A Dallas County marriage license costs $80, requires both partners to appear together in person at the County Clerk with valid photo ID after completing an online pre-application, and cannot be used for a ceremony until 72 hours after issuance. The license expires if no ceremony takes place within 90 days.
Who Can Get a License
Both applicants must be at least 18. Texas no longer lets minors marry on parental consent alone; anyone under 18 needs a court order removing the disabilities of minority before a clerk can issue a license.1State of Texas. Texas Family Code Chapter 2 – The Marriage Relationship
Both partners must be legally single. If a prior marriage ended in a Texas divorce, you have to wait at least 30 days after the decree before applying for a new license, unless you’re remarrying that same former spouse or a judge waives the restriction.2State of Texas. Texas Family Code 6.801 – Remarriage
Texas bars marriage between close relatives: parents and children, siblings and half-siblings, grandparents and grandchildren, aunts or uncles and nieces or nephews, and stepparents and stepchildren. The prohibition applies whether the relationship is biological or through adoption.
Same-sex couples apply the same way as any other couple. Although Texas Family Code § 2.001 still contains “a man and a woman” language, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges requires Texas to issue licenses to same-sex couples, and it has done so since.3Texas State Law Library. Same-Sex Marriage in Texas
What to Bring to the Appointment
Each applicant needs an original, unexpired, government-issued photo ID.4State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.005 – Proof of Identity and Age A driver’s license, passport, or military ID works. Photocopies are not accepted.
Also bring:
- Your Social Security number (the card itself isn’t required)
- Your date of birth
- Both parents’ full legal names, including your mother’s maiden name
- A copy of the divorce decree or death certificate if either partner was previously married
If your ID is in a language other than English, bring a certified English translation. It must be typed, signed by the translator certifying accuracy, and prepared by someone other than the applicant.
How to Apply
Start online. Dallas County requires both applicants to complete the marriage license application through the County Clerk’s portal before coming in. The portal issues an order number that you’ll bring to your appointment.5Dallas County. Vital Records Division – Marriage License
Then appear together. The main County Clerk office is at 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75202, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed on court-approved holidays. Branch locations operate out of Justice of the Peace offices in South Dallas, North Dallas, and Grand Prairie; call the branch first, because hours and accepted payment methods vary.5Dallas County. Vital Records Division – Marriage License
At the counter, a clerk pulls up your pre-filled application, checks your photo IDs against it, and administers an oath. Both partners sign under oath, and the clerk issues the license on the spot.
Fees and the Twogether in Texas Discount
The standard license fee is $80.6Dallas County. Vital Records Fees and Payment Information
Couples who complete the state-approved Twogether in Texas premarital education course pay only $20, a $60 savings. The same certificate also waives the 72-hour waiting period.7Texas State Law Library. Marriage in Texas – Premarital Education Bring the completion certificate to your appointment; it has to be dated within one year of your application.
The 72-Hour Wait and 90-Day Expiration
Texas builds in a 72-hour cooling-off period between issuance and ceremony.8State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.204 – Waiting Period Pick up your license Monday morning, and the earliest legal ceremony is Thursday morning.
The waiting period is waived for:
- Active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces and Department of Defense employees or contractors
- Couples who completed Twogether in Texas within the past year
- Couples with a written waiver from a judge with family-law jurisdiction, a county judge, or an appellate court judge
The license expires if no ceremony takes place before the 90th day after issuance.9State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.201 – Expiration of License There is no extension. If the deadline passes, you apply again and pay again.
Who Can Perform the Ceremony
Texas keeps the list of authorized officiants short:
- Licensed or ordained Christian ministers and priests, Jewish rabbis, and officers of any religious organization authorized by that organization to conduct marriages
- Current, former, or retired federal or state judges
No state officiant registration is required.10Texas State Law Library. Who Can Perform a Marriage Ceremony in Texas The officiant just needs to fit one of the categories in Texas Family Code § 2.202.11State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.202 – Persons Authorized to Conduct Ceremony If you’re planning to have a friend officiate through an online ordination, confirm before the wedding that the ordination will qualify them as an ordained minister under Texas law.
After the Ceremony
The officiant records the date and county on the license, signs it, and returns it to the Dallas County Clerk within 30 days. Failing to return the license on time is a misdemeanor carrying a fine of $200 to $500.12State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.206 – Return of License Penalty If your officiant isn’t a longtime pastor or judge, follow up to be sure the paperwork was filed.
Once recorded, the license becomes part of the permanent public record. Certified copies cost $10 each from the Records Building at 500 Elm Street and can be requested in person or by mail. Mail requests take six to eight weeks and require a money order payable to the Dallas County Clerk.13Dallas County. County Clerk Vital Records Division – FAQs Order more than one copy while you’re there; name changes, insurance updates, and tax records all tend to want an original.