Oklahoma Marriage License Requirements 2026: $50 Fee, 30 Days

In Oklahoma, the court clerk (the clerk of the district court) in any county issues marriage licenses, under 43 O.S. §§ 4 and 5. The license costs $50, or $5 if you bring a certificate showing you completed premarital counseling. Adults have no waiting period, but the license is good for only 30 days, and the wedding and the license's return must both happen within that window (43 O.S. § 20).

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 Oklahoma under Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes (marriage) and the court clerk fee provisions of Title 28, along with the published procedures of the Oklahoma, Tulsa, Carter and Washington county court 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 Oklahoma

Oklahoma marriage licenses come from the courts. Under 43 O.S. § 4, you need a license "issued by the judge or clerk of the district court, of some county in this state." In practice, that means the court clerk's office in the county courthouse.

Both of you must go. Section 5(A) provides: "Persons desiring to be married in this state shall submit an application in writing signed and sworn to in person before the clerk of the district court by both of the parties." Tulsa County puts it simply: "To apply for a marriage license both parties need to be present in the office." We found no online or video application in the county offices we reviewed.

Any county, but only in Oklahoma

You can apply in any county and marry in another. Section 5(D) states: "The marriage license shall be valid in any county within the state." There is no residency requirement, but the ceremony must be in Oklahoma. Washington County says: "There are no residency requirements, but the marriage must be performed in Oklahoma."

County offices

County pages checked October 7, 2026. Hours and payment rules are set locally, so call your county court clerk before you go.

Documents and ID You Need

The application asks for each person's residence and "the full legal name and the age of each party as they appear upon or are calculable from a certified copy of the birth certificate, the current driver license or identification card, the current passport or visa," or another government-issued document accepted as proof of identity and age (43 O.S. § 5(A)). It also records the full name each of you will use after the marriage, a statement that you are not disqualified from marrying, and whether you completed premarital counseling.

Bring an ID that proves both your name and your age. Oklahoma County accepts a certified birth certificate (state or county issued, not a hospital certificate), a state ID, a military ID, an unexpired driver's license, or a passport, and says: "Both parties must present valid identification." Tulsa County accepts a state ID, a birth certificate with a photo ID, or a passport.

If neither of you speaks English, Oklahoma County requires you to bring a third person to translate.

How Much an Oklahoma Marriage License Costs

The fee is set by state law and is the same in every county:

The fee comes from the court clerk fee schedule in 28 O.S. § 31, which 43 O.S. § 5 cross-references. It charges $50 for the "Application, issuing, entering return and recording marriage license if the applicants do not submit a certificate that states the applicants have completed the premarital counseling program pursuant to Section 5.1 of Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes." Oklahoma, Tulsa, Carter and Washington counties all list $50, or $5 with a counseling certificate.

The premarital counseling discount

Premarital counseling is optional in Oklahoma. Completing it cuts the fee by $45. Under 43 O.S. § 5.1, the program can be conducted by:

• a health professional: a person licensed or certified to practice psychiatry or psychology, a licensed social worker with experience in marriage counseling, a licensed marital and family therapist, or a licensed professional counselor;
• an official representative of a religious institution; or
• a person trained by the authors or authorized agents of a nationally recognized marriage-education curriculum, such as PREP.

The provider gives you a certificate, signed by the instructor, stating that you completed the program. Section 5.1 provides: "A minimum of four (4) hours of education or counseling shall be necessary for successful completion of the marriage education curriculum." Washington and Tulsa counties describe the requirement as at least four hours of counseling, so plan on four hours whichever provider you choose.

Bring the original certificate. Oklahoma County and Carter County do not accept copies, faxes or emailed certificates.

Waiting Period

Adults have no waiting period in Oklahoma. Oklahoma County states: "No waiting period required except for those under the age of 18. If under the age of 18, there is a 72 hour waiting period."

The minors' wait comes from 43 O.S. § 5(C). When one or both parties are under legal age, "the application shall have been on file in the court clerk's office for a period of not less than seventy-two (72) hours prior to issuance of the marriage license." Oklahoma County says a judge can waive it with a signed written waiver: "Waived Period Exception - A written waiver signed by Judge is required." That waiver comes from the county's guidance; we did not find it in the statute text.

How Long an Oklahoma Marriage License Is Valid

You have 30 days. Under 43 O.S. § 20(A): "Once issued, the marriage license shall be valid for thirty (30) days and the marriage ceremony shall be performed no later than thirty (30) days from the date the license is issued." The completed license must also be back at the court clerk's office within those same 30 days (see "After the Ceremony").

The 30-day period has applied since November 1, 2022, under Laws 2022, chapter 241. Older websites may still describe a shorter period.

