Texas Marriage License Requirements 2026: Fees, 72-Hour Wait

In Texas, you get a marriage license from a county clerk, and Texas Family Code Section 2.001(a) lets you apply to "the county clerk of any county of this state." The ceremony cannot happen until 72 hours after the license is issued, unless one of four exceptions applies, and the license expires if you have not married before the 90th day. Each county sets its own price: the five large counties we checked charge between $76 and $81, with a steep discount for couples who complete a premarital course.

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 ceremonial marriage license under Chapter 2 of the Texas Family Code and the fees charged by Texas county clerks. It does not cover divorce, ordering older marriage records, informal (common-law) marriage in depth, or the rules of other states.

Where to apply for a Texas marriage license

Any Texas county clerk can issue your license. Section 2.001(a) of the Family Code says a couple "must obtain a marriage license from the county clerk of any county of this state," so you do not have to apply where you live or where you plan to marry.

Tarrant County puts it plainly: "A formal marriage license can be obtained from any county in Texas and the marriage can be performed anywhere." You do not need to be a Texas resident to get a Texas license, but you may pay more (see the fee section).

Applying online, in person, or by video

Both applicants normally appear before the clerk. How the process starts depends on the county:

• Dallas County requires you to complete the application online first and bring your order number; its FAQ also says a marriage license appointment must be scheduled.
• Bexar County takes an online application, after which you appear in person.
• Tarrant County offers an online application followed by in-person signing, and a separate video-conference option for formal licenses. Its page says "Both parties must appear in person or together via video conference."
• Harris County has both applicants apply in person at one of its 11 locations.

Video issuance is a county option, not a statewide right. Section 2.0091 of the Family Code "applies only in a county in which the county clerk has been certified by the Texas Judicial Council under Section 71.039, Government Code, to issue a marriage license through the use of remote technology." If you want to apply remotely, check whether your county clerk offers it.

If one of you cannot appear

Texas lets one person apply for an absent applicant. Under Section 2.006(a), if an applicant who is 18 or older "is unable to appear personally," then "any adult person or the other applicant may apply on behalf of the absent applicant." The Texas State Law Library describes the absent applicant's paperwork as a notarized affidavit; ask your county clerk for its form.

Both applicants can be absent only if an affidavit for each of them declares that the applicant is a member of the U.S. armed forces "stationed in another country in support of combat or another military operation." Section 2.006(c) sets the conditions for that case.

What to bring

Each applicant needs a valid ID that proves identity and age. Harris County's clerk states: "Valid I.D. is required." Section 2.005 of the Family Code sets out the documents a clerk can accept, and each county page lists them, so check yours before you go.

Know your Social Security number if you have one. Tarrant County's page says applicants "Must know Social Security number," and Section 2.004(b)(2) asks for it "if any."

The clerk enters your names exactly as they appear on your IDs and cannot change them. Bexar County adds that a name change is handled through the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Social Security Administration, and "the name on the marriage license will not change." For the steps after the wedding, see changing your name after marriage and the Texas name change laws.

How much a Texas marriage license costs

There is no single statewide price. State law sets a $60 marriage license fee (Local Government Code Section 118.011(a)(7)), but each county clerk posts its own higher total, and the amount can change. The table below reflects the five county clerk pages we opened on October 7, 2026; your county's own page is the final word.

Sources: Harris County Clerk, Dallas County Clerk FAQ, Tarrant County Clerk, Bexar County Clerk, Travis County Clerk. All checked October 7, 2026.

A few county details worth knowing before you go:

• Dallas County's own pages disagree. The FAQ says "The cost of a marriage license is $81.00," while its fees page still shows $80.00 marked "Effective January 1, 2014" and $21.00 with a certificate. Confirm the current amount with the clerk. Dallas also says you must buy the license at the downtown office to get the course discount.
• Tarrant County accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover, and a credit card adds 1.73%.
• Dallas County's FAQ lists cash, money order, cashier's check, business checks and credit or debit cards, but not personal checks.
• Bexar County's page says in one place that it takes cash or credit cards (except American Express) and in another that only cash is accepted. Call ahead.
• Travis County says active-duty military members preparing to deploy to a hostile-fire zone are exempt from the fee.

The non-resident fee

If neither applicant can prove Texas residency, you may pay $100 more. Section 118.018(d) of the Local Government Code says the clerk "may collect" it, so it is a county option; Travis County's non-resident page says it began charging it April 1, 2026, and Harris County's fee jumps from $81.00 to $181.00 "without proof of state residency on a valid form of identification from at least one applicant." Only one of you needs to show Texas residency to avoid it.

The 72-hour waiting period and its exceptions

You cannot marry right away. Section 2.204(a) provides that "a marriage ceremony may not take place during the 72-hour period immediately following the issuance of the marriage license." The clock starts when the license is issued, not when you apply.

The wait does not apply to an applicant who:

1. Is a member of the U.S. armed forces on active duty.
2. Performs work for the U.S. Department of Defense, as an employee or contractor, as Section 2.204(b)(2) describes.
3. Obtains a written waiver under Section 2.204(c).
4. Completed a premarital education course "not more than one year before the date the marriage license application is filed."

The Travis County Clerk's page lists the same four exceptions. Harris, Dallas and Bexar all say the Twogether certificate waives the 72-hour wait.

The premarital course (Twogether in Texas)

The course is optional. Section 2.013(a) says applicants are "encouraged to attend a premarital education course of at least eight hours during the year preceding the date of the application." The Texas State Law Library likewise describes the course as encouraged, not required.

Finishing a course gives you two benefits. You skip the 72-hour wait, and you pay less for the license. The fee break has a residency condition: Local Government Code Section 118.018(b-1) waives the license fee for an applicant who completes the course, presents a certificate dated within one year, and "provides proof satisfactory to the county clerk that the applicant is a resident of this state." The 72-hour waiver in Section 2.204(b)(4) has no residency condition. Dallas County sums it up: "Twogether in Texas reduces your marriage license fee by $60 and waives the 72-hour waiting period." Tarrant charges $16 and Travis $20 with a certificate.

Bring the certificate when you apply; Travis County says it must be presented at issuance. Bexar County notes the certificate is valid for one year, which matches the statute's one-year window.

How long the license is valid

You have 90 days. Section 2.201 says: "If a marriage ceremony has not been conducted before the 90th day after the date the license is issued, the marriage license expires." Combined with the 72-hour wait, the usable window opens three days after issuance and closes before day 90.

Counties describe this window slightly differently. Tarrant says the ceremony must happen within 90 days with "no exceptions," and Travis describes the license as valid for 89 days. If yours expires, you must buy a new one; plan the date with your officiant before you apply.

Age requirements

Both applicants must generally be 18. Section 2.003(a) provides: "A person under 18 years of age may not marry unless the person has been granted by this state or another state a court order removing the disabilities of minority of the person for general purposes."

That is the only path for a minor. Texas has no parental-consent route and no lower age floor; the minor needs a general-purpose court order, from Texas or another state, removing the disabilities of minority. The Travis County Clerk's page quotes this rule as effective September 1, 2017. For how that court process works, see Texas emancipation laws.

Who cannot marry in Texas

Texas voids marriages between close relatives. Section 6.201 of the Family Code lists the relationships, starting with "an ancestor or descendant, by blood or adoption," and also covering siblings (whole or half blood, or by adoption), a parent's brother or sister, and a brother's or sister's child.

The license application goes further. Under Section 2.004(b)(6)(F), each applicant swears the other is not "a son or daughter of a parent's brother or sister, of the whole or half blood or by adoption," which means first cousins. The application also asks about current or former stepparent and stepchild relationships.

A person who is still married cannot marry someone else; Section 6.202 makes such a marriage void.

Recently divorced?

A clerk will not issue a license to an applicant who has been divorced within the last 30 days. Section 2.009(a)(5) makes two exceptions: when "the applicants were divorced from each other," or when "the prohibition against remarriage is waived as provided by Section 6.802." For the divorce side of this rule, see Texas divorce laws.

Same-sex couples

Section 2.001(b) still says "A license may not be issued for the marriage of persons of the same sex." That sentence is unenforceable. 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," which requires every state to license their marriages. The Texas State Law Library states: "The marriage application process is the same for every couple in Texas."

No blood test

Texas does not require a blood test. Tarrant County's page says so directly: "A blood test is NOT required." Dallas County notes that the clerk provides information about HIV and AIDS (Family Code Section 2.010) and tells applicants about the Attorney General's premarital education handbook (Section 2.014).

Who can perform a marriage ceremony in Texas

Section 2.202(a) authorizes four groups to conduct a ceremony:

1. "a licensed or ordained Christian minister or priest"
2. "a Jewish rabbi"
3. "a person who is an officer of a religious organization and who is authorized by the organization to conduct a marriage ceremony"
4. "a current, former, or retired federal judge or state judge"

The judge category is newer. House Bill 907 of the 88th Legislature repealed the old list in subsection (b-1), effective September 1, 2023. Some county pages, including Tarrant's, still show the older list of judges and magistrates, so rely on the statute.

