Yes, a notary can marry someone in Florida. Any notary public holding an active Florida commission is authorized to solemnize a marriage, provided the ceremony takes place inside Florida and the couple presents a valid Florida marriage license.1Florida Department of State. Marriage Ceremony FAQ Florida is one of only three states, along with South Carolina and Maine, that give notaries this power, which is why civil ceremonies here are unusually simple and affordable.
The Two Conditions That Have to Be True
The notary’s authority is geographic and license-specific. The ceremony must happen within Florida’s borders, and the marriage license must be one issued by a Florida clerk of court.1Florida Department of State. Marriage Ceremony FAQ A notary from another state cannot come to Florida to officiate. A Florida notary cannot marry a couple who obtained their license in another state.
Once you have a Florida license, the county doesn’t matter. A license from Miami-Dade works for a beach ceremony in the Panhandle, and one from Escambia works for a courthouse steps ceremony in Key West.
The notary needs no extra certification beyond the standard commission.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 117.045 – Marriages The Governor’s office publishes a sample ceremony and procedural guidance that most first-time officiants read before the day.3Executive Office of the Governor of Florida. General Procedure for Notaries Performing Marriage Ceremonies
The License You’ll Need to Hand the Notary
Both partners apply for the marriage license together, in person, at any county clerk of court office. Both applicants must be at least 18; a 17-year-old may apply with written parental consent if the other partner is no more than two years older. Each applicant brings a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security number. Non-citizens without a Social Security number can substitute an alien registration number or passport number.4Florida Senate. Florida Code 741.04 – Issuance of Marriage License
The license costs $86. Florida residents wait three days after issuance before the license takes effect. Non-residents don’t wait at all.5Pasco County Clerk. Marriage License Fees and Costs
If both partners complete a premarital preparation course with a registered provider, the fee drops to $61 and the three-day waiting period is waived.5Pasco County Clerk. Marriage License Fees and Costs The license is good for 60 days. Miss that window and you start over with a new application and a new fee.6My Florida Legal. Attorney General Opinion 93-58 – Term of Validity for Marriage License Applications
What the Ceremony Actually Requires
Florida law does not prescribe any script. You can write your own vows, use a religious reading, or borrow the Governor’s office sample almost verbatim. The only legal minimums are that both people verbally state their intent to marry each other and that the notary pronounces them married at the end.3Executive Office of the Governor of Florida. General Procedure for Notaries Performing Marriage Ceremonies The Governor’s sample pronouncement runs along the lines of “By virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws of the State of Florida, I now pronounce you married.”7Executive Office of the Governor of Florida. Sample Wedding Ceremony
Florida statute does not require witnesses to be present.
The Paperwork After the Ceremony
Once you’re married, the notary completes the certificate portion of the marriage record in black ink. That includes the date and place of the ceremony, the notary’s signature, printed name, title, and address, plus the official notary seal.8Executive Office of the Governor of Florida. Completing the Marriage Record
The completed record has to go back to the clerk of court office that issued the license within 10 days of the ceremony.9The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 741.08 – Marriage Not to Be Solemnized Without a License Many clerks include a pre-addressed envelope for exactly this. Mail or in-person delivery both work.
If the notary misses that 10-day window, the marriage itself is still valid. The deadline governs recording, not legality. But a late return can delay your certified marriage certificate, which you’ll need for name changes, insurance, and immigration paperwork, so it’s worth confirming with your notary that the record went in on time.
Can a Notary Marry a Relative?
Yes. Florida notaries are barred from notarizing the signature of a relative, but performing a marriage is a different act. In Attorney General Opinion 91-70, the state concluded that the anti-relative rule does not extend to solemnizing marriage, because signing a marriage certificate is a certification that the notary performed the ceremony, not a notarization of the couple’s signatures.10Florida Governor’s Office. Laws Related to Solemnizing Marriage A parent, sibling, or cousin who happens to be a Florida notary can officiate.
What a Notary Can Charge
Florida statute caps a notary’s fee for performing a marriage at the same rate a clerk of the circuit court charges for the same service.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 117.045 – Marriages In practice, most notaries charge between $50 and $150 for a basic civil ceremony. Rates go up with travel, custom scripts, or rehearsal time.
Before booking, get the fee in writing and confirm the notary holds an active commission through the Florida Department of State’s online notary search. That takes about a minute and it’s the one background check worth doing.