To meet Florida marriage license requirements, both people must appear together in person at any Clerk of the Circuit Court office with valid photo ID, be at least 18 (or 17 with notarized parental consent), be currently unmarried, and pay $86, or $61 if you’ve completed a state-approved premarital preparation course. Neither Florida residency nor U.S. citizenship is required. If either applicant is a Florida resident and hasn’t taken the course, the license carries a three-day waiting period before the ceremony can take place.
Who Can Apply
Anyone 18 or older can apply on their own. A 17-year-old can apply only with notarized written consent from both parents or a legal guardian, and the other person in the couple cannot be more than two years older.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 741.04 – Issuance of Marriage License No one under 17 can marry in Florida.
Both applicants must be unmarried at the moment they apply. Florida does not permit a person to hold two valid marriages simultaneously, and marriages between close relatives are prohibited by statute.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 741.21 – Incestuous Marriages Prohibited
You do not need to live in Florida or be a U.S. citizen. Out-of-state and international couples apply with the same documents residents do, and can marry in Florida as visitors.
Documents You Need to Bring
Both people appear at the clerk’s office with a valid government-issued photo ID: a Florida driver’s license, state ID card, or U.S. passport all work. U.S. citizens must provide a Social Security number. Non-citizens should bring an alien registration number or equivalent federal identification.
If either person has been married before, the application asks for the exact date the prior marriage ended, whether by divorce, death, or annulment. Most counties don’t require you to bring the physical decree, but you’re stating that date under oath. An incorrect date can invalidate the license or expose you to perjury charges.
Any ID or divorce document in a language other than English should come with a certified English translation. The translator must certify the translation is complete and accurate and include their name, signature, and address.
Fee and the Premarital Course Discount
The standard license fee is $86. Couples who present a valid certificate from a registered premarital preparation course pay $61 instead.3Florida Senate. Florida Code 741.0305 – Marriage Fee Reduction for Completion of Premarital Preparation Course4Osceola County Clerk of Court. Marriage License Forms and Fees The $25 discount applies to residents and non-residents alike.
The course must run at least four hours and come from a provider registered with the Clerk of the Circuit Court.5Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Palm Beach County. Waiting Period and Discounted Marriage License Partners can take it together or separately, in person, by video, or online. The provider issues a completion certificate you bring to the clerk. A directory of registered providers is available at any clerk’s office.
Most offices take cash, credit cards, and money orders. Some add a small surcharge for card payments.
The Three-Day Waiting Period
Florida imposes a three-day waiting period between the day the license is issued and the day the ceremony can take place. It applies whenever at least one applicant is a Florida resident.5Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Palm Beach County. Waiting Period and Discounted Marriage License Completing the premarital course waives the waiting period for residents.
If both applicants live outside Florida, the waiting period doesn’t apply, and you can marry the same day the license is issued.6Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller. Marriage License Frequently Asked Questions
How and Where to Apply
Both people must appear together, in person, at a Clerk of the Circuit Court office. Any Florida county works. You don’t have to apply in the county where you live or where the wedding will happen. Some counties offer an online pre-application to speed things up at the counter, but the in-person visit itself is still required.7Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court. Marriage License Frequently Asked Questions
After the clerk reviews your documents, both applicants take an oath that everything in the application is true, sign in front of the deputy clerk, and receive the license on the spot. If a Florida resident hasn’t taken the premarital course, note the date the license becomes effective three days out.
Common-Law Marriage Is Not an Option
You cannot skip the license by living together. Florida has not recognized new common-law marriages since January 1, 1968.8The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 741.211 – Common-Law Marriages Void Length of the relationship and how you present yourselves don’t matter. The only exception is a common-law marriage that was validly created in another state that recognizes them, which Florida may honor under full faith and credit principles.
The Ceremony, Validity, and Filing
The license is valid for 60 days from the date it’s issued.9Florida Senate. Florida Code 741.041 – Marriage License Application Valid for 60 Days Miss that window and the license expires; you’ll need to reapply and pay the full fee again. A Florida license is good anywhere in the state, so you can apply in one county and marry in another.
Florida requires that the ceremony be performed by an authorized officiant: ordained clergy, active or retired judges and justices, clerks of the circuit court, or Florida notaries public. Quaker and Friends ceremonies are valid under their own rites.10Florida Senate. Florida Code 741.07 – Persons Authorized to Solemnize Matrimony11The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 117.045 – Marriages Florida does not require witnesses.
After the wedding, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the issuing clerk’s office within 10 days.12The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 741.08 – Marriage Not to Be Solemnized Without a License That’s the officiant’s job, but check back with the clerk within a week to confirm the filing happened. A late or missing filing creates real problems the first time you need proof of marriage for insurance, taxes, or a name change. Once the clerk records the completed license, you can order a certified copy of the marriage certificate as your official proof.