Wedding Planning Tip: Getting a Florida Marriage License

Getting a Florida Marriage License is one of those pesky little details that is boring, but very necessary, when planning your Florida wedding. Any couple who wishes to wed in the State of Florida must obtain and present a valid Florida Marriage License to their wedding officiant. Marriage licenses issued in other states are not valid in Florida.

A Florida Marriage License can be obtained from any county courthouse in the State of Florida, and the process is usually handled by the respective county’s Clerk of Court. Once issued, the license is valid for 60 days and can be used anywhere in the State. The fee for a Florida Marriage License is $93.50 as of this writing.

If either the bride or groom is a Florida resident, there is a three-day waiting period before the Florida Marriage License becomes valid (the license will be issued when you apply, but will have an effective date three days in the future), unless you have completed a State-approved marriage preparation course. Completion of this course also gets you a discount on the Florida Marriage License in most cases. There are lots of vendors out there offering this service – if you use one, make sure they are approved by the County in which you intend to apply.

If neither party is a Florida resident, your Florida Marriage License will be valid the day it is issued and you can get it as late as the same day as your wedding. But it's always a good idea to allow some extra time and get it a few days earlier if possible.

If either party has been divorced or widowed, or changed their name, it is a good idea to bring legal proof of this (i.e., a divorce decree, court order, or death certificate) with you when you apply for your Florida Marriage License. At a minimum, you will need the exact date your previous marriage ended. We recommend you call the Courthouse ahead of time to confirm their requirements, especially for unusual cases (be sure to keep a record of who you spoke to and when).

Generally, both parties must be physically present (Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm) and present valid identification at the time of application, and this is by far the easiest way to obtain your Florida Marriage License. Your best bet is to plan your trip so that you have time to stop by a County Courthouse a few days before your wedding ceremony.

However, this is not always possible (for example if you are arriving on a Friday evening and want to get married over the weekend). Services like Florida Marriage License Express or Married by Mail can process a Florida Marriage License in advance of your arrival (for non-Florida residents only).

Once you have a valid Florida Marriage License, you must present it to your wedding officiant prior to your wedding ceremony. They will sign and notarize the license after your ceremony, may have witnesses sign it (this is optional in some counties), and must keep the original and file it with the county court in which it was issued. You will receive a certified copy from the court after it has been recorded, and can request additional copies from the Clerk of Court for a small fee at any time in the future.

Most counties in Florida maintain a website with marriage license information and frequently asked questions, and some details vary from county to county. For more information on the counties in our service area, see:

• Tampa, St Petersburg, Clearwater (Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties) Marriage License Info
• Anna Maria Island, Sarasota, and Bradenton (Manatee and Sarasota Counties) Marriage License Info
• Fort Myers and Sanibel Island (Lee County) Marriage License Info

And that's it. It's actually a pretty painless process, but it is an important element of planning your Florida wedding!

Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions about getting a Florida Marriage License.

---

Comment | Subscribe | Home | Website