How to Get a Marriage License in Florida

Y

ou're engaged; congratulations! You can hear wedding bells ringing as you plan to get married in the beautiful, palm-studded State of Florida. Exciting!

As you get ready to join your lives together, you'll have to do a few things to make your union official. But, whether you envision small and intimate or epic and sumptuous, one thing is for sure:

Engaged? Securing a marriage license is a must.

You will need a Florida marriage license to get married.

Well, you have come to the right place.

The Ultimate Guide:

Everything You Need to Know About Getting a Marriage
License in Florida and More.

A Florida marriage license allows you to marry legally.

If you are wondering how to get a marriage license in Florida, save this guide. It offers up-to-date answers to all the questions you may have. It answers questions like:

How long does it take to get a marriage license in Florida?

and

Can you get a Florida marriage license online?

This guide is all you need!

Not only will you learn how much it costs to get a marriage license in Florida, but you will also learn about a significant discount that Florida has been offering its residents since 1998. A deal that incentivizes couples to invest in strengthening their marriages before the big wedding day.

Did that stir your curiosity?
Let's get started, then.

The State of Florida does all it can to see couples who marry in the state have healthy marriages.

What is a Florida marriage license, and why do you need it?

A Florida marriage license is a legal document issued by a County Court to a couple before marriage, authorizing them to get married.

Some counties accept walk-ins, others want you to schedule an appointment

The process is very straightforward.

Fill out a Marriage License Application Form with the required information.
Present it to the County Court for its approval and issuance.

Obtaining a marriage license is the first step needed to legalize a union. It states that you and your partner are legally allowed to get married. Once granted, you have sixty (60) days to get married.

Therefore, securing your marriage license before celebrating your wedding is mandatory in The State of Florida.

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What is the difference between a Marriage License and a Marriage Certificate?

A marriage license allows you to marry legally, while the marriage certificate proves you are married.

Florida Marriage License Requirements

Florida couples can start the process by applying for a marriage license online.

M

ost counties in Florida require that couples make an appointment to apply for a Florida
marriage license.

You must be at least 18 years old to marry without parental consent.

Here are the steps:

Verify if your county requires you to make an appointment.
Go over The Florida Family Law Handbook, as you must state that you have completed this task in your marriage license application.
You will be pleased to learn that many counties allow you to complete a Florida marriage license application online. Several Florida counties require that you fill out their

online application form available on their respective official county websites. Others have a Florida marriage license application PDF that, once filled, you can download, print, and bring with you to the county court when showing up for your in-person appointment.

Contact your county from our list of Florida counties below to check if your county requires that a Florida marriage license application be submitted ahead of time.

4. On the day of your appointment, you both must present yourselves before the Clerk of Courts, ready to show your respective valid federal or state-issued photo I.D. with the correct legal name, date of birth, and signature.

The State of Florida counts on the fact that a healthy marital relationship provides a solid framework for stronger families and communities.

Any of the following forms of identification will do:

Driver's license,
passport,
military I.D. card, or
alien registration card.

You must also be ready to provide your respective social security numbers, though there is no need to show your cards.

If you don't have a social security number, indicate that on the application.

Keep in mind that highly populated counties may have more than one location where you can apply. If you plan to apply for a marriage license in Miami-Dade County, for instance, you may go to any of the six full-service District Court locations aside from the Central Marriage License Bureau in Downtown Miami.

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How do I get my Certificate of Marriage?

Upon completion of your marriage ceremony, the officiant who marries you, must sign and return the completed marriage license to the Court that issued the license. They have ten (10) days to do this. After recording your marriage, the Court will then send you one certified copy of your Marriage Certificate.

SPECIAL CASES

If Previously Married:

You will be asked to provide the exact date of last divorce, death, or annulment.

If your divorce was finalized in The State of Florida, and you don’t have the required
information, you may want to check with the Florida county where your divorce took place and do a Family Online Case search.

