How Much Does Getting Married At The Courthouse Cost (2023)
Are you curious about getting married at the courthouse cost? If so, you’re in the right place! Getting married at the courthouse can be a budget-friendly and efficient way to tie the knot. However, before you start planning your courthouse wedding, you want to know the associated costs. In this post, we’ll cover the marriage license fees and certified copies of marriage license fees that you want to know.
Costs vary by state
If you’re in love and hoping to tie the knot soon but cannot afford traditional ceremonies, a courthouse wedding may be your perfect solution. These civil ceremonies don’t involve religious traditions and could save tens of thousands in costs.
The cost of courthouse weddings varies between states, so you must consult the appropriate state or county government office for information about how it works. Some states provide marriage licenses free of charge while requiring you to pay additional costs such as officiant and ceremony costs.
Your next step should be establishing the legal requirements of your ceremony, such as whether or not a witness must be present and how many guests can attend. Once all these details are taken care of, planning your courthouse wedding can begin. The first step will be obtaining your marriage license and setting a date.
If you intend to host a small reception after your courthouse ceremony, you have to plan for that too, but the reception costs are outside the scope of this post. Cost estimates of wedding ceremonies and receptions depend heavily on their type and guest count; according to The Knot’s analysis of 2020 wedding costs, an average ceremony and reception costs per guest averaged about $244.
This figure includes costs associated with venue rental, food and drink, invitations, photography services, favors, and vendor fees. If you want to minimize expenses, focus on the most critical details. This might mean selecting an outfit that reflects your style or keeping ceremonies brief and sweet.
The cost of a marriage license
The cost of getting married at a courthouse varies widely depending on where you reside, or where you want to get married, and whether or not premarital counseling or education courses are taken, with prices typically falling within $35-$115 depending on state/county regulations.
Before applying for a marriage license, couples must obtain all required documents, including birth and divorce certificates and identification cards or passports. Once this paperwork has been acquired, couples can visit their courthouse, where they will apply for their marriage license and complete all applicable paperwork.
Some states allow for online marriage license applications. Even in these cases, you will eventually have to personally appear at the courthouse to sign and notarize the documents. Once the courthouse has verified that both parties are legally eligible to get married, they will issue a marriage license which allows them to wed before the license’s expiration, typically 30-90 days.
Here’s a breakdown of marriage license fees and certified copies of marriage license fees by state in 2023:
| State | Marriage License | Expiry | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $45.50 | 30 Days | $5.00 |
| Alaska | $50.00 | 30 Days | $15.00 |
| Arizona | $76.00 | 1 Year | $15.00 |
| Arkansas | $60.00 | 60 Days | $10.00 |
| California | $90.00 | 90 Days | $15.00 |
| Colorado | $30.00 | 35 Days | $3.00 |
| Connecticut | $50.00 | 65 Days | $20.00 |
| Delaware | $50.00 | 30 Days | $10.00 |
| Florida | $93.50 | 60 Days | $3.00 |
| Georgia | $56.00 | No Expiration | $12.00 |
| Hawaii | $60.00 | 30 Days | $10.00 |
| Idaho | $28.00 | 6 Days | $5.00 |
| Illinois | $60.00 | No Expiration | $15.00 |
| Indiana | $18.00 | 60 Days | $3.00 |
| Iowa | $35.00 | 6 Months | $10.00 |
| Kansas | $45.00 | 6 Months | $10.00 |
| Kentucky | $35.50 | 30 Days | $6.00 |
| Louisiana | $25.00 | 30 Days | $5.00 |
| Maine | $40.00 | 90 Days | $7.00 |
| Maryland | $45.00 | 6 Months | $10.00 |
| Massachusetts | $50.00 | 60 Days | $10.00 |
| Michigan | $20.00 | 33 Days | $3.00 |
| Minnesota | $115.00 | 6 Months | $5.00 |
| Mississippi | $43.00 | 30 Days | $3.00 |
| Missouri | $51.00 | 30 Days | $3.00 |
| Montana | $53.00 | 180 Days | $5.00 |
| Nebraska | $25.00 | 1 Year | $5.00 |
| Nevada | $60.00 | 1 Year | $15.00 |
| New Hampshire | $50.00 | No Expiration | $15.00 |
| New Jersey | $28.00 | 90 Days | $3.00 |
| New Mexico | $25.00 | 90 Days | $3.00 |
| New York | $40.00 | 60 Days | $10.00 |
| North Carolina | $60.00 | 60 Days | $10.00 |
