Virginia
Virginia Marriage License Requirements 2026: $30, 60 Days, No Wait
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited October 7, 2026). · 23 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
In Virginia, the clerk of any circuit court in any county or city can issue your marriage license under Va. Code 20-14, so you do not have to apply where you live or where you will marry. The license costs $30, there is no waiting period, and it is valid for 60 days. Both partners must be at least 18.
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 Virginia under Title 20, Chapters 2 and 3 of the Code of Virginia (including sections 20-13 to 20-31, 20-38.1, 20-45.1 and 20-48) and the clerk's fee in section 17.1-275, with procedures from the Alexandria, Charlottesville, Chesapeake and Hanover circuit court clerks. It does not cover divorce, ordering older marriage records, common-law marriage, or the rules of other states.
Where to apply for a Virginia marriage license
Va. Code 20-14 says: "Every license for a marriage shall be issued by the clerk or deputy clerk of a circuit court of any county or city." If neither the clerk nor a deputy is able to act, the judge may issue it.
That means you can apply at any circuit court clerk's office in Virginia. Charlottesville's clerk says: "There are no residency requirements and couples may purchase their marriage license at any Circuit Court in Virginia." Similarly, Chesapeake's says a license "can be obtained through any Circuit Court" regardless of where you live.
How you apply depends on the clerk. At the offices we checked:
- Chesapeake: online application plus an appointment.
- Hanover: you can complete the application online using Self Service before you come in, or at the office; walk-ins are accepted without an appointment.
- Charlottesville: you complete the form at a computer kiosk in the clerk's office. Both partners must be present at the same time when applying, except for incarcerated applicants.
- Alexandria: walk-ins are accepted, and both partners must appear for an in-person application. The clerk also offers video application appointments, with the license mailed afterward.
Check your clerk's page before you go, since appointment rules and hours differ from office to office.
Documents and ID
Under Va. Code 20-16, the clerk requires both of you "to state, under oath, the information required to complete the application for marriage license." Clerk offices ask each partner for unexpired government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, passport or military ID.
The application records whether either of you was previously married (widowed or divorced), according to Charlottesville's clerk. You may designate yourselves on the application as spouse, bride or groom (Va. Code 20-16).
Va. Code 32.1-267(B) requires each of you to give a Social Security number, or a control number issued by the Virginia DMV, on the application. Chesapeake's clerk asks applicants to bring a Social Security card if unsure of the number.
How much a Virginia marriage license costs
A Virginia marriage license costs $30 statewide. It is made up of two charges:
- A $20 state license tax under Va. Code 20-15. The statute sends $10 of it to the Department of Social Services for services to victims of domestic violence.
- A $10 clerk's fee under Va. Code 17.1-275, which covers "issuing a marriage license, attaching certificate, administering or receiving all necessary oaths or affidavits, indexing and recording."
The amount is the same everywhere, but payment methods and card surcharges vary by clerk:
| Clerk (circuit court) | Fee | Payment notes | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria (city) | $30 | Payment methods not listed on the page reviewed | Oct. 7, 2026 |
| Charlottesville (city) | $30 | Cash, or check or money order payable to the City of Charlottesville Circuit Court | Oct. 7, 2026 |
| Chesapeake (city) | $30 | The page says "cash only" in one place and lists credit cards in another; call ahead | Oct. 7, 2026 |
| Hanover (county) | $30 | Cash, or Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover with a $2.00 convenience fee | Oct. 7, 2026 |
Fees and payment rules can change, and your clerk's page is the final word. We found no premarital education discount in the license statutes or on the clerk pages we reviewed.
Waiting period and how long the license lasts
Virginia has no waiting period. The license statutes set none, and Charlottesville's clerk says: "There is no waiting period required between application and issuance of the license and a couple may be married immediately after issuance." Hanover's clerk says the license may be used immediately.
The license does expire. Va. Code 20-14.1 says a license is authority "for a period of only sixty days from the date of issuance." If yours lapses, you can apply for a new one, subject to all the usual requirements.