Texas does not register officiants. The Texas State Law Library says: "There is no official registration for persons authorized to conduct a marriage ceremony." It adds: "If they review the law and believe they can perform the marriage ceremony, then they can perform the ceremony."

Whether an online-ordained minister counts as an "ordained Christian minister" is not addressed by any official source we found. If that matters for your ceremony, ask the county clerk or a Texas lawyer before the date.

On witnesses, Harris County says: "Witnesses are not required to purchase the Marriage License nor are they required to attend the marriage ceremony."

Proxy marriage for deployed service members

Texas allows a proxy ceremony in one situation. Under Section 2.203(b), a person may assent to marriage through a proxy if the person is "a member of the armed forces of the United States stationed in another country in support of combat or another military operation" and is "unable to attend the ceremony." Both conditions must be met.

After the ceremony: returning the license and getting a copy

Your officiant completes and signs the license, then must "return the license to the county clerk who issued it not later than the 30th day after the date the ceremony is conducted" (Section 2.206(a)). Return it to the issuing county, even if you married elsewhere in Texas.

The clerk then records it and sends it back to you. Section 2.208(a) says the clerk "shall record a returned marriage license and mail the license to the address indicated on the application," and may e-mail it on request. Timing varies: Harris County says originals take one to two weeks to come back, while Tarrant County can record a hand-delivered license while you wait at one of its eight locations.

Certified copies come from the county clerk that recorded the license. Prices differ: Tarrant charges $21 for the first and $11 for each additional copy (since September 1, 2024); Bexar $8 each; and Dallas $10, at its downtown office only. To order a copy later, see Texas marriage and divorce records and our guide on how to get a copy of your marriage certificate.

Informal (common-law) marriage

County clerks also record declarations of informal marriage, and the fee table above shows what the counties we checked charge for one. The rules for proving an informal marriage are separate from the license process; see Texas common-law marriage and our common-law marriage overview.

Common myths

• "Texas requires a blood test." It does not. Tarrant County: "A blood test is NOT required."
• "The fee is the same everywhere." It is set by each county: $76 in Tarrant, $80 in Bexar and Travis, $81 in Harris and Dallas.
• "You have to marry in the county that issued the license." Tarrant County says the license can come from any Texas county "and the marriage can be performed anywhere."
• "The 72-hour wait can never be waived." Section 2.204(b) lists four exceptions, including a premarital course completed within the past year.

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about getting a marriage license under the Texas Family Code and Texas county clerk practice, verified on October 7, 2026. It is not legal advice. Fees and procedures vary by county and can change. For your specific situation, contact the county clerk where you plan to apply or a lawyer licensed in Texas.

Related

• Marriage license requirements by state
• Texas marriage and divorce records
• Texas common-law marriage
• Texas name change laws
• Oklahoma marriage license requirements
• Louisiana marriage license requirements

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a marriage license in Texas?

The total fee varies by county. As of October 7, 2026, Tarrant charges $76, Bexar and Travis $80, and Harris and Dallas $81, according to each county clerk's page.

How long do you have to wait to get married after getting a license in Texas?

72 hours after the license is issued (Tex. Fam. Code 2.204). The wait does not apply to active-duty military, Department of Defense workers, applicants with a written waiver, or those who completed a premarital course within the past year.

How long is a Texas marriage license good for?

The license expires if no ceremony has been conducted before the 90th day after it was issued (Tex. Fam. Code 2.201). After that you must buy a new one.

Does the Twogether in Texas course lower the fee?

Yes, for an applicant who also proves Texas residency (Local Government Code 118.018(b-1)). Harris, Dallas and Bexar take $60 off, Tarrant charges $16 and Travis $20 with a certificate. The certificate also waives the 72-hour wait if the course was completed within one year before you apply.

Can I get married in a different Texas county from where I got my license?

Yes. Section 2.001(a) lets you apply in any Texas county, and Tarrant County says the marriage can then be performed anywhere. The officiant returns the license to the county that issued it.

Do non-residents pay more for a Texas marriage license?

In some counties, yes, if neither applicant proves Texas residency. Tarrant and Travis add $100, and Harris charges $181 instead of $81.

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

Only with a court order removing the disabilities of minority for general purposes, from Texas or another state (Tex. Fam. Code 2.003). Parental consent is not enough.

Who can officiate a wedding in Texas?

A licensed or ordained Christian minister or priest, a Jewish rabbi, an authorized officer of a religious organization, or a current, former, or retired federal or state judge (Tex. Fam. Code 2.202(a)). Texas has no officiant registration.

When does the officiant have to return the license?

No later than the 30th day after the ceremony, to the county clerk who issued it (Tex. Fam. Code 2.206). The clerk records it and mails it to the address on your application.