The steps to have a civil wedding are straightforward in every state, even though the specifics shift at the county line: confirm you both meet the legal requirements, apply together for a marriage license, hold a short ceremony led by someone legally authorized to perform it, and make sure the signed license gets filed so your marriage becomes part of the public record. From first visit to clerk’s office to certified certificate in hand, the whole thing can wrap up in a few days or stretch across several weeks depending on local waiting periods and processing times.
Step 1: Confirm You’re Both Eligible to Marry
Every state requires that both people consent freely, understand what marriage means, and are not currently married to anyone else. The minimum age is 18 in most states. A number of states still allow 16- or 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent or a judge’s approval, and a growing number have set a hard floor at 18 with no exceptions.
Every state prohibits marriage between close blood relatives — siblings, parents and children, aunts or uncles with nieces or nephews. First-cousin marriage is a patchwork: roughly half the states ban it, several allow it only under specific conditions like age thresholds, and the rest permit it without restriction.
Step 2: Gather the Documents You’ll Need
You’ll bring these to the clerk’s office when you apply:
- A current, unexpired government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID card, passport, or military ID.
- Proof of age. Your photo ID usually covers this, though some jurisdictions ask for a birth certificate, especially if you’re close to the minimum marriage age.
- Your Social Security number, if you’re a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Some clerks want to see the card; others just need the number on the application.
- Proof that any prior marriage ended. Bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or the former spouse’s death certificate.
Non-U.S. citizens without a Social Security number can usually still apply, and a valid foreign passport is generally accepted as ID. Requirements vary enough that it’s worth calling the clerk’s office before you go so you aren’t turned away for missing paperwork.
Step 3: Apply for the Marriage License
Both partners apply together at a county clerk’s office or the equivalent local government office. Most places require both of you to appear in person, though some jurisdictions let you fill out a pre-application online to shorten your time at the counter. No state still requires a blood test; Montana was the last to drop it, in 2019.
License fees range widely, from as low as $20 in some counties to over $100 in others. A handful of states offer a discount if you complete a premarital education course beforehand. Budget somewhere between $30 and $90 for a typical county, and check in advance whether the office takes cards or only cash.
Waiting Periods
The majority of states let you use the license immediately after it’s issued. About a third impose a waiting period, usually 24 to 72 hours between issuance and the ceremony. Several of those states let judges waive it for good cause. If you’re eloping or planning a destination wedding, confirm the waiting period for the specific county where you’ll marry.
How Long the License Stays Valid
Marriage licenses expire. Validity windows run from 30 days in states like Delaware and Hawaii to a full year in Arizona, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming, with most states falling in the 60-to-90-day range. Miss the window and you’ll reapply and pay the fee again.
Step 4: Choose an Authorized Officiant
A civil wedding doesn’t need a religious leader, but it does need someone legally authorized to solemnize the marriage. The categories vary by state and sometimes by county, but generally include:
- Judges and magistrates, including justices of the peace, who can perform marriages in virtually every jurisdiction.
- County or city clerks, who often perform ceremonies at the courthouse for a small additional fee or sometimes at no extra charge beyond the license cost.
- Ordained ministers, including clergy from established religious organizations and people ordained through online services. Online ordination is recognized in most states, though a few jurisdictions have challenged its validity or require the officiant to register locally before the ceremony.
A small number of states, including Pennsylvania and Colorado, recognize self-uniting marriages that let a couple solemnize their own marriage without any officiant, though a special license is typically required. If a friend will officiate, have them get ordained well in advance and verify your county’s specific rules. Discovering on the wedding day that your officiant isn’t recognized locally is a painful mistake and an avoidable one.
Step 5: Hold the Ceremony
Civil ceremonies are short, usually five to fifteen minutes. The legal core is simple: the officiant confirms both partners are entering the marriage voluntarily, the couple exchanges declarations of intent (the “I do”), and everyone signs the license. Personal vows, readings, and ring exchanges are optional. The law cares about the declaration and the signatures.
Most states require one or two witnesses who are at least 18 and mentally competent. A handful don’t require witnesses at all. The ceremony can take place at a courthouse, a public park, a living room, or anywhere else the officiant agrees to go. There is no legal requirement that it happen in a government building unless local rules say otherwise.
Step 6: File the License and Get Your Marriage Certificate
After the ceremony, the signed license has to go back to the clerk’s office for recording. In most jurisdictions, the officiant is responsible for filing it, typically within a few days. This step is what makes the marriage a matter of public record. If the officiant forgets, or if you chose someone informal and didn’t confirm their obligations, the marriage might not be recorded, which creates serious problems later.
Once the license is filed and processed, which can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, you can order certified copies of your marriage certificate. Certified copies generally cost $10 to $35 each. Order several. You’ll need them for name changes, insurance updates, tax filings, and any government process that requires proof of marriage. The original stays on file with the government; what you receive are official certified copies with raised seals.
After the Wedding: What Still Needs Doing
Getting married is the easy part. If you’re changing your name, start with the Social Security Administration using Form SS-5, because your new Social Security card is the foundation for everything else. Wait for the SSA to confirm your new name before updating anything with the IRS, since a mismatch between your tax return and your Social Security record can delay refunds.1Internal Revenue Service. Filing Status From there, update your driver’s license at your state’s motor vehicle agency, your passport through the U.S. Department of State (Form DS-5504 is free if your passport was issued less than a year ago and your name changed within that same window),2U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error and your address with the IRS using Form 8822 if that changed too.3Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822, Change of Address
One timing point worth knowing: your federal filing status for the whole tax year is based on whether you’re married on December 31. Marry on New Year’s Eve and the IRS treats you as married for the full year; wait until January 2 and you file as single for the prior year.1Internal Revenue Service. Filing Status
A Note on Common Law Marriage
If you’re wondering whether the civil wedding steps are strictly necessary, in most states they are. Only a small number of states, roughly eight to ten plus the District of Columbia, recognize common law marriage, and even those require more than cohabitation: both partners must agree to be married, live together, and present themselves publicly as a married couple. No state recognizes common law marriage based solely on living together for a certain number of years, despite the popular myth.4National Conference of State Legislatures. Common Law Marriage by State For almost everyone, the license-ceremony-certificate path is the one that produces a legally recognized marriage.