How to Apply for a Marriage License in Texas

Getting married is certainly an unforgettable experience in anyone's life. It is even more memorable when things go as planned. To be legally married in any state, you need a marriage license. Here's how to apply for a marriage license in Texas:

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Identification
• Cash

1. Find out where the nearest county clerk's office is in the county in which you want to be married. This is important because some public officials can only perform ceremonies in the counties in which they were elected. Religious leaders are not limited to specific counties.

2. Be prepared to present the necessary documents showing that you are 18 or older. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you must present a bitrh certificate and be accompanied by your parents. If you have had a previous divorce, you must wait 30 days before remarrying and provide dissolution of marriage documentation.

3. Pay a maximum fee of $41 (it's as low as $31 in some counties) for the license.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply for your license at least 72 hours in advance of the wedding ceremony because there is a waiting period. This waiting period can be waived for military personnel.
• No blood or other health-related tests are required.
• Under certain conditions, such as military service or incarceration, the paperwork may be filled out beforehand and then delivered to the county clerk office by one of the marriage partners. For more information, view the link in Resources below.
• If you apply for a marriage license in Texas, it is not necessary to have the ceremony performed there. You could choose to cross the border into Mexico and be married there. It would be a good idea, however, to check in advance on the local laws of the town or city where your marriage will take place to make sure there will be no legal complications.
• Your marriage license will expire on the 31st day after you get the license. Make sure your plans include this expiration time, otherwise you may need to apply again.
• Trying to get a proxy marriage in Texas is illegal, and the state does not allow marriage among cousins or same-sex marriages. Common-law marriages, also called informal marriages, are permitted but there are specific requirements.