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Georgia Marriage License Requirements 2026
What you need to legally marry in Georgia: a $16 to $77 fee, no waiting period, no witnesses and a license that is good with no expiry date. You apply at the Probate Court.

Georgia marriage license, at a glance
The eight things the Probate Court will ask about or check. County rules can add small extras, so confirm with your local office before you go.
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How much is a marriage license in Georgia?
A marriage license in Georgia costs $16 to $77, varies by county. You pay it at the Probate Court when you apply. Extra certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you will want for a name change, a passport or insurance updates, often cost more.
That puts Georgia inside the roughly $30 to $100 range most states charge. Accepted payment methods differ from office to office, so check before the visit.
- 01ApplyAt the Probate Court
- 02WaitNo wait, same day
- 03Marry withinNo expiry date
- 04RecordSigned paperwork back to the Probate Court
How to get a marriage license in Georgia in 6 steps
- 01
Gather your documents
Both partners need a valid government photo ID. If either of you was married before, bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate. Georgia does not require proof of residency.
- 02
Go to the Probate Court
In most counties both of you go in person, and some offices ask you to fill in the form online or book an appointment first. Check which offices can issue your license before you drive anywhere.
- 03
Complete the application and pay the fee
Fill in the application and pay the $16 to $77, varies by county fee. Have both Social Security numbers ready (non-citizens can usually give a passport or visa number), plus your parents' full names and your places of birth.
- 04
License issued the same day
Georgia has no waiting period, so you can marry as soon as the license is in your hands. Most couples still apply a few days ahead.
- 05
Hold the ceremony in the validity window
The license does not expire. An authorized officiant leads the ceremony, see who qualifies below.
- 06
Return the signed license
After the ceremony the officiant and any required witnesses sign the license. It goes back to the Probate Court, often filed by the officiant, within the time Georgia law allows. The county then records it and issues your marriage certificate.
A marriage license, step by step
A short walkthrough of the documents and the clerk visit. Fees and offices differ by state, so match the details to the Georgia facts above.
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How old do you have to be to marry in Georgia?
At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
Only a 17-year-old who has been emancipated, by court order or by operation of law, at least 15 days before applying can marry. The other party can be no more than four years older, premarital education is required, and no one under 17 can marry.
If your case is a little different
Previously married
Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate to the first visit. Ask the Probate Court whether it needs a certified copy.
Out-of-state couples
Georgia has no residency requirement, so couples from other states can apply at the Probate Court with valid ID. The license only works for a ceremony inside Georgia.
Same-sex couples
Same-sex marriage is legal in Georgia, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Non-citizens
Foreign nationals can marry in Georgia with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
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Important Georgia notes
Who can officiate in Georgia
Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other religious leaders. Judges of any court, justices of the peace, and retired judges. Any religious society can designate a person to perform marriages according to their customs.
Officiant rules in every stateRules worth knowing
Georgia probate courts in Fulton, Barrow and Macon-Bibb counties state that the license does not have an expiration date, which is unusually generous compared to most states, though couples should confirm with their own county. Fees vary by county and whether the couple completed a state-approved premarital education program: Paulding County charges $16 with a certificate/$56 without, Bryan County charges $37 with a certificate/$77 without. A 17-year-old may marry only with documentary proof of legal emancipation (not simple parental consent), a completed premarital education certificate, at least 15 days elapsed since emancipation, and no more than a 4-year age gap between partners; no license is issued to anyone under 17 for any reason (2019 amendment). Common-law marriages formed before January 1, 1997 remain valid and recognized; none can be newly created in Georgia on or after that date.
Georgia marriage license document checklist
- Valid government photo ID for both of you (passport, Georgia driver's license, state ID or military ID)
- Birth certificates, if the Probate Court asks for them
- Social Security numbers for both partners (non-citizens can usually give a passport or visa number)
- Final divorce decree or death certificate if either of you was married before
- The fee: $16 to $77, varies by county. Ask which payment methods the office takes
- No proof of residency needed, out-of-state couples are welcome
- No witnesses legally required (many couples still have them)
Marriage license requirements in other states
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Georgia marriage license: FAQs
Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Georgia.
A Georgia marriage license costs $16 to $77, varies by county. You pay it at the Probate Court. Certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you need for a name change, can cost extra. Payment methods differ by office, so call ahead to check whether it takes cash, card or check.
No. Georgia has no waiting period, so you can apply for and use your marriage license on the same day. Many couples still apply a few days ahead to avoid last-minute stress.
A Georgia marriage license does not expire, so there is no window to miss before the ceremony. Rules can differ by county, so confirm with the office that issues your license.
Each partner needs a valid government photo ID, such as a US passport, a driver's license or state ID card, a US military ID, a permanent resident card or a foreign passport. Bring it to the Probate Court, and check the office's own list before you go.
No. Georgia does not legally require witnesses for the ceremony, though many couples have them anyway.
No. Georgia does not require residency. Out-of-state couples can apply at the Probate Court with the required ID, and the license works for a ceremony anywhere in Georgia.