Count the days carefully. Section 20(B) computes the time by excluding the first day and including the last day, unless the last day is a legal holiday. Even so, plan the wedding and the return well inside the window rather than counting on the last day.

If the 30 days run out before the wedding, the license is no longer valid. Ask the court clerk about applying again.

Age Requirements to Marry in Oklahoma

The age rules change on November 1, 2026.

Until October 31, 2026

You must be 18 to marry without consent (43 O.S. § 3). A 16- or 17-year-old can get a license with a parent's or guardian's consent, given in person before the licensing authority or in writing acknowledged before a district judge or court clerk. The statute also covers consent from out of state and situations where a parent is medically incapacitated or on active military duty. If three reputable persons swear that both parents are deceased or mentally incompetent, or their whereabouts are unknown, and no guardian has been appointed, the district judge may consent instead. A parent or guardian of a child in the custody of the Department of Human Services or the Department of Juvenile Justice cannot give consent.

Marriage under 16 is "expressly forbidden" except when a court authorizes it in settlement of a suit for seduction or paternity, or when the unmarried female is pregnant or has given birth, with a parent or guardian present or notified. Oklahoma County summarizes: "Under 16, marriage is prohibited in this state except by court order." No court can authorize a marriage that would be incestuous.

Remember the 72-hour wait for applicants under legal age, described above. For how a minor can become legally independent in Oklahoma, see Oklahoma emancipation laws.

Starting November 1, 2026: no marriage under 18

Senate Bill 504 (2026) amends 43 O.S. § 3 by striking subsection B in its entirety. That removes every exception: parental consent for 16- and 17-year-olds and court authorization for those under 16. What remains is the 18-year minimum. Section 2 of the enrolled act states: "This act shall become effective November 1, 2026."

County pages may describe the old consent rules until they are updated. The statute controls: from November 1, 2026, no one under 18 can get an Oklahoma marriage license.

Who Cannot Marry in Oklahoma

Section 2 of Title 43 voids marriages between close relatives: ancestors and descendants of any degree, a stepfather and stepdaughter, a stepmother and stepson, uncles and nieces and aunts and nephews (except where the relationship is only by marriage), brothers and sisters of the half or whole blood, and first cousins. All of these "are declared to be incestuous, illegal and void, and are expressly prohibited."

First cousins cannot marry in Oklahoma. Section 2 does recognize a first-cousin marriage that was legally performed in another state.

Same-sex couples

Section 3(A) still refers to marrying "a person of the opposite sex," and § 3.1 still says a same-gender marriage from another state "shall not be recognized." Neither can be enforced. In Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), the U.S. Supreme Court held that "same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry."

Six-month wait after an Oklahoma divorce

If you were divorced in Oklahoma, you cannot marry anyone other than your former spouse in Oklahoma for six months after the decree (43 O.S. § 123). Marrying in another state does not get around it: during those six months, § 123 also makes it unlawful to live with the new spouse in Oklahoma, a felony the statute calls adultery. Tulsa County states: "Persons divorced in Oklahoma may not marry anyone in this state other than their previous spouse for a period of six (6) months." The statute treats a marriage in violation of this rule as bigamy, and § 126 makes it a ground for annulment. If the divorce decree is appealed, the timing differs, so ask the court clerk or a lawyer. See Oklahoma divorce laws.

No Blood Test Required

Oklahoma does not require a blood test. Carter County states: "Oklahoma law does not require a premarital blood test."

Who Can Perform a Marriage in Oklahoma

Section 7 of Title 43 requires a formal ceremony: "All marriages must be contracted by a formal ceremony performed or solemnized in the presence of at least two adult, competent persons as witnesses." The officiant must be at least 18 and one of the following:

• a judge or retired judge of any court in Oklahoma;
• an ordained or authorized preacher or minister of the Gospel, priest or other ecclesiastical dignitary of any denomination, duly ordained or authorized by the church to which he or she belongs; or
• a rabbi.

Section 7 also lets members of the Society of Friends (Quakers), the Baha'i faith and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints marry in the manner of their own society.

Credentials no longer filed

Ministers used to file their credentials with the court clerk. That ended with Laws 2022, chapter 241. Oklahoma County states: "As of November 1st, 2022, ministers are no longer required to file credentials with the Oklahoma County Court Clerks Office, per O.S. Title 43, Section 7."

Instead, under 43 O.S. § 7(B), the minister certifies on the marriage certificate that he or she holds credentials or authority from his or her church or synagogue to solemnize marriages. A judge must still have his or her order of appointment on file with the court clerk of the county where the judge lives. The statute requires a minister to be "ordained or authorized by the church to which he or she belongs." We found no Oklahoma statute, court decision or attorney general opinion addressing online ordination. If your officiant was ordained online, ask the court clerk before the wedding.

