Getting married on a Sunday at the courthouse is almost never possible. County clerk offices and courtrooms across the country operate Monday through Friday during standard business hours, and Sunday is a near-universal day off for the judges, magistrates, and clerks who perform civil ceremonies. A Sunday wedding is still entirely doable, just not inside the courthouse itself: a private officiant, a religious ceremony, or self-solemnization in the states that allow it will all produce a legally valid marriage.
Why the Courthouse Isn’t an Option on Sunday
Civil marriage ceremonies are handled by court staff during normal working hours. A handful of jurisdictions offer limited Saturday appointments, usually by advance booking, but Sunday availability is essentially nonexistent. Even counties that advertise weekend ceremonies almost always mean Saturday.
If the courthouse itself is what you want, you’ll need to shift the date to a weekday. If it’s the Sunday date you want, the ceremony has to happen somewhere else.
Get Your Marriage License During the Week
Whatever route you take on Sunday, you need a valid marriage license first. The license and the ceremony are separate steps, and only the county clerk’s office issues the license. That office is closed on Sunday, so this piece has to happen earlier in the week.
Both partners generally appear in person at the county clerk’s office or vital records office to apply. Bring a government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, or state ID. Most jurisdictions ask for your Social Security number on the application; non-citizens without one can typically note that on the form and provide a passport or consular ID instead. If either of you was previously married, bring proof the prior marriage ended, whether a divorce decree or a death certificate.
The minimum age to marry without special permission is 18 in nearly every state. A few states allow minors to marry with parental consent or a judge’s approval, though the nationwide trend has been toward tightening those exceptions.
Watch the Waiting Period
About a third of states impose a waiting period between when the license is issued and when you can actually use it. Those waiting periods run from 24 to 72 hours. For a Sunday ceremony, that means applying by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest. Apply on Friday in a 72-hour state and you won’t be able to marry until Monday.
Licenses also expire. The window is typically 30 to 90 days depending on where you apply, though a few states give you six months or a full year. Marriage license fees generally fall between $25 and $90.
Sunday Option 1: A Private Officiant
The simplest way to marry on a Sunday is to hire an officiant to perform the ceremony wherever you like. A private officiant can conduct a legally binding civil ceremony at virtually any location on any day of the week: a park, a restaurant, your backyard, or a rented venue. The paperwork works the same way it does at the courthouse. The officiant signs the marriage license, and then files it with the county clerk.
Who qualifies as an officiant varies by state, but the list is broad. Ordained clergy, judges, magistrates, justices of the peace, and certain other public officials can officiate in every state. Most states also recognize ministers ordained online through organizations like the Universal Life Church or American Marriage Ministries. Online ordination is accepted across most of the country, though some states require the officiant to register with a local government office before performing ceremonies, and a few counties have challenged the validity of online ordination. The safest move is for your officiant to check with the county clerk’s office where the ceremony will take place to confirm they’ll be accepted.
Sunday Option 2: A Religious Ceremony
Sunday is the traditional service day for many congregations, and a religious ceremony at a church, synagogue, mosque, or other house of worship is a natural fit. Clergy performing the ceremony sign and file the marriage license the same way any other officiant does, so the marriage is legally valid at the same moment it’s spiritually recognized. If you already belong to a religious community, this route may involve little cost beyond whatever the congregation charges for use of the space.
Sunday Option 3: Self-Solemnization
A smaller number of states allow self-solemnization, where the couple legally marries themselves without any officiant present. Colorado is the most flexible, requiring neither an officiant nor witnesses. Pennsylvania offers a self-uniting marriage license that traces back to Quaker traditions but is available to anyone. Washington D.C. has a similar self-officiating license. Several other states permit self-solemnization under religious exemptions or other limited circumstances.
This is the option for couples who want a Sunday wedding with complete control over the experience. You still need a valid marriage license obtained during the week, and most of these states require witnesses even though no officiant is needed. After the ceremony you sign the license yourselves and return it to the county clerk for recording. If this route appeals to you, confirm your state’s specific rules with the local clerk’s office before making plans.
Confirm the Details Before Sunday
A few practical checks will save you a scramble on the day.
- Ask the clerk whether witnesses are required, and how many. Some states require one or two adult witnesses to sign the marriage license; others require none.
- Confirm that your officiant is recognized in the county where the ceremony will take place, and check whether pre-registration is required.
- Count backwards from Sunday against your state’s waiting period, and apply for the license early enough that it’s active when you need it.
- Check the license expiration date so you know how much flexibility you have if plans shift.
Once the ceremony happens, the officiant (or you, in a self-solemnization state) files the signed license with the county clerk, and a certified marriage certificate follows as your permanent legal record.