Minimum age to marry in Virginia: 18
Va. Code 20-48 states: "The minimum age at which persons may marry shall be 18." There is no longer a route for 16- or 17-year-olds. Virginia once allowed minors to marry if they were emancipated by a court, but 2024 Acts chapter 737 closed that route.
Under Va. Code 20-45.1(C), a marriage solemnized on or after July 1, 2024 when either party was under 18 "shall be void from the time they shall be so declared by a decree of divorce or nullity." The statute makes an exception for a marriage lawfully entered in another state or country before the couple were domiciled in Virginia.
Who cannot marry in Virginia
Va. Code 20-38.1 prohibits these marriages, and Va. Code 20-45.1 makes them void:
- A marriage entered before an earlier marriage of either partner was dissolved
- A marriage between an ancestor and descendant
- A marriage between siblings, whether of the half or whole blood or by adoption
- A marriage between an uncle or aunt and a nephew or niece, of the half or whole blood
First cousins are not on that list.
Va. Code 20-13.2, added in 2024, bars clerks from denying a marriage license on the basis of the applicants' sex, gender or race.
If you are divorced, Charlottesville's clerk says Virginia has no waiting period after a divorce before you can remarry. For the divorce process itself, see Virginia divorce laws.
No blood test
Virginia does not require a blood test. The license statutes (20-13 to 20-31) set no medical requirement, and Alexandria's clerk states: "In Virginia there are no requirements for blood tests, a waiting period, or residency requirements."
Who can perform a wedding in Virginia
Virginia authorizes officiants through court orders, with an exception for certain officials.
Ministers (Va. Code 20-23). A circuit court, judge or clerk may enter an order authorizing a minister to celebrate marriages on proof of ordination and regular communion with a religious society, or proof of a commission to pastoral ministry or a local minister's license while serving as a regularly appointed pastor. No oath is required.
Civil celebrants (Va. Code 20-25). "Upon application filed with the clerk of the circuit court and payment of applicable clerk's fees, such clerk may issue an order authorizing one or more persons to celebrate the rites of marriage in the Commonwealth." This is the route for a friend or relative who is not a minister. The clerk may require a bond of $500, and the statutory fee for recording the order is $25 under Va. Code 17.1-275. A clerk's total charge can be higher: Alexandria's clerk charges a $59 application fee for a one-time celebrant and requires a $500 surety, returned later, from applicants who live outside Virginia. A celebrant authorized under 20-25 may charge up to $75 for the ceremony, plus travel (Va. Code 20-27).
Officials who need no order (Va. Code 20-25). As the section currently reads, these may celebrate marriages anywhere in Virginia without an order:
- Any judge or justice of a court of record or a district court, and retired judges and justices
- Active, senior or retired federal judges and justices who reside in Virginia
- Current or former members of the General Assembly, Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Attorneys General, members of Congress from Virginia, and circuit court clerks, who reside in Virginia
Section 20-25 was most recently amended in 2026 (2026 Acts chapter 437), and the rules above, including the clerk-issued order and the optional bond, are the amended version that appears in the current Code of Virginia.
Religious societies without a minister (Va. Code 20-26). A society with no ordained minister may solemnize marriages in its own way, with one person chosen to complete the certificate and execute a $500 bond.
The 20-23 and 20-25 orders do not mention the officiant's residency; the residency language applies only to the officials on the no-order list. Some clerks keep their own officiants: Hanover lists court-appointed civil marriage officiants.
A few things the statutes we reviewed do not address:
- Online ordination. The code is silent. A 20-23 order requires proof of ordination and regular communion, so an online-ordained minister should ask the clerk what proof it accepts, or seek a 20-25 order instead.
- Marrying yourselves. We found no provision for self-uniting marriage in sections 20-13 to 20-31.
- Witnesses. We found no witness requirement in sections 20-13 to 20-31. Confirm with your clerk.
