A Baltimore courthouse wedding takes place at the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse at 100 North Calvert Street, costs $110 in cash ($85 for the license plus $25 for the ceremony), and can’t happen the same day you apply — your license doesn’t become valid until 6:00 AM on the second calendar day after it’s issued.1Circuit Court For Baltimore City. Land Records and Licenses Division The Land Records and Licenses Division inside the courthouse handles both the application and the ceremony.2Circuit Court For Baltimore City. Circuit Court For Baltimore City
What to Bring When You Apply for the License
At least one of the two applicants must appear in person at the Land Records and Licenses Division. Bring a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, or military ID) for each of you, and be ready to give the clerk:
- Full legal names
- Dates of birth
- Places of residence
- Social Security numbers for each party who has one
- Whether you’re related to each other by blood or marriage
- Current marital status
If either of you has been married before, you’ll need the date and place each prior marriage ended, whether by divorce decree or by the death of a former spouse.3Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-402 – License Application The application is sworn, so don’t guess on dates.
Both applicants must be at least 18. A 17-year-old may apply only with consent from every living parent or guardian and a certified court order specifically authorizing the marriage. No one under 17 can marry in Maryland.4Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-405 – Waiting Period and Effective Date of License
A foreign national without a Social Security number isn’t disqualified; the statute requires the number only from a party “who has” one.3Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-402 – License Application Expect to sign an affidavit at the clerk’s office confirming you don’t have one, and bring a certified translation, prepared by someone who isn’t a family member or friend, for any supporting document not in English.
If the clerk spots a legal impediment during the review, such as an undissolved prior marriage or a prohibited family relationship, the license will be withheld unless a court orders it to be issued.4Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-405 – Waiting Period and Effective Date of License
Fees and Cash-Only Payment
The full price of a courthouse wedding in Baltimore City:
- Marriage license application: $85
- Ceremony fee: $25
- Certified copies of your marriage record: $5.50 each
The clerk’s office takes cash only for the application and ceremony fees. No credit cards, no checks, no money orders.1Circuit Court For Baltimore City. Land Records and Licenses Division There’s no ATM inside the courthouse, so bring the money with you. Two certified copies push the realistic minimum to about $121.
The Waiting Period and How Long the License Lasts
Your license becomes effective at 6:00 AM on the second calendar day after it’s issued. Apply Monday, and the earliest you can hold the ceremony is Wednesday morning.4Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-405 – Waiting Period and Effective Date of License This is shorter than a full 48 hours: a license issued at 3:00 PM Monday is valid at 6:00 AM Wednesday, roughly 39 hours later.
A circuit court judge can waive the waiting period for good cause shown, provided at least one of you is a Maryland resident or an active service member.4Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-405 – Waiting Period and Effective Date of License In practice, judges grant these waivers sparingly.
Once effective, the license stays valid for six months. If that window closes without a ceremony, you’ll need to start over with a new application and another $85 fee.5Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-406 – Marriage Ceremony
Booking the Ceremony
Civil ceremonies run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM, excluding holidays, by appointment only. Call the Land Records and Licenses Division at (410) 396-5188 to book a time.1Circuit Court For Baltimore City. Land Records and Licenses Division
Confirm that your waiting period will have expired before your chosen date. The courthouse won’t perform the ceremony if the license isn’t yet effective, and you won’t get a refund for a lost appointment. The 2:30 PM cutoff is firm.
What Happens on Ceremony Day
Arrive early. There’s a security checkpoint at the entrance, and morning lines can eat into your appointment.
Bring at least one witness who is 18 or older. The courthouse will not proceed without a witness present.1Circuit Court For Baltimore City. Land Records and Licenses Division This catches some couples off guard. You may be able to ask a courthouse employee or another visitor if you show up alone, but don’t count on it. You can also invite a small number of guests, though the ceremony room has limited capacity.
The ceremony itself takes just a few minutes. A clerk or deputy clerk designated by the county administrative judge administers vows in a form the judge has prescribed, so there’s no writing your own for a civil ceremony.5Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-406 – Marriage Ceremony You both sign the marriage certificate, the officiant signs, and you’re legally married.
Getting Certified Copies of Your Marriage Certificate
The officiant hands you one copy of the marriage certificate at the ceremony. A second copy goes back to the clerk who issued the license within five days to become the official record.6New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code Family Law 2-409 – Signing and Disposition of Marriage Certificates When a clerk performs the ceremony at the courthouse, the filing usually happens the same day.
The certificate you leave with is not a certified copy. For name changes, insurance updates, and beneficiary designations, you need certified copies, at $5.50 each from the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.1Circuit Court For Baltimore City. Land Records and Licenses Division Order at least two. Social Security wants one for a name change, the motor vehicle agency will want another for a new driver’s license, and some employers ask for a copy for HR. Photocopies aren’t always accepted.
Taxes and Name Changes After the Wedding
Your marital status on December 31 sets your federal filing status for the whole tax year. Marry any time in the year, even on December 30, and you must file as either Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately for that year.7Internal Revenue Service. Filing Status For tax year 2026, the standard deduction for married couples filing jointly is $32,200.8Internal Revenue Service. IRS Releases Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2026
Update your W-4 with your employer soon after the wedding. A change in filing status shifts your withholding, and leaving it wrong means either a surprise bill in April or over-withholding all year. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator at irs.gov can help you recalculate. If either of you is taking a new legal name, update it with the Social Security Administration before you file a return; a mismatch between your return and Social Security records can delay processing.