If you were previously married you will need to provide the exact date of the dissolution of marriage.

Given that divorce decrees are public record, you will be able to view the docket link and retrieve that date for your divorce final judgement.

Minors:

You must be at least seventeen (17) years of age to be able to apply for a marriage license in Florida, provided you get parental consent.

*If a parent is deceased, a Death Certificate must be produced by the surviving parent.

*If parents are divorced and one parent has full custody of the minor, the custodial parent must
submit proof of custody’s court order.

Those under 18 years of age may be able to apply for a Florida marriage license, provided:

They are at least 17 years of age. Florida Statutes prohibit that a marriage license be
issued to anyone under 17 years of age.

The older party to the marriage is not more than 2 years older than the younger party.

Both parents or legal guardian must be present with their respective valid photo ID.*

A parental consent form is filled out and signed in addition to the standard requirements.

The minor party’s birth certificate, showing the parent’s name needs to be provided as
well.

Non-Florida Residents:

How to get a marriage license in Florida for non-residents?

Given that there is no residency or citizenship requirement, a Florida marriage license can be issued to out-state couples and foreigners.

Non-Florida residents must also show in person when applying for a marriage license in Florida
and must submit any of the following government issued picture IDs:

State issued Driver's license
Military ID

Foreigners must show either a valid

Passport
Alien Registration Card, o
US Visa

*In all cases, once obtained, as your Florida marriage license is valid for 60 days. This means that you must complete your marriage ceremony within that 60 days and send the completed license to the Clerk’s Office (this is usually done by the officiant of the wedding).

The Cost of a Florida Marriage License

How much is a marriage license in Florida? The Florida marriage license fee is $86.00. Valid forms of payment include credit cards and cash.

You will be happy to know that the State of Florida offers a $25.00 discount to those Florida couples who
complete a 4-hour premarital course from a Florida premarital course provider. It is good to keep in mind that only some providers are approved as Florida premarital course providers statewide.

Premarital course preparation is both a money saver and an effective way to learn how to manage the challenges of marriage.

In order to be eligible for the $25 discount, couples must present an Official Certificate of
Completion. Factoring in the discount, Florida couples can get a marriage license for $61.00

The Timeframe for Getting a Florida Marriage License

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I just found out that Florida has a 3-day waiting period. Tomorrow is my appointment and I would like to get married in court tomorrow, what do I do?

Enroll in a state-approved online premarital preparation course that is valid in all counties and gives you the option to instantly download your official certificate upon completion. Remember that the course must last four hours to be valid. If you have that time, do it now.

In Florida, you can get married the same day you apply for your license.

As you plan your wedding, it’s important to take into consideration that some states have imposed a mandatory wait time to couples applying for a marriage license. The State of Florida is one of them.

So, how long does it take to get a marriage license in Florida?

The answer is 3 days. This is because Florida law prevents Florida residents from getting married within the first 72
hours after obtaining a Florida marriage license. This does not apply to out-of-state couples or foreigners.

How to skip the 3-day, mandatory waiting period?

Florida couples are able to waive this mandatory waiting period by taking an approved Florida
Premarital Course.

Completing a Florida Premarital Course Online does not only provide you with the tools and
skills to start marriage on the right foot, but it also saves you time and money.

Depending on the Florida Premarital course provider you choose, you will not only get a nice discount off your Florida marriage license fee, but it will also allow you to get married the same day you apply for a Florida marriage license, if so you wish.

Curious? Read on.

How to Get an Official Certificate of Completion in Florida

You will be happy to know that Florida is one of only 10 states in the USA that has state-run
programs providing incentives to couples who complete an approved premarital education course.

The main reason for the existence of such programs is that it’s a win-win situation for all involved. Studies show that 80% of couples who partake in premarital education remain together.

Further, couples preparing for marriage report a 30% increase in marital satisfaction when compared with those who don’t take a premarital preparation course.

With a Certificate of Completion from an approved provider, Florