How Do You Get a Marriage License? Here's Everything You Need to Know

Your union won't be official until you complete this important step.

How to Get Marriage License and a Certificate in 6 Easy Steps

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Updated May 25, 2025

If you're in the process of planning a wedding, there's likely one question on your mind: How do you get a marriage license? But before we dive into the "how" of it all, let's back up a bit. What is a marriage license? A marriage license is a permit to get married in a particular location. It essentially states that you and your partner are free and eligible to marry one another. This document is used in religious and civil marriage ceremonies. A marriage certificate, on the other hand, is a certified copy of the marriage registration secured after the wedding. Both documents are required to finalize your union.

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So, where do you get your marriage license (a.k.a. wedding license) and what do you need to get a marriage license? We've broken down the process into six easy steps. Read our guide to getting your marriage license papers in order. Plus, get detailed marriage license info for every state and some major US cities. Oh, and if you're looking for a wedding officiant to help walk you through the process, you can find the best of the best on The Knot Vendor Marketplace. Simply enter in your marriage location to find officiants near you.

In this article: How to Get a Marriage License | Where to Get a Marriage License | What Do You Need for a Marriage License?

How to Get a Marriage License

Do you need a marriage license to get married? The short answer is yes. As we mentioned above, completing a marriage licence application is crucial because it allows you and your partner to get married. For those who don't know how to get started, don't worry because we're here to help. Save the infographic below and follow the six easy steps outlined to learn how to obtain a marriage license.

Step-by-step graphic showing how to easily apply for a marriage license.

Step 1: Choose Your Marriage Location

Marriage licenses are issued to couples based on their legal wedding ceremony location, therefore, before applying for a marriage license, you'll need to settle on a wedding location. Once you know in which municipality (city, district and county) your nuptials will take place, you'll be able to determine where to obtain a marriage license in that area. Be aware that the rules can vary by region and state. (Psst: You can find our comprehensive guides to getting married in each state and select cities below.) Getting legally married abroad? Find marriage license info in our destination wedding guides by entering the country in the search bar.

How to Get a Marriage License by City: Chicago | New Orleans | New York City | Washington, D.C.

Step 2: Set Your Wedding Date

Once you've determined where to get a marriage license, the next step is to set your wedding date. Why, you ask? In addition to obtaining the physical paperwork for your marriage location, it's important to be aware of when to obtain a marriage license. There's a specific window of time around your wedding date you must apply, receive, sign and submit your marriage license. Plan to file as early as 90 days or at least one week before your wedding. Remember, a marriage license can expire so timing is everything.

Pro tip: Don't wait until the last minute to get organized. Allow enough time to research the procedure and timing in your wedding location, complete the application form and gather the ID requirements so you're ready to apply within the appropriate window. Once you've done your research, add these important dates to your calendar and wedding checklist.

Step 3: Decide Whether You'll Change Your Name

Your marriage license application may ask if you're planning to change your surname after marriage, so we highly recommend having that discussion well before you file for one. Of course, if you'd rather wait to decide, you can. In that case, work with a name-change service to make the process as seamless as possible postwedding. (Here's all the details you need on how to change your name.)

Step 4: Apply for a Marriage License

Next, let's talk about how to apply for a marriage license. "Marriage licenses are issued by county court clerks,"says wedding officiant and founder of The Modern Officiant, Jemelle Wooten. "Some courts require couples to pre-register or make an appointment online to apply for the marriage license, while others may accept walk-ins. Be sure to check with your local authority for specific county requirements," she adds. Once you're ready to apply, you and your future spouse must attend the appointment together (either in person or virtually), where a representative will walk you through how to fill out a marriage licence application.

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In some states, you may be required to bring a witness. Regardless of the state, however, you're required to bring certain documentation. (We'll go over everything you'll need later.) Marriage license requirements do vary by state, but they all want to confirm that you have proper identification, you're not currently married to anyone else (if you previously were, proof of divorce or widowhood), and your date of birth to prove that you're of legal age to marry. The marriage license application that you complete and submit during your appointment is an affidavit—a sworn statement that there are no legal impediments to the marriage.

"Remember: An application for a marriage license isn't a marriage license," Wooten explains. You'll receive your unsigned marriage licence after you've completed the application process and are approved.

Step 5. Sign and Submit Your Marriage License

After you've received your marriage license, bring that document with you to your wedding to be signed immediately following the ceremony. As for who signs a marriage license, it's typically the couple, their officiant and select witnesses. For example,your best man, maid-of-honor or parents can be witnesses, but this doesn't have to be the case. The requirement is that a marriage license witness needs to be old enough to know that they're witnessing a marriage ceremony (usually over 18 years of age) and must be able to sign their own name without assistance.

If you're wondering how to file a marriage license, don't worry. After all parties have signed the document, the officiant submits it to be certified by local officials within a time limit (e.g. within 10 days in California or within 60 days of the issue date in Texas). "Some counties allow the couple to bring the marriage license back to the court themselves after the wedding, and some prefer the license be mailed in. In either instance, the marriage license must be returned to the county clerk's office to be recorded. Once the license is recorded, the marriage certificate can be issued," Wooten explains.

Step 6: Get a Marriage Certificate

Finally, obtain a marriage certificate to use it as proof of marriage for taxes, insurance, banking, mortgage applications, a name change and more. The issuance of a marriage certificate occurs after the marriage license has been certified by local officials. Some states automatically send the marriage certificate to the newlyweds in the mail; others require that copies are ordered and purchased. Check out the region-specific links above to learn how to get a marriage certificate in wedding location.

Where to Get a Marriage License

You must get your marriage license in the region where you plan to get legally married. It might be city hall, the town or city clerk's office or the marriage license bureau in the county where you plan to wed. For example, in Connecticut, marriage licenses are issued by the municipal clerk's office in the town where you'll be married, whereas in Iowa, couples may apply at any county registrar or recorder's office. In some states, like New Jersey, you can simply go online and download the license. In the State of California, they have two types of marriage licenses: a public marriage license and a confidential marriage license, adding yet another regional difference. Refer to the marriage license information by state and for select cities above for more detailed information.

What Do You Need for a Marriage License?

Micaela Beltran is the cofounder and CEO of Courtly—a company that helps couples get their marriage licenses online. She says the best advice she can offer those looking to make the marriage license application process as seamless as possible is that "it's better to be extra prepared." So, what documents do you need to get married? "Bring identification, a divorce or death decree of a previous spouse if this isn't a first marriage for either partner and cash (typically $35 to $150, but you should look up the marriage license cost near you)," says Jean Neuhart, former wedding planner, author and blogger at Weddings From the Heart. A driver's license or passport will likely suffice as identification, but you may also need a birth certificate and information about your parents, including their full names, birth dates, birthplace and, if applicable, dates of passing.

While marriage license requirements vary by location, we recommend bringing as many of the following documents as possible. Also, ensure you're bringing the original version of each piece of identification since most marriage license offices don't accept photocopies.

Proof of age (birth certificate)
Parental consent if underage (usually under 18 years of age); you may also need a court order in this case
Photo ID (driver's license, state ID card, military ID, passport or birth certificate)
Social security number
Proof of citizenship and/or residence
Both your parents' full birth names, birth dates and birth states. (If they're deceased, the date of their passing.)
Divorce decree (If previously married and divorced.)
Death certificate (If previously married and widowed.)

Even though many offices allow you to make an appointment, you should still be prepared to wait once you arrive. To make the situation a little more romantic, Neuhart suggests, lightening the mood by "bringing your partner flowers or writing them a note expressing how much you're looking forward to getting married.

Additional reporting by Sofia Deeb.