Courthouse weddings

Oklahoma has no justice of the peace, as Carter County notes. Oklahoma County's judges do not perform ceremonies on a daily basis. The county pages we reviewed list no civil ceremony service or fee, so ask your court clerk how to reach a judge who performs weddings.

Proxy Marriage

We found no Oklahoma provision for proxy marriage. Both parties must sign and swear to the application in person before the court clerk (43 O.S. § 5(A)), and the marriage requires a formal ceremony before two witnesses (43 O.S. § 7).

After the Ceremony

Immediately after the ceremony, the officiant completes the certificate on the license with his or her name, official or clerical title, court or congregation, town and county, and signature. The witnesses add their names and post office addresses, and the couple endorses the names by which they will be known (43 O.S. § 8).

Then the license goes back to the court clerk who issued it. Under § 20(A): "The marriage license and completed marriage certificate shall be returned to the court clerk for recording no later than thirty (30) days from the date the license was issued." The clerk records it and returns the original to the couple with the book and page number added (43 O.S. § 9).

Do not skip this step. Carter County warns: "YOU MUST RETURN THE LICENSE FOR RECORDING!" Without a returned license, the record is incomplete and certified copies are not available. Certified copies come from the court clerk's office that recorded the license; ask that office for the current fee. To order copies later, see Oklahoma marriage and divorce records.

Choosing your married name

Oklahoma sets your married name through the license itself. The name each of you lists on the application becomes your full legal name when the license and certificate are filed with the court clerk. Under 43 O.S. § 5(E), it "may be any combination of the legal first, middle, and last names, given names and surnames, of either party," including segments, initials and hyphens. A completely new name unrelated to either of your names requires a court petition under 12 O.S. § 1631. See Oklahoma name change laws and name change after marriage.

Common Myths About Oklahoma Marriage Licenses

"Everyone waits 72 hours." Only applicants under legal age do (43 O.S. § 5(C)). Adults have no waiting period.

"Premarital counseling is required." It is optional. Completing it lowers the fee from $50 to $5.

"You must marry in the county that issued the license." The license is valid in any Oklahoma county (43 O.S. § 5(D)).

"A 16- or 17-year-old can always marry with parental consent." True only until October 31, 2026. Senate Bill 504 ends that route on November 1, 2026.

"Ministers must register with the court clerk." Not since November 1, 2022.

"Divorced people can remarry right away." Not to a new spouse in Oklahoma within six months of an Oklahoma divorce decree, and marrying in another state does not help if you then live together in Oklahoma during that time (43 O.S. § 123).

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about getting a marriage license in Oklahoma under Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes. It is not legal advice. The information was verified on October 7, 2026. For your specific situation, contact the court clerk in your county or consult a lawyer licensed in Oklahoma.

Related

• Marriage license requirements by state
• Oklahoma marriage and divorce records
• Oklahoma name change laws
• Oklahoma divorce laws
• Texas marriage license requirements
• Kansas marriage license requirements

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I get a marriage license in Oklahoma?

From the court clerk (clerk of the district court) in any Oklahoma county. Both of you must sign and swear to the application in person under 43 O.S. § 5(A).

How much is a marriage license in Oklahoma?

$50, or $5 if you present a certificate showing you completed premarital counseling under 43 O.S. § 5.1. The fee is set by state law and is the same in every county.

How many hours of premarital counseling do you need for the Oklahoma discount?

43 O.S. § 5.1 sets a minimum of four hours for the marriage education curriculum, and county clerks describe the requirement as at least four hours. Bring the original certificate.

Is there a waiting period to get married in Oklahoma?

Not for adults. If an applicant is under legal age, the application must be on file at least 72 hours before the license issues (43 O.S. § 5(C)).

How long is an Oklahoma marriage license good for?

30 days. Under 43 O.S. § 20, the ceremony must take place, and the completed license must be returned to the court clerk, within 30 days of issuance.

Can a 17-year-old get married in Oklahoma?

Only with parental consent, and only until October 31, 2026. Senate Bill 504 removes every exception for marriage under 18 effective November 1, 2026.

Can first cousins marry in Oklahoma?

No. 43 O.S. § 2 declares first-cousin marriages incestuous and void, though it recognizes a first-cousin marriage legally performed in another state.

How soon can you remarry after a divorce in Oklahoma?

After an Oklahoma divorce, you cannot marry anyone other than your former spouse in Oklahoma for six months (43 O.S. § 123). Marrying in another state does not get around the bar: § 123 also makes it a felony to live with the new spouse in Oklahoma during those six months.

Do ministers have to register in Oklahoma?

No. Since November 1, 2022, ministers no longer file credentials with the court clerk. The ceremony still needs two adult, competent witnesses (43 O.S. § 7).