Officiating without authority carries penalties of up to one year in jail and a $500 fine (Va. Code 20-28). If an officiant turns out to lack authority, Va. Code 20-31 protects the marriage when the couple believed in good faith that it was lawful.
After the ceremony: returning the license
Va. Code 20-16 says: "The clerk shall provide the parties with two copies of the marriage certificate to be completed by the marriage officiant, who shall return the completed certificates to the clerk after the marriage ceremony of the parties." The clerk keeps one and sends the other to the State Registrar.
An officiant who fails to certify the marriage as required faces a $25 penalty under Va. Code 20-24, as amended in 2025. Each year, by March 31, clerks give the Commonwealth's Attorney a list of licenses that were not returned (Va. Code 20-21). Under Va. Code 32.1-267(C), the officiant must certify the facts of the marriage and file the record in duplicate with the clerk who issued the license within five days after the ceremony.
Certified copies of the marriage record serve as prima facie evidence of the marriage (Va. Code 20-20). For ordering a copy later, see Virginia marriage and divorce records. If you plan to change your surname, see our guide to changing your name after marriage and the Virginia name change laws.
Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about marriage licenses under Virginia law (Title 20 of the Code of Virginia and Va. Code 17.1-275) as verified on October 7, 2026. It is not legal advice. For questions about your specific situation, contact your circuit court clerk or a lawyer licensed in Virginia.
Related
- Marriage license requirements by state
- District of Columbia marriage license requirements
- North Carolina marriage license requirements
- Virginia common-law marriage
- How to get a copy of your marriage certificate
Last updated: October 7, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a marriage license in Virginia?
$30. That is a $20 state license tax under Va. Code 20-15 plus a $10 clerk's fee under Va. Code 17.1-275. Payment methods vary by clerk, and some add a card convenience fee.
Is there a waiting period to get married in Virginia?
No. The license statutes set no waiting period, and clerk offices such as Charlottesville's say a couple may marry immediately after the license is issued.
How long is a Virginia marriage license good for?
60 days from the date of issuance (Va. Code 20-14.1). After that it expires, and you would need to apply for a new license.
Can I get a Virginia marriage license in a different county from where we marry?
Yes. Va. Code 20-14 lets the clerk of a circuit court of any county or city issue the license, and clerk offices say you can get one at any circuit court in Virginia.
Do you have to be a Virginia resident to get married in Virginia?
No. The Alexandria, Charlottesville and Chesapeake clerk offices say there is no residency requirement.
Do both people have to be present to get a Virginia marriage license?
Generally yes. Charlottesville's clerk says both must be present at the same time when applying (with an exception for incarcerated applicants), and Alexandria's clerk says both must appear for an in-person application.
Can a 17-year-old get married in Virginia?
No. The minimum age is 18 (Va. Code 20-48). A marriage solemnized on or after July 1, 2024 when either party was under 18 is void from the time a court declares it so (Va. Code 20-45.1(C)).
Does Virginia require a blood test to get married?
No. The license statutes (Va. Code 20-13 to 20-31) set no blood test, and Alexandria's clerk says there is none.
Can a friend officiate a wedding in Virginia?
Yes, if the friend gets an order from a circuit court clerk authorizing them to celebrate the marriage under Va. Code 20-25. The clerk may require a $500 bond. The statutory recording fee is $25, but a clerk's total charge can be higher (Alexandria charges $59).
Who returns the marriage license after a Virginia wedding?
The officiant completes the two certificate copies the clerk gave the couple and returns them to the clerk after the ceremony (Va. Code 20-16). Va. Code 32.1-267 requires the return within five days after the ceremony.
Can first cousins marry in Virginia?
