What you need to legally marry in Montana: a $53 fee, no waiting period, 2 witnesses and a license that is valid 180 days. You apply at the Clerk of District Court.
The eight things the Clerk of District 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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A marriage license in Montana costs $53. You pay it at the Clerk of District 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 Montana 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. Montana 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 $53 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.
Montana 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.
The license is valid for 180 days from the date of issue. Montana allows self-uniting marriage, so an officiant is optional. See who can officiate below.
The signed license goes back to the Clerk of District Court within the time Montana law allows. Because Montana 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 Montana facts above.
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At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
Applicants who are 16 or 17 need district court approval plus consent from both parents (unless no parent is capable of consenting), and they must attend two marriage counseling sessions. No one under 16 can marry in Montana.
Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate to the first visit. Ask the Clerk of District Court whether it needs a certified copy.
Montana has no residency requirement, so couples from other states can apply at the Clerk of District Court with valid ID. The license only works for a ceremony inside Montana.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Montana, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in Montana with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
Montana allows self-uniting marriage, so the two of you can solemnize the marriage without an officiant. The officiant card below has the details.
Montana 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, rabbis, and other religious leaders. Judges of any court, justices of the peace, and magistrates. City mayors, tribal officials, and notaries public authorized under MCA 1-5-630 can also officiate.
Officiant rules in every stateMontana recognizes common law marriage. The license is valid for 180 days, which is one of the more generous validity periods. Two witnesses are required at the ceremony (or to attest a declaration). Montana also permits marriage by written declaration without any officiant at all: both parties sign, two witnesses attest, and the declaration is filed with the district court clerk for the $53 fee (MCA 40-1-311, 40-1-312). The 16-17 pathway requires both parental consent and a district court order following mandatory counseling (MCA 40-1-213), not parental consent alone.
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Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Montana.
A Montana marriage license costs $53. You pay it at the Clerk of District 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. Montana 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 Montana marriage license is valid for 180 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 Clerk of District Court, and check the office's own list before you go.
Yes. Montana'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. Montana does not require residency. Out-of-state couples can apply at the Clerk of District Court with the required ID, and the license works for a ceremony anywhere in Montana.
