "Every male who is at least seventeen (17) years old and every female who is at least fifteen (15) years old shall be capable in law of contracting marriage. However, males and females under the age of twenty-one (21) years must furnish the circuit clerk satisfactory evidence of consent to the marriage by the parents or guardians of the parties."

That creates three tiers:

• 21 and older: no consent needed.
• Under 21 but at or above the statutory floor (17 for males, 15 for females): the clerk must receive satisfactory evidence of parental or guardian consent. Affidavits of age from a parent, guardian or next of kin are filed with the application. In practice, Monroe County asks both parents or legal guardians to appear with photo ID (or sign a notarized consent form if they cannot), Lafayette asks a parent to come with ID and sign paperwork, and DeSoto accepts a notarized consent.
• Below the floor: a judge of any circuit, chancery or county court in the county where either party lives may waive the minimum age on proof of sufficient reasons and parental consent, and authorize the clerk in writing (93-1-5(1)(d)). The statute states no lower age limit for this waiver.

Some county pages simply say both parties must be 21. That reflects the no-consent age, not the full statute. If either of you is under 21, call the circuit clerk first to ask exactly what consent paperwork they require.

The statute's age wording is written in terms of "every male" and "every female." 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."

For a minor's legal independence from parents more generally, see Mississippi emancipation laws.

Bills to Change the Marriage Age Died in 2025 and 2026

Three recent bills would have lowered the age of consent to marry to 18. None became law:

• HB 536 (2025): died in committee on February 4, 2025.
• HB 277 (2026): referred to House Judiciary A on January 7, 2026, and died in committee on February 3, 2026.
• SB 2031 (2026): passed the Senate, then died in the House Judiciary A Committee.

So the 21-with-consent rule, the 17 and 15 floors and the judicial waiver remain Mississippi law as of October 2026.

No Blood Test

Mississippi requires no blood test for a marriage license. DeSoto County: "There is no blood work or waiting period required." Monroe County says blood work is not required, and 93-1-5 lists no medical condition.

Who Can Marry You in Mississippi

Miss. Code 93-1-17 lists who may solemnize a marriage. It includes "Any minister of the gospel ordained according to the rules of his church or society, in good standing; any Rabbi or other spiritual leader of any other religious body authorized under the rules of such religious body to solemnize rites of matrimony and being in good standing."

Judges of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, and the circuit, chancery and county courts may marry anyone, anywhere in the state, who presents a license. Justice court judges and county supervisors may marry couples within their own county.

Mississippi has no state registration for officiants that we found. On online ordination, no official source we reviewed addresses it directly. Lafayette County's circuit clerk says: "THE LAFAYETTE COUNTY CIRCUIT CLERK'S OFFICE HAS NO GOVERNING AUTHORITY WITH REGARDS TO ORDAINMENT," and tells couples to research the question themselves. The statute's test is ordination "according to the rules of his church or society, in good standing."

Courthouse weddings. The circuit clerk's office does not perform ceremonies, at least in Lafayette County. There, a justice court judge marries couples by appointment for $35 cash.

Witnesses. The statute's application includes signatures of witnesses, while Lafayette County's clerk says no witness is needed to get the license or to marry. Ask your clerk if you are unsure.

An authorized officiant is required. Miss. Code 93-1-15(1), as quoted by the Social Security Administration, says no marriage is valid unless the couple first obtained a license and the marriage was then "performed by or before any person, religious society, institution, or organization authorized by Sections 93-1-17 and 93-1-19 to solemnize marriages," and that missing either step makes the marriage "absolutely void." Section 93-1-19 also lets the pastor of a religious society marry members of that society who hold a license, according to the society's rules and customs. We found nothing on proxy marriage.

After the Ceremony: Returning the License

The officiant, not the couple, returns the paperwork. The officiant completes the ceremony section of the license and the statistical record form and returns them to the circuit clerk who issued the license.

