weddingFees, waiting periods, ID, age rules and how long the license lasts, for every US state. Pick your state or start with the checklist.
Apply together at a county or city clerk with a photo ID for each of you, your Social Security numbers and the fee. Add the final divorce decree or a death certificate if either of you was married before.
About 19 states make adults wait, no state needs a blood test, and the license only works in the state that issued it.
Put one QR code on the tables. Guests scan it and upload their photos and videos to one shared album, no app or account.
Live gallery
Reception, example
Each state page has the 2026 fee, wait, validity, the office to visit and the steps.
Bring these and you are ready in nearly every county. Your state page lists extras.
Passport, driver's license or state ID for each partner, not expired.
A birth certificate if your ID lacks a date of birth or the clerk asks.
About $16 in some Georgia counties to $172 in parts of Washington. Ask which payments they take.
Most states ask for the number on the form, not the physical card.
Married before? Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate.
A license works only in the issuing state. Usually any county clerk there can issue it.
The states couples ask about most. The clerk's posted fee is the final word.
| State | Fee | Waiting period | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CaliforniaAge 18; under 18 by court order (ban signed Sept 30, 2026). Witnesses: 1 (public), none (confidential) | $91 in LA County | None | 90 days |
| New YorkAge 18, no exceptions. Witnesses: 1 | $35 NYC, $40 elsewhere | 24 hours | 60 days |
| TexasAge 18 (16 to 17 if emancipated). Witnesses: None | $71 to $88 by county ($60 off with course) | 72 hours (course waives it) | 89 days |
| FloridaAge 18 (17 with consent, partner within 2 years). Witnesses: None | $86 ($61 with course) | 3 days for residents (course waives it) | 60 days |
| IllinoisAge 18 (16 to 17 with consent). Witnesses: None | $30 to $60 | 1 day | 60 days |
| PennsylvaniaAge 18, no exceptions. Witnesses: None if officiated | $60 to $100 | 3 days | 60 days |
| OhioAge 18 (17 with juvenile court consent). Witnesses: None | $43 to $75 | None | 60 days |
| GeorgiaAge 18 (17 if emancipated). Witnesses: None | $16 to $77 | None | No expiry (confirm with county) |
| ColoradoAge 18 (16 to 17 with court approval). Witnesses: None | $30 | None | 35 days |
| WashingtonAge 18, no exceptions since 2024. Witnesses: 2 | $136 to $172 | 3 days | 60 days |
| ArizonaAge 18 (16 to 17 with consent). Witnesses: 2, aged 18+ | $83 to $98 | None | 1 year |
| WisconsinAge 18 (16 to 17 with consent). Witnesses: 2 | $75 to $150 | 3 days | 60 days |
| MinnesotaAge 18, no exceptions. Witnesses: 2 | $125 ($50 with course) | None | 6 months |
| TennesseeAge 18 (17 with consent). Witnesses: None | $97.50 to $104 ($60 off with course) | None | 30 days |
| NevadaAge 18 (17 with consent and court approval). Witnesses: 1 | $102 in Clark County | None | 1 year |
Checked in October 2026 against state statutes and county clerk pages, including Tex. Fam. Code ch. 2, Fla. Stat. 741.04, Minn. Stat. 517.08, RCW 26.04.180 and N.Y. DRL 12. County fees change, so confirm with your clerk before you go.
About 19 states make adults wait. Everywhere else you can marry the day you pick it up.
A premarital course drops the wait in Texas and Florida. New York waives it only by court order (DRL 13-b), and Washington's 3 days cannot be waived (RCW 26.04.180).
List from our October 2026 check of state rules. Connecticut's 48-hour wait starts October 1, 2026.
What clerks accept as photo ID, and what only supports it.
| Document | Works as photo ID? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US passport | Yes | Accepted everywhere we checked |
| State driver's license or ID card | Yes | Must not be expired |
| US military ID | Yes | Active duty, reserve or retired |
| Permanent Resident Card (green card) | Yes | Common for non-citizens |
| Foreign passport | Yes | Widely accepted, some counties also ask for a visa or other ID |
| Tribal ID | Yes | Accepted in most states, call to confirm |
| Social Security card alone | Not alone | Not a photo ID, bring it with a photo ID if asked |
| Birth certificate alone | Not alone | Proof of age only, pair it with a photo ID |
The fastest-moving part of marriage law, as of October 2026.
At 18 you can marry without permission in nearly every state. Nebraska needs consent under 19, Mississippi involves parents under 21.
Where allowed, 16 or 17-year-olds need consent, a court order or both. Some states cap the age gap, like Florida (2 years).
16 states plus DC ban marriage under 18. Oklahoma joins November 1, 2026 (SB 504), and California signed a ban (AB 1267) on September 30, 2026.
Tracked by the Tahirih Justice Center. More detail in our marriage age guide.
No US state requires a premarital blood test in 2026. Montana was the last to drop it, in 2019.
Marrying abroad is different: some countries still ask for a medical certificate.
Finish an approved course and these states lower the fee. Courses usually take 4 to 12 hours, many online.
Swipe for all 6 states
Tennessee and Texas fees vary by county, the figures show a typical county. Texas: Travis County charges $80, or $20 with the course.
The ceremony has its own rules for who marries you and who signs.
The signatures on the license are what make it legal.Clergy and judges everywhere, and most states accept a friend ordained online (not Tennessee; Virginia needs a court order). See the officiant requirements guide.