| North Dakota | $30.00 | No Expiration | $3.00 |
| Ohio | $50.00 | 60 Days | $3.00 |
| Oklahoma | $50.00 | 6 Months | $5.00 |
| Oregon | $60.00 | No Expiration | $10.00 |
| Pennsylvania | $30.00 | 60 Days | $5.00 |
| Rhode Island | $24.00 | No Expiration | $10.00 |
| South Carolina | $50.00 | 6 Months | $10.00 |
| South Dakota | $40.00 | 1 Year | $8.00 |
| Tennessee | $99.50 | 30 Days | $7.00 |
| Texas | $82.00 | 30 Days | $5.00 |
| Utah | $50.00 | No Expiration | $15.00 |
| Vermont | $45.00 | No Expiration | $10.00 |
| Virginia | $30.00 | 60 Days | $2.00 |
| Washington | $67.00 | 60 Days | $3.00 |
| West Virginia | $30.00 | 60 Days | $3.00 |
| Wisconsin | $110.00 | 30 Days | $10.00 |
| Wyoming | $30.00 | No Expiration | $5.00 |
As soon as possible before your wedding ceremony, apply for your license so it can be processed and ready in time. In certain states, there may be a waiting period before being eligible to get one, so ensure you know all the rules in advance for where you live or plan to get married.
When you arrive at the courthouse, be prepared to show identification documents like IDs, birth certificates, and any necessary documentation. After gathering these items, make an appointment so the courthouse can arrange an appropriate time and date for you to apply for your license.
Fees for a courthouse ceremony
Depending on your venue and officiant of choice, additional costs can be associated with courthouse ceremonies. You may have to hire and pay for witnesses for your ceremony. The courthouse may charge a fee for the use of the room. The wedding officiant may charge a fee.
Many courthouses offer rooms you can decorate to make them even more romantic and memorable. Flowers, petals, rice, and other decors will help give the space its authentic character while making it more special for you and others who visit.
Getting married at a courthouse
Suppose you are considering getting married at the courthouse. Let’s summarize the legal requirements and costs.
Before getting married at a courthouse, you must obtain a marriage license. Each state imposes different requirements on marriage license applications, so wait times may apply depending on where you reside and other considerations. Furthermore, all fees related to your license must be paid in full before receiving it.
Once your license application has been accepted, the next step should be deciding when your wedding ceremony will occur. It is this decision that ultimately sets the stage for success! Your marriage license will have an expiration date, usually 30-90 days from the date of issue.
Selecting a date can be challenging, but you must do it as soon as possible to save time. Choose a day when there won’t be any other commitments like work or school that could interfere.
If you don’t yet have a date, let’s contact the courthouse and schedule an appointment to discuss when a judge might be available for your ceremony.
Courthouse weddings offer couples who desire quick and effortless celebrations an economical solution that still promises a memorable ceremony full of love and sentimentality.
References: Cost of Courthouse Marriage
Ozaukee County Weddings – https://ozaukeecounty.gov/202/Wedding-Ceremonies
Justice Courts of Maricopa County – https://justicecourts.maricopa.gov/i-want-to/get-married
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Peter Amaral (aka Mauricio Boston), the editor and curator of this site, has done "over 40" nearly twice. He's picked up a few tips over the years on what men must do to thrive and flourish in health, wealth, and their relationships with family and friends. For a backgrounder, Maurcio is an 82nd Airborne alumus, served as a combat engineer platoon leader in Vietnam, and practiced law for 20+ years. Before earning his professional degree, he worked in film production, sales and marketing, and did stints as bar tender and iron worker. He's been married to the same exceptional woman for longer than maybe most of you have been alive, has three exceptional daughters and a parcel of grandchildren. Mauricio does some of the research for the site. He's not a medical doctor, and never got closer to shooting par than that damn one stroke, but he is an ersatz woodworker, does have personal experience with prostate cancer and can speak intelligently with his cardiologist, with whom he disagrees on the supposed bad effects of red meat. In other words, we write about lots of things we've learned and experienced. Expert professional writers do the rest, always under the careful eye of our chief editor.