First cousins are not among the relationships Va. Code 20-38.1 prohibits. That list covers ancestors and descendants, siblings, and uncles or aunts with nieces or nephews.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Code of Virginia, Title 20: Domestic Relations
§ 20-14By whom license to be issuedIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
Every license for a marriage shall be issued by the clerk or deputy clerk of a circuit court of any county or city. If from any cause neither the clerk nor his deputy is able to issue the license, it may be issued by the judge of the circuit court of such county, or city, who shall make return thereof to the clerk as soon as there may be one.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
Also relied on in: Common Law Marriage in Virginia: Is It Recognized? (2026)
§ 20-13License and solemnization requiredIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
Every marriage in this Commonwealth shall be under a license and solemnized in the manner herein provided.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-07 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
§ 20-48Minimum age of marriageIn force
The minimum age at which persons may marry shall be 18.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
§ 20-14.1Duration of license; issuance of additional licensesIn force
Every marriage license issued under § 20-14 shall constitute authority for a period of only sixty days from the date of issuance for the solemnization of a marriage of the licensees. Whenever such sixty-day period shall have elapsed without the solemnization of a marriage of the licensees, the license shall expire. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prevent licensees from applying for or receiving an additional license, either before or after expiration of any license, but no new license shall be issued except in compliance with all provisions of law applicable to the issuance of a license in the first instance.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
§ 20-15Tax on licenseIn force
On each marriage license issued under § 20-14 there is hereby levied a license tax of $20, which tax shall be collected by the clerk when the license is issued and accounted for as in the case of other state taxes collected by him. Ten dollars of this license tax shall be allocated to the Virginia Department of Social Services for the purpose of providing services to victims of domestic violence.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
§ 20-16Issuance of marriage licenses and marriage certificatesIn force
The clerk issuing any marriage license shall require the parties contemplating marriage to state, under oath, the information required to complete the application for marriage license. The parties shall be able to designate themselves on the application for marriage license as spouse, bride, or groom. The clerk shall provide the parties with two copies of the marriage certificate to be completed by the marriage officiant, who shall return the completed certificates to the clerk after the marriage ceremony of the parties. The clerk shall retain one copy of the completed marriage certificate and provide the other copy to the State Registrar of Vital Records. The clerk may provide the parties with a commemorative marriage certificate and the parties may request a certified copy of the official marriage certificate as provided in Article 7 (§ 32.1-270 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 32.1. For the purposes of this section any statement made by such applicant, under oath, concerning the information to be entered on the application for marriage license is hereby declared to be a material matter or thing in any prosecution for perjury for any violation of this section.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
§ 20-25Persons other than ministers who may perform ritesIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
Upon application filed with the clerk of the circuit court and payment of applicable clerk's fees, such clerk may issue an order authorizing one or more persons to celebrate the rites of marriage in the Commonwealth. Any person so authorized may be required to, before acting, enter into bond in the penalty of $500, with or without surety, as the clerk may direct. Any order made under this section may be rescinded at any time. No oath shall be required of a person authorized to celebrate the rites of marriage, nor shall such person be considered an officer of the Commonwealth by virtue of such authorization. The clerk of any circuit court shall be immune from any cause of action that arises from the issuance or rescinding of an order under this section, absent gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
§ 20-23Order authorizing ministers to perform ceremonyIn force
When a minister of any religious denomination produces before the circuit court of any county or city in the Commonwealth, or before the judge of such court or before the clerk of such court at any time, proof of his ordination and of his being in regular communion with the religious society of which he is a reputed member, or proof that he is commissioned to pastoral ministry or holds a local minister's license and is serving as a regularly appointed pastor in his denomination, such court, or the judge thereof, or the clerk of such court at any time, may make an order authorizing such minister to celebrate the rites of matrimony in the Commonwealth. Any order made under this section may be rescinded at any time by the court or by the judge thereof. No oath shall be required of a minister authorized to celebrate the rites of matrimony, nor shall such minister be considered an officer of the Commonwealth by virtue of such authorization.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
§ 20-38.1Certain marriages prohibitedIn force
