What you need to legally marry in Illinois: a $30 to $60 fee, 1 day waiting period, no witnesses and a license that is valid 60 days. You apply at the County Clerk.
The eight things the County Clerk will ask about or check. County rules can add small extras, so confirm with your local office before you go.
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
Maya & Leo's Wedding
Reception, example
A marriage license in Illinois costs $30 to $60, varies by county. You pay it at the County Clerk 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 Illinois inside the roughly $30 to $100 range most states charge. Accepted payment methods differ from office to office, so check before the visit.
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. Illinois does not require proof of residency.
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.
Fill in the application and pay the $30 to $60, 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.
Illinois's waiting period: 1 day. Apply at least a week before the ceremony so the wait never squeezes your date.
The license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue. Illinois allows self-uniting marriage, so an officiant is optional. See who can officiate below.
The signed license goes back to the County Clerk within the time Illinois law allows. Because Illinois allows self-uniting marriage, the couple usually files it instead of an officiant. The county then records your marriage.
A short walkthrough of the documents and the clerk visit. Fees and offices differ by state, so match the details to the Illinois facts above.
Forever Newlywed 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 $44.
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
At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
Applicants who are 16 or 17 need consent from both parents or a guardian, or approval from a judge. No one under 16 can marry in Illinois.
Source: 750 ILCS 5/203 and 5/208
Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate to the first visit. Ask the County Clerk whether it needs a certified copy.
Illinois has no residency requirement, so couples from other states can apply at the County Clerk with valid ID. The license only works for a ceremony inside Illinois.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Illinois, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in Illinois with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
Illinois allows self-uniting marriage, so the two of you can solemnize the marriage without an officiant. The officiant card below has the details.
Start with 20 guest uploads free, no card. Paid plans run from $44 to $84 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
Judges and retired judges of courts of record. Mayors and city/village presidents currently in office. The county clerk, but only in counties with a population of 2,000,000 or more (in practice, only the Cook County Clerk). Ministers, priests, rabbis, and other officiants recognized under the prescriptions of a religious denomination, Indian Nation, Tribe, or Native Group; such groups may also solemnize a marriage without an individual officiant.
Officiant rules in every stateIllinois marriage license fees are set per county and range from about $30 (e.g. Kankakee County) up to $60 (Cook County). A statewide 1-day waiting period applies after the license is issued before the ceremony can take place, regardless of residency; it can be waived only by a court order for just cause. No witnesses are required to sign the license or attend the ceremony under Illinois law, though some counties include optional signature lines. County-clerk officiating is limited to counties with 2,000,000+ residents (in practice, only Cook County). Couples marrying under the prescriptions of a recognized religious denomination, Indian Nation, Tribe, or Native Group may solemnize their own marriage (self-uniting) without an officiant present, provided the certificate is filed within 10 days.
Everything you need to make your wedding day stress-free and unforgettable.
Plan your reception seating visually.
Track RSVPs and dietary needs.
Turn your total into a category-by-category plan.
Plan your entire wedding day.
Count down the days to your big day.
Month-by-month planning checklist.
15+ games with rules, supplies, and timing.
Pick one by budget, guest count and keepsake.
Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Illinois.
An Illinois marriage license costs $30 to $60, varies by county. You pay it at the County Clerk. 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.
Yes. Illinois's waiting period: 1 day. Plan to apply at least one to two weeks before your ceremony.
An Illinois marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue. The ceremony has to happen inside this window, or you reapply and pay the fee again.
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 County Clerk, and check the office's own list before you go.
No. Illinois does not legally require witnesses for the ceremony, though many couples have them anyway.
No. Illinois does not require residency. Out-of-state couples can apply at the County Clerk with the required ID, and the license works for a ceremony anywhere in Illinois.
