Getting married at the courthouse is one of the cheapest and fastest ways to make a marriage legal in the United States. Between the license and the civil ceremony, most couples spend $50 to $200 total and are done within a couple of weeks from application to signed certificate. The sequence is straightforward: apply for a marriage license at the county clerk’s office, appear before a judge, magistrate, justice of the peace, or court commissioner for a short ceremony, and then make sure the signed license gets filed so you can order certified copies. A few details catch people off guard, especially around waiting periods, witnesses, and whether the courthouse where you got your license will actually marry you.
Apply for the Marriage License First
No ceremony can happen until you have a license from the county clerk. Both partners usually apply together in person, though some jurisdictions now accept online applications. You’ll give full legal names, dates of birth, addresses, and sometimes Social Security numbers and parents’ names. Bring government-issued photo ID for both of you. If either of you was previously married, you’ll need a certified divorce decree or death certificate showing that marriage ended.
License fees vary widely by county. Some charge as little as $20; others charge over $100. A handful of states discount the fee by $16 to $75 if you complete a qualifying premarital education course, and a few of those states also waive the mandatory waiting period for course graduates. Ask your clerk’s office what’s available before you apply.
Both applicants generally must be at least 18. As of late 2025, roughly 18 states and the District of Columbia set 18 as a firm minimum with no exceptions. The remaining states allow minors to marry under various conditions involving parental consent, judicial approval, or both.
Waiting Periods
About a dozen states impose a waiting period of one to three days between when the license is issued and when it becomes valid for a ceremony. In some states a judge or a premarital education course can waive it. If you’re traveling for a courthouse wedding, check the rules for the county where you’ll apply. A surprise three-day wait can wreck a tight schedule.
How Long the License Stays Valid
Once issued, the license expires after a set window. That window runs from 30 days in states like Delaware and Kentucky to a full year in Arizona, Nebraska, and Nevada. Sixty days is the most common. Miss the window and you’ll reapply and pay again.
Confirm the Courthouse Actually Performs Ceremonies
This is the single most common mistake: assuming that any courthouse issuing a marriage license will also marry you on the spot. Many clerk’s offices only handle the paperwork. The ceremony itself may be conducted by a judge, magistrate, justice of the peace, or court commissioner on a different schedule or at a separate location. Some courthouses have stopped performing civil ceremonies altogether.
Call ahead or check the courthouse website. Ask specifically whether civil ceremonies are available, whether you need an appointment, and what the ceremony fee is. Ceremony fees typically run $30 to $100 on top of the license fee. Some courts take walk-ins; others book weeks out. A few charge premium rates for larger rooms or particular time slots.
What the Ceremony Looks Like
Courthouse ceremonies are short. Most take between five and fifteen minutes. The officiant asks each of you to confirm your identity, affirm that you’re entering the marriage voluntarily, and declare your intent to be married. After those verbal affirmations, the officiant makes a formal declaration that you are legally married. That declaration is the moment your legal status changes.
Some courts allow personal vows or a ring exchange, but the legal core is the officiant’s script and your verbal consent. The atmosphere is functional. Closer to signing closing documents on a house than walking down an aisle.
Witnesses
Witness requirements are all over the map. About half of U.S. states require one or two adult witnesses to be present and sign the license. The other half require none. If your state requires witnesses and you’re coming without guests, some courthouses will let staff members serve or let you ask someone in the building. Others won’t. Confirm the policy in advance and bring your own if there’s any doubt.
Guest Limits
Courtroom space is limited. Guest capacity for civil ceremonies typically ranges from a handful of people to around 20, depending on the room. A few jurisdictions offer larger ceremony rooms or outdoor spaces for an additional fee. If you’re inviting more than your witnesses and a couple of family members, ask about capacity when you schedule.
Getting the License Filed and Ordering Certified Copies
The signed license has to get back to the county clerk’s or recorder’s office for official recording. In most places the officiant handles this. Some jurisdictions put that responsibility on the couple, often with a deadline of around 10 days. Don’t let this step slip. Until the license is recorded, your marriage may not appear in public records, and you won’t be able to order certified copies.
A certified copy of the marriage certificate is what you’ll actually use going forward. You’ll need it to change your name, update insurance, adjust tax filings, and handle various financial accounts. Contact the vital records office in the state where you married. Fees for a certified copy generally run $15 to $35, and mail processing can take a few weeks.1USAGov. How to Get a Certified Copy of a Marriage Certificate Order several at once. You’ll use more than you expect.
What to Handle After the Wedding
Name Change, in the Right Order
A marriage certificate gives you the legal basis to change your name, but nothing happens automatically. Update each agency and institution individually, and start with the Social Security Administration. You’ll submit an application for a replacement card showing your new name, along with proof of identity and evidence of the name-change event. Depending on your state, you may apply online through your my Social Security account or bring Form SS-5 to a local office.2Social Security Administration. How Do I Change or Correct My Name on My Social Security Number Card
Only after Social Security has your updated name should you go to the DMV. The DMV verifies your name against Social Security records, so going out of order usually gets your license application rejected. Bring your current license, your marriage certificate, and the residency documents your state requires. Then update banks, credit cards, payroll, your passport, voter registration, and any professional licenses. There’s no single government deadline, but mismatches between your ID, bank, and tax records trigger holds at inconvenient moments.
Federal Tax Status
Marriage changes your federal filing status. The IRS looks at whether you were married on December 31 of the tax year. If you marry any time during the year, you file as married for the whole year.3Internal Revenue Service. Filing Status Choose between married filing jointly and married filing separately. Most couples pay less filing jointly, but not all. Run the numbers both ways, especially if one spouse has student loan payments on an income-driven plan or significant self-employment income.
Health Insurance: 60 Days
Marriage is a life event that opens a special enrollment period for health insurance. You have 60 days from the wedding date to enroll in a new plan or add your spouse to an existing employer plan.4HealthCare.gov. Getting Health Coverage Outside Open Enrollment Pick a Marketplace plan by the last day of the month and coverage can start on the first of the next. Miss the 60-day window and you’ll wait until open enrollment.
Debt Liability
Marriage can also make you responsible for your spouse’s debts, depending on your state. In community property states, debts incurred during the marriage are generally shared. Many other states apply a doctrine of necessaries that can make one spouse liable for the other’s medical bills. Rules vary enough that couples with significant debt or medical expenses should understand their state’s approach before the ceremony.
You Don’t Need a Blood Test
If you’ve heard you need a blood test before you can marry, that requirement is essentially extinct. As of 2026, no state requires a premarital blood test to obtain a marriage license. Montana was the last state to drop it, in 2019. Some states still hand out informational brochures about sexually transmitted infections or genetic conditions when you apply, but there’s nothing to pass or fail.