The following marriages are prohibited: 1. A marriage entered into prior to the dissolution of an earlier marriage of one of the parties; 2. A marriage between an ancestor and descendant, or between siblings, whether the relationship is by the half or the whole blood or by adoption; 3. A marriage between an uncle or aunt and a nephew or niece, whether the relationship is by the half or the whole blood.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
§ 20-45.1Void and voidable marriagesIn force
A. All marriages that are prohibited by § 20-38.1 are void. B. All marriages solemnized when either of the parties lacked capacity to consent to the marriage at the time the marriage was solemnized, because of mental incapacity or infirmity, shall be void from the time they shall be so declared by a decree of divorce or nullity. C. All marriages solemnized on or after (i) July 1, 2016, when either or both of the parties were, at the time of the solemnization, under the age of 18 and have not been emancipated as required by § 20-48 or (ii) July 1, 2024, when either or both of the parties were, at the time of solemnization, under the age of 18 shall be void from the time they shall be so declared by a decree of divorce or nullity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this section shall not apply to a lawful marriage entered in another state or country prior to the parties being domiciled in the Commonwealth.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
§ 20-13.2Marriage lawful regardless of sex, gender, or race of partiesIn force
No person authorized by § 20-14 to issue a marriage license shall deny the issuance of such license to two parties contemplating a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of such parties. Such lawful marriages shall be recognized in the Commonwealth regardless of the sex, gender, or race of the parties. Religious organizations and members of the clergy acting in their religious capacity shall have the right to refuse to perform any marriage.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
Code of Virginia, Title 17.1: Courts of Record
§ 17.1-275Fees collected by clerks of circuit courts; generallyIn forcecited in 4 of our articles
A. A clerk of a circuit court shall, for services performed by virtue of his office, charge the following fees: 1. [Repealed.] 2. For recording and indexing in the proper book any writing and all matters therewith, or for recording and indexing anything not otherwise provided for, $18 for an instrument or document consisting of 10 or fewer pages or sheets; $32 for an instrument or document consisting of 11 to 30 pages or sheets; and $52 for an instrument or document consisting of 31 or more pages or sheets. Whenever any writing to be recorded includes plat or map sheets no larger than eight and one-half inches by 14 inches, such plat or map sheets shall be counted as ordinary pages for the purpose of computing the recording fee due pursuant to this section. A fee of $17 per page or sheet shall be charged with respect to plat or map sheets larger than eight and one-half inches by 14 inches. Only a single fee as authorized by this subdivision shall be charged for recording a certificate of satisfaction that releases the original deed of trust and any corrected or revised deeds of trust.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
Also relied on in: Virginia Property Records: How to Find Out Who Owns a Property (2026), Virginia Court Records: How to Search, What's Public, and How Sealing Now Works (2026), Virginia Name Change Laws: How to Legally Change Your Name
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Sources and References
- Va. Code 20-14: Issuance of marriage licenses by circuit court clerks(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-14.1: License valid for 60 days(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-48: Minimum age to marry(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- City of Charlottesville: Marriage License Information(charlottesville.gov).gov
- City of Chesapeake: Marriage Licenses(cityofchesapeake.net).gov
- Hanover County: Marriage License(hanovercounty.gov).gov
- City of Alexandria: Clerk of the Circuit Court, Marriage(alexandriava.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-16: Application under oath; certificate copies(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-15: $20 marriage license tax(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 17.1-275: Fees collected by clerks of circuit courts(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-45.1: Void and voidable marriages(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-38.1: Prohibited marriages(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-13.2: Marriage lawful regardless of sex, gender or race(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-23: Orders authorizing ministers to celebrate marriages(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-25: Orders authorizing other persons; officials who may celebrate without an order(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-27: Fees for celebrating marriages(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-26: Religious societies without ministers(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-28: Penalty for celebrating without authority(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-31: Marriages not void for officiant's lack of authority(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-24: Penalty for failure to certify(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-21: Clerk's list of unreturned licenses(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 20-20: Certified copies as evidence(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
- Va. Code 32.1-267: Records of marriages; officiant files within five days(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov