weddingA $60 license from the County Clerk, a 3 day wait, and 60 days to use it. Here is every step, what a courthouse wedding costs, and how a $23,000 Oregon wedding compares.
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The average Oregon wedding costs about 383 times the license. Bars use a log scale so the small fees stay visible.
License fee from Oregon official sources, see our Oregon requirements page. State and US averages: The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study.
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From the County Clerk counter to a recorded marriage, in the order you do it.
Both of you must be at least 18 (no exceptions). You do not need to live in Oregon. No blood test.
Bring valid photo ID. If either of you was married before, have the date the last marriage ended. Your county may ask for more, so check its list before you go.
IllustrativeApply together at the County Clerk and pay the license fee ($60).
Oregon has a waiting period: 3 days.
IllustrativeOrdained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other clergy. Witnesses: 2 witnesses. The license is valid for 60 days.
The signed license goes back to the issuing office to be recorded. Order certified copies for name changes, insurance and benefits.
Need the document list and county fees? See Oregon marriage license requirements or the national how to get a marriage license guide.
Apply no more than 60 days before, at least 3 days before.
| Rule | Oregon (2026) |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | County Clerk |
| License fee | $60 |
| Waiting period | 3 days |
| License valid for | 60 days |
| Minimum age | 18 (no exceptions) |
| Witnesses | 2 witnesses |
| Officiant | Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other clergy. Judges of any court and county clerks. Secular celebrants authorized by a secular organization can also officiate, and religious congregations can authorize their own officiants. |
| Common-law marriage | Not recognized |
County Clerk
$60
3 days
60 days
18 (no exceptions)
2 witnesses
Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other clergy. Judges of any court and county clerks. Secular celebrants authorized by a secular organization can also officiate, and religious congregations can authorize their own officiants.
Not recognized
First dance
You guys!!
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What one Oregon county charges, how booking works and how far ahead to plan, checked against the official page.
Source: Multnomah County Circuit Court, Judicial Availability for Weddings, checked October 2026. Other counties set their own rules and fees.
Courthouse column from the county source above. Wedding cost from The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study; venue and officiant lead times from Zola, 2026 wedding planning checklist. See courthouse wedding costs explained.
A short news report on couples choosing courthouse ceremonies as wedding costs rise. Worth two minutes before you weigh a civil ceremony against a $23,000 Oregon wedding.
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$60
is the license fee to marry in Oregon. The average wedding there runs $23,000.
Illustrative image, not a specific Oregon venue.Oregon comes in $11,200 under the US average. Rank 1 is the most expensive state.
State averages are the same figures as our wedding cost calculator. US average $34,200, per The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study.
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The license is the easy part. It only fits a short window before the day, while venues and photographers book many months out. Here is the national advice next to the Oregon license window.
Average engagement for couples who married in 2024
The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study (via The Plumb Club)Of couples began planning about 12 months ahead
The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study (via The Plumb Club)Bars show the advice range from Zola, 2026 wedding planning checklist (updated May 2026), dots the single figure from WeddingWire, vendor booking timeline (2018). These are planning advice, not survey data, and Zola gives two figures for some vendors (venue 11 months in its timeline, 12 to 18 in its FAQ). The license bar comes from Oregon rules.
Apply no more than 60 days before, at least 3 days before. The 3 days wait runs from when the license is issued.
Oregon license rules
IllustrativeOregon has a 3 day wait after the license, or pay $5 to waive it.
Dodge County, Wisconsin, County Clerk
IllustrativeZola puts the venue 12 to 18 months out, photographers and caterers 9 to 12, and save the dates 6 to 8. The license comes last, inside the Oregon window above. Zola's 2026 report also found a few couples now book a venue before they are even engaged (7%, up from 6%).
Zola First Look Report 2026
Illustrative photos: courthouse steps, regional settings and the guest shots couples collect afterwards.
of couples in The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study married in October, the most popular month in the US. Your own state's peak can sit elsewhere, so check the strip.
The Knot Worldwide, 2025 Real Weddings Study releaseOregon's wedding season runs late May through October. Willamette Valley peaks in September and October for the harvest look. The coast can stay foggy into early July and sometimes August. Mount Hood and Bend have a shorter outdoor window, roughly mid-July through mid-September. October vineyard Saturdays are the first dates to go, so book early. Winter destination weddings move to mountain lodges on Mount Hood and around Bend.
Best month to get marriedWaterfront ceremonies are a big part of the wedding scene here.
Illustrative image, not a specific Oregon venue.
IllustrativeThe creative capital offers breweries, farm-to-table dining, and unique venues reflecting Portland's quirky spirit.
IllustrativeWorld-class pinot noir vineyards, rolling hills, and wine country venues rivaling Napa at lower prices.
IllustrativeDramatic rocky coastline, Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock, and moody Pacific Ocean backdrops.
Oregon requires a 3 day waiting period after license application before the ceremony can occur. The fee is $60, valid for 60 days, no blood test required. The waiting period can be waived only by a judge or county clerk for good cause shown; there is no waiver for completing premarital education. Couples flying in for a tight wedding weekend should plan to apply Wednesday morning for a Saturday ceremony, or request a waiver in advance.
Willamette Valley wine country peaks in September and October, when the vines turn yellow and red and the harvest is in full swing. Early October Saturdays are among the most requested dates of the Oregon wedding year, and the best-known estates fill them first. Weekday or late spring dates usually have more room and better pricing.
Cannon Beach gives you the classic Pacific Northwest coast look, with Haystack Rock as the landmark in the background. Beachfront inns, hotels and vacation rentals serve as venues, and beach ceremonies need to follow Oregon's public beach rules. The coast is often foggy into early summer, and late August through early October tends to bring the clearest days. The water is cold all year, so plan the photos, not the swim.
Yes. The county clerk who is authorized to issue Oregon marriage licenses is also authorized to perform the ceremony, which gives every county a built-in civil ceremony option beyond ordained clergy and judges. This is useful for couples who want a simple courthouse ceremony without arranging an outside officiant. The standard $60 license fee, 60-day validity, and 3-day waiting period all still apply, and two witnesses must be present at the ceremony regardless of who officiates.
IllustrativeOregon has a 3-day waiting period after the license is issued, waivable only by a judge or county clerk for good cause shown; there is no premarital-education waiver. The license fee is $60, valid for 60 days, and two witnesses must be present for the entire ceremony and sign the certificate. Oregon's authorized officiant list includes ordained clergy, judges, and county clerks. Oregon does not allow notaries public to officiate. The county clerk who is authorized to issue licenses is also authorized to perform ceremonies, which provides a civil ceremony option in every county. Oregon does not recognize common-law marriage.
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Short answers on cost, license, waiting period, courthouse and witnesses in Oregon.
The legal minimum is the marriage license: $60 in Oregon. A courthouse ceremony adds $117 court fee, paid before the wedding in Multnomah County (Portland). The average Oregon wedding runs about $23,000 per The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study, against a US average of $34,200. That ranks Oregon #34 of 50 states by average cost.
1. Check you can marry. 2. Gather your documents. 3. Apply at the County Clerk. 4. Wait 3 days. 5. Hold the ceremony. 6. Return the license, order copies. The full step list is above.
A Oregon marriage license costs $60. You apply at the County Clerk.
Yes: 3 days. The license is valid for 60 days.
Yes. In Multnomah County (Portland), Circuit Court judges perform weddings at the courthouse, each booked directly for $117 court fee, paid before the wedding. Appointment only. Contact one judge at a time from the court's availability sheet. Many are only free after 5 p.m. on weekdays. Bring two witnesses 18 or older. Rules differ by county, so call the office where you plan to marry.
Yes: 2 witnesses. Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other clergy.
