Marriage License Requirements by State: 5-State Guide

Picture two people who exist only on this page: Kayla and Andre live in Austin, Texas, and are getting married in Miami Beach in March. Their first instinct is to pick up a marriage license at home in Travis County, which wouldn't work, because a marriage license comes from the state where the ceremony happens, and Miami-Dade's clerk says a Florida license "is invalid if used outside the state". A Texas license only works in Texas, and a Florida one only in Florida.

Marriage license requirements in the US are set state by state and run county by county, so the fee, the wait and the shelf life change depending on where you say "I do". Below are five big ones side by side: New York, California, Texas, Florida and Cook County, Illinois. Every row links to the official page we read. Fees as of October 2026.

TL;DR: Get the license in the state, and sometimes the county, where you'll marry. Apply inside the validity window but after any waiting period, ideally 2 to 4 weeks before the wedding.

• Waiting periods range from none listed (California) to 72 hours (Texas).
• Licenses last 60 days (New York, Florida, Cook County) or 90 days (California, Texas).
• A course can cut the fee in Texas ($81 to $21) and Florida ($86 to $61).
• A Cook County license only works in Chicago and suburban Cook County.

The 5-state comparison

Rules change and fees differ between counties in the same state. Treat this as a starting point and check your county clerk's page before you go.

Fees as of October 2026. Check your county.

New York

New York State's Department of Health says the ceremony "may not take place within 24 hours from the exact time that the license was issued". The license is valid for 60 calendar days, starting the day after it's issued (active-duty military can have it extended to 180 days, with proof). Outside New York City it costs $40 from a town or city clerk, and that includes the Certificate of Marriage Registration.

Both of you have to sign the application in front of the clerk. The state is explicit that a representative can't apply for you, even with a power of attorney. You'll need at least one witness at the ceremony.

New York City is different. The state page tells NYC couples to contact the City Clerk "for current fees and requirements". The City Clerk runs licenses through Project Cupid, its appointment system, and doesn't allow walk-ins.

New York State DOH · NYC City Clerk

California

California has two kinds of license, with different rules on witnesses and privacy.

• Public license: at least one witness at the ceremony, no more than two signing. It becomes a public record.
• Confidential license: no witnesses at all, but the California Department of Public Health says you "must be living together as spouses at the time" you apply and sign an affidavit saying so. Only the two of you can order copies later.

In Los Angeles County a public license costs $91 and a confidential one $85. Both last 90 days and, per Placer County's clerk, "can be used anywhere in the state of California". Neither county page we read lists a waiting period. Certified copies are extra (in Placer, $19 for public and $24 for confidential).

LA County fees · Placer County · California DPH

Texas

Denton County's page puts it plainly: "After issuance there is a 72-hour waiting period until the license becomes valid." The license then lasts 90 days and can be used anywhere in Texas. The fee is $81.

Completing the state-approved Twogether in Texas course drops the fee to $21 and waives the 72-hour wait. Both of you normally need to be there to collect the license, with a few legal exceptions.

Denton County Clerk

Pro tip: If you're marrying in Texas on a tight timeline, the course is worth it for the waived wait alone. The $60 saving is a bonus.

Florida

Miami-Dade charges $86, or $61 if you've completed a premarital preparation course. The license is valid "for only 60 days after issuance" and works anywhere in Florida, whichever county issued it.

The waiting period depends on where you live. Florida residents wait three days, counted from the date they apply, unless they've done the premarital course. Non-residents are exempt. That's written into Florida Statutes 741.04, which tells clerks to grant the exception to "non-Florida residents". For Kayla and Andre, flying in from Texas, it means they could pick up the license on Wednesday and marry on Saturday with no wait at all.

Miami-Dade Clerk · Florida Statutes 741.04

Illinois (Cook County)

Cook County's license costs $60, takes effect one day after it's issued, and is valid for 60 days. It's also "valid only for ceremonies performed in Chicago and suburban Cook County". If your venue is in another county, even a short drive away, you need that county's license.

After the ceremony, the license has to be returned to the Clerk's office within 10 days. Your officiant usually handles this, so confirm it. Officiants in Illinois don't need to register with any government office first.

Cook County Clerk

When to get your license: the window rule

Every state gives you a window. It opens when the license becomes usable (after any waiting period) and closes when it expires. Work backwards from the wedding date:

The safe zone for all five is 2 to 4 weeks before the wedding. That's inside every window, it leaves time to fix a missing document, and it keeps the errand out of wedding week. Emily Post's planning timeline also puts "Apply for and obtain your marriage license" in the one to three months before stage, and suggests checking the legal requirements much earlier, 1 to 2 years out. Our guide to planning your wedding timeline shows where it sits among everything else.

Pro tip: Book the clerk appointment the day you book your final dress fitting. Both land in the same weeks, and one reminds you of the other.

License vs certificate: not the same paper

The license is permission to marry. You get it before the wedding. As Los Angeles County puts it, buying one "does not mean you are legally married".

The certificate is the record that you did. After the ceremony your officiant (and, where required, your witnesses) sign, the paperwork goes back to the county, and you can order certified copies. You'll need those for a name change, insurance and benefits, so order two or three at once. This is one of the planning terms couples often get wrong.

What to bring

Each county lists its own documents. The New York, Texas, Florida and Cook County pages all ask for proof of identity and age, and New York and Texas say both of you must appear in person. What counts as ID varies: New York accepts documents such as a birth certificate or passport, while Florida accepts a US driver's license, a state ID, a passport, a US military ID, an alien registration card or a naturalization certificate. If one of you was married before, check whether your county needs details or a copy of the divorce decree.

Put the license on your checklist now

Miss a date on the license and you can't legally marry on the day, yet it's easy to forget because it's a dull errand. Add it to your plan the moment you set your date, with the pick-up window from the table above.

A wedding checklist with deadlines makes that one less thing to carry in your head. WhiteClover's checklist lives in the same dashboard as your guest list and budget, so the license errand isn't stranded in a separate app. If you're still at the start of planning, our wedding planning checklist walks through the order of everything else, and if the ring is brand new, begin with your first 30 days engaged.

FAQ

Can I get a marriage license in one state and marry in another?

No. You need a license from the state where the ceremony takes place, and in Cook County, Illinois, from the county too. Florida's clerk says a Florida license is invalid outside Florida.

How long is a marriage license good for?

In these five places, 60 days (New York, Florida, Cook County) or 90 days (California, Texas). After that you have to apply and pay again.

Is there a waiting period to get married after getting the license?

It depends on the state: 24 hours in New York, 72 hours in Texas unless you take the Twogether course, 3 days for Florida residents without a premarital course, 1 day in Cook County. The California county pages we read list none.

What's the difference between a public and a confidential marriage license in California?

A public license needs at least one witness and becomes a public record. A confidential license needs no witnesses, but you must already be living together as spouses, and only the two of you can order copies.

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• Wedding Planning Checklist: Essential Steps for Couples
• How to Plan Your Wedding Timeline, Step by Step
• Wedding Planning Terms Couples Get Wrong
• Wedding RSVP Deadline Passed? What to Do Next
• The Best Way to Manage Your Wedding Timeline