What you need to legally marry in Wisconsin: a $75 to $150 fee, 3 days waiting period, 2 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.
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A marriage license in Wisconsin costs $75 to $150, 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 Wisconsin 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. Wisconsin 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 $75 to $150, 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.
Wisconsin'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 60 days from the date of issue. Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin law allows. Because Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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 consent from a parent or guardian, or from a court if no parent or guardian is available. No one under 16 can marry in Wisconsin.
Source: Wis. Stat. 765.02
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.
Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Wisconsin, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in Wisconsin with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
Wisconsin allows self-uniting marriage, so the two of you can solemnize the marriage without an officiant. The officiant card below has the details.
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Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other clergy. Judges of any court, circuit court commissioners, and justices of the peace. Wisconsin also allows limited self-uniting marriages for members of religious societies that practice it (Wis. Stat. 765.16(1m)(c)).
Officiant rules in every stateWisconsin requires a 3-day waiting period between application and license issuance statewide (Wis. Stat. 765.08), though county clerks may waive it for good cause for an additional fee of up to $25 (statutory cap). License fees vary by county: confirmed at $75 in Crawford County up to $150 in Dane County; Washington County sits in between at $110. Only 1 witness is required (instead of 2) if either party is active-duty U.S. armed forces, reserve, or National Guard (Wis. Stat. 765.16). Self-uniting marriages are allowed on a limited basis for members of religious societies whose practices include self-solemnization, such as Quakers and Baha'is (Wis. Stat. 765.16(1m)(c)). Wisconsin abolished common-law marriage formation in 1917 (Wis. Stat. 765.01/765.21) though it recognizes common-law marriages validly formed in other states under full faith and credit.
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Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Wisconsin.
A Wisconsin marriage license costs $75 to $150, 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. Wisconsin's waiting period: 3 days. Plan to apply at least one to two weeks before your ceremony.
A Wisconsin 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.
Yes. Wisconsin's rule: 2 witnesses (1 if active-duty military). Witnesses usually need to be adults who can sign the license. Most couples ask the maid of honor and the best man.
No. Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.
