What you need to legally marry in South Carolina: a $40 to $120 fee, 24 hours waiting period, no witnesses and a license that is good with no expiry date. You apply at the Probate Court.
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.
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 South Carolina costs $40 to $120, varies by county probate court (Colleton and Williamsburg counties $40; Charleston County $70; Horry County $55 resident to $120 out-of-state). 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 South Carolina 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. South Carolina 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 $40 to $120, varies by county probate court (Colleton and Williamsburg counties $40; Charleston County $70; Horry County $55 resident to $120 out-of-state) 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.
South Carolina's waiting period: 24 hours. Apply at least a week before the ceremony so the wait never squeezes your date.
The license does not expire. 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 Probate Court, often filed by the officiant, within the time South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 a sworn consent from a parent, a close relative, or a guardian. No one under 16 can marry in South Carolina, and the former pregnancy exception was repealed in 2019.
Source: S.C. Code 20-1-100 and 20-1-250 (as amended by 2019 Act 33)
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.
South Carolina 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 South Carolina.
Same-sex marriage is legal in South Carolina, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in South Carolina with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
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
Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other religious leaders. Officers authorized to administer oaths in South Carolina, including judges, magistrates, and notaries public. The chief or spiritual leader of a Native American Indian entity recognized in South Carolina.
Officiant rules in every stateSouth Carolina marriage licenses do not expire. Witnesses are not required by state law, though some county application forms include an optional witness line. South Carolina abolished common law marriage prospectively via Stone v. Thompson, 428 S.C. 79 (S.C. Supreme Court, July 24, 2019), but still recognizes common law marriages validly formed before that date. Notaries public and Native American spiritual leaders can legally officiate alongside clergy and judges.
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 South Carolina.
A South Carolina marriage license costs $40 to $120, varies by county probate court (Colleton and Williamsburg counties $40; Charleston County $70; Horry County $55 resident to $120 out-of-state). 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.
Yes. South Carolina's waiting period: 24 hours. Plan to apply at least one to two weeks before your ceremony.
A South Carolina 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. South Carolina does not legally require witnesses for the ceremony, though many couples have them anyway.
No. South Carolina 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 South Carolina.