None in Texas, Florida, Illinois and Colorado, one in New York and Nevada, two in Arizona, Washington, Wisconsin and Minnesota. See do you need a witness.
Most states want you at the counter. Two exceptions.
Counties may take the application by live video (C.R.S. 14-2-106.5, permanent since 2023). Both partners must be on camera, and not every county offers it.
HB23-1278Issues licenses online with a video ceremony for couples anywhere, if the officiant is in Utah. Valid 32 days.
Both partners apply in person. Many counties let you fill the form in online first.
Roughly 20 states plus DC allow it, some with conditions. California, New York and Florida allow it; Tennessee bans it, and Connecticut banned it from October 1, 2025.
Legal in all 50 states since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), and the Respect for Marriage Act (2022) requires recognition. License rules are identical for every couple.
Florida, Minnesota, Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma cut the fee. In Texas the saving is about $60.
Some counties have hardship waivers they rarely advertise. Call the clerk and ask.
A missing decree or expired ID means a second visit. Check the list the night before.
From finding the right office to walking out with a license you can use.
Find your county clerk's marriage license page for the address, hours, appointments and any online form.
Confirm the fee, payment types, ID list and waiting period. Fees and appointment systems change.
Photo ID for both, Social Security numbers and any divorce decree or death certificate. Bring originals.
Most states want both partners at the counter, with legal names, birth dates and places, sometimes parents' names.
Pay and read the license before you leave. A typo is easier to fix at the counter than after the wedding.
Note when it becomes valid and when it expires, with a reminder 10 days before expiry.
The County of San Diego shows the online form, the appointment and the ID check in under four minutes. The flow is close to most counties.
County of San Diego on YouTube
First dance
You guys!!
Guests scan one QR code and upload from their phone browser, no app or account. Start free with 20 guest uploads, one-time plans from $49.
From Mom
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
UPLOADING
THE ALBUM
Example album
647 photos · 95 guests
SCAN TO TRY
pix.wedding/
your-wedding
| Do this | Not that |
|---|---|
| Both partners go to the clerk together | One partner goes alone with the other's ID |
| Check every ID's expiry date the night before | Bring a driver's license that expired last week |
| Apply early enough to clear the waiting period | Apply the day before a Texas or Wisconsin wedding |
| Bring the final divorce decree if either of you was married | Assume the clerk can look it up |
| Marry inside the validity window, or get a new license | Postpone the wedding and reuse an expired license |
| Get the license in the state where the ceremony happens | Use a home-state license for a wedding in another state |
Swipe for all 6 fixes
The free wedding checklist puts the license, the officiant, vendor deposits and RSVP deadlines on one timeline you can tick off as you go.
You, your officiant and any required witnesses sign the license in ink with legal names.
The officiant or the couple returns it to the clerk, often within 10 days (30 in Texas, 63 in Colorado).
The clerk records it and issues certified copies, the document for name changes, insurance and benefits.
Start with 20 guest uploads free, no card. Paid plans run from $49 to $89 once, with unlimited guests.
For collecting every original
Most couples pick this
One-time payment, no subscription
For big guest lists
One payment. Yours to keep. No subscription. No renewals. No surprise charges.
Secure checkout. Polar, Apple Pay, Google Pay.
Money-back guarantee: if your guests never upload a single photo, you get 100% back. See how it works
Every state writes its own license rules, but a few basics hold everywhere. Residency is not required: get the license in the state where you marry.
Each of these adds a document. Bring it to the first visit.
Everything you need to make your wedding day stress-free and unforgettable.
Design custom print-ready stickers.
Create unique wedding hashtags.
5 methods ranked by participation rate and ease.
Compare every sharing platform by ease and participation.
The single method with the highest participation rate.
Step-by-step setup for every platform.
Better, cheaper options than disposable cameras.
5 cheaper alternatives to a $1,000+ photo booth rental.
Documents, fees, waiting periods, blood tests and validity: short answers for every state.
Most US counties ask for a valid government photo ID for each partner (passport, driver's license or state ID), proof of age if the ID does not show it, and your Social Security numbers on the form. If either of you was married before, bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate. Check your county clerk's page first, because some offices ask for more.
It depends on the state and often the county. In the counties we checked in October 2026, fees ran from about $16 in some Georgia counties to $136 to $172 in Washington, and most states in our table fall between about $30 and $100. Florida, Minnesota, Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma cut the fee if you finish an approved premarital course.
In most states, yes. Colorado lets counties take the application by live video if both of you are on camera together (C.R.S. 14-2-106.5, permanent since 2023), and Utah County issues licenses online with a video ceremony as long as the officiant is in Utah. A few counties make case-by-case exceptions, for example for military deployment.
About 19 states have one for adults, from 24 hours in New York to 3 days in Texas (72 hours), Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin. Connecticut adds a 48-hour wait from October 1, 2026. California, Nevada, Arizona, Ohio and Georgia have none, and Texas and Florida waive theirs after an approved premarital course. Apply two to three weeks ahead.
No. No US state requires a premarital blood test in 2026. Montana was the last state with the rule and dropped it in 2019. Some countries outside the US still ask for medical certificates, so check separately if you marry abroad.
From 30 days in Tennessee and 35 in Colorado to 60 days in New York, Florida, Illinois and Washington, 89 days in Texas, 90 in California, 6 months in Minnesota and 1 year in Arizona and Nevada. Georgia licenses do not expire. A license only works inside the state that issued it, though non-residents can apply in any state, and once you are married the marriage is recognized everywhere.