The deadline is where county guidance differs. Lee County says the license must be returned "no later than 5 days after the marriage," and the Social Security Administration's operations manual quotes Miss. Code 41-57-48(3) as requiring return "within five (5) days after the ceremony." Lafayette County says 14 days. Because the counties do not agree, ask the clerk who issued your license and plan for the shorter deadline.

Certified copies. Once the license is recorded, the issuing clerk can provide certified copies (see the fee table). To order one later, see our guide to Mississippi marriage and divorce records.

Name changes. Lafayette County: "THE NAMES ON THE MARRIAGE LICENSE WILL REFLECT WHO YOU ARE THE DAY YOU APPLY FOR YOUR LICENSE AND WILL NEVER CHANGE IN OUR OFFICE." A name change happens later, with the Social Security Administration, the driver's license office or the passport agency. See changing your name after marriage and Mississippi name change laws.

Who Cannot Marry in Mississippi

Miss. Code 93-1-1 lists the relatives you cannot marry. In the most recent official printing of the section we could open (a 1997 Mississippi Legislature bill), it bars marriage between a parent and child (including an adopted daughter), grandparent and grandchild, brothers and sisters, aunt or uncle and niece or nephew, and "first cousins by blood," as well as a stepparent, a stepchild or step-grandchild, and a son's widow, with "the like prohibition" for women in the same degrees. It says: "All marriages prohibited by this subsection are incestuous and void." Confirm the current wording with your circuit clerk. We could not open the official text of the rules on prior marriages, so ask the clerk or a Mississippi lawyer if a previous marriage has not been fully ended.

Common Myths

• "There is a waiting period or a blood test." No. County clerks in DeSoto, Monroe and Lafayette say neither applies.
• "The license expires after 30 days." DeSoto and Monroe say it does not expire once issued.
• "You must be 18 to marry." No. The no-consent age is 21, the statutory floors are 17 and 15, and a judge may waive below that. The 2025 and 2026 bills to change this died.
• "The fee is one statewide price." Counties charge $36 (Hinds) or $37 (DeSoto, Lafayette, Monroe, Lee).

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about marriage licenses in Mississippi under Miss. Code 93-1-5 and related provisions. It is not legal advice. The information was verified on October 7, 2026. For your specific situation, contact the circuit clerk of the county where you plan to apply or consult a lawyer licensed in Mississippi.

Related

• Marriage license requirements by state
• Mississippi marriage and divorce records
• Mississippi common-law marriage
• Alabama marriage license requirements

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do you get a marriage license in Mississippi?

From the circuit clerk of any county in Mississippi. Under Miss. Code 93-1-5 the application is in writing and sworn by both applicants, and county clerks such as Hinds say both of you must appear together.

How much is a marriage license in Mississippi?

Counties set the price. Hinds County charges $36, and DeSoto, Lafayette, Monroe and Lee counties charge $37. Payment methods differ: Lee takes cash only.

Is there a waiting period to get married in Mississippi?

No. Lafayette County's circuit clerk says there is no waiting period in Mississippi and you can marry the same day you receive the license.

Does a Mississippi marriage license expire?

DeSoto and Monroe counties say the license does not expire once issued. The statute text we reviewed sets no expiration.

What is the legal age to get married in Mississippi?

Anyone under 21 must give the circuit clerk evidence of parental or guardian consent. Miss. Code 93-1-5 sets capacity at 17 for males and 15 for females, and a judge may waive those minimums for sufficient reasons with parental consent.

Did Mississippi lower the no-consent marriage age to 18?

No. HB 536 (2025) and HB 277 (2026) died in committee, and SB 2031 (2026) passed the Senate but died in the House Judiciary A Committee.

Do you need a blood test to get married in Mississippi?

No. DeSoto County says no blood work is required, and Monroe County says blood work is not required.

Who can perform a wedding in Mississippi?

Under Miss. Code 93-1-17, ordained ministers and rabbis or other spiritual leaders in good standing, and judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and circuit, chancery and county courts. Justice court judges and county supervisors may marry couples within their county.