What you need to legally marry in Iowa: a $35 fee, 3 days waiting period, 2 witnesses and a license that is valid 6 months. You apply at the County Registrar.
The eight things the County Registrar will ask about or check. County rules can add small extras, so confirm with your local office before you go.
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A marriage license in Iowa costs $35. You pay it at the County Registrar 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 Iowa 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. Iowa 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 $35 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.
Iowa's waiting period: 3 days. Apply at least a week before the ceremony so the wait never squeezes your date.
The license is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. The ceremony has to happen and the license has to be signed inside this window. An authorized officiant leads the ceremony, see who qualifies below.
After the ceremony the officiant and any required witnesses sign the license. It goes back to the County Registrar, often filed by the officiant, within the time Iowa law allows. The county then records it and issues your marriage certificate.
A short walkthrough of the documents and the clerk visit. Fees and offices differ by state, so match the details to the Iowa facts above.
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At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
Applicants who are 16 or 17 need written parental consent plus approval from a district court judge. No one under 16 can marry in Iowa.
Source: Iowa Code 595.2
Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate to the first visit. Ask the County Registrar whether it needs a certified copy.
Iowa has no residency requirement, so couples from other states can apply at the County Registrar with valid ID. The license only works for a ceremony inside Iowa.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Iowa, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in Iowa with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
Iowa recognizes common law marriage: a couple can be legally married by living together as spouses, presenting themselves publicly as married and intending to be married, without a license or ceremony.
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Ordained ministers, priests, and clergy. Judges of the supreme court, court of appeals, and district courts. Magistrates and senior judges can also officiate.
Officiant rules in every stateIowa recognizes common law marriage with no specific time requirement. The 3-day waiting period can be waived by a judge for good cause. Two witnesses over age 18 must attend the ceremony.
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Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Iowa.
An Iowa marriage license costs $35. You pay it at the County Registrar. 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. Iowa's waiting period: 3 days. Plan to apply at least one to two weeks before your ceremony.
An Iowa marriage license is valid for 6 months 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 Registrar, and check the office's own list before you go.
Yes. Iowa's rule: 2 witnesses. Witnesses usually need to be adults who can sign the license. Most couples ask the maid of honor and the best man.
No. Iowa does not require residency. Out-of-state couples can apply at the County Registrar with the required ID, and the license works for a ceremony anywhere in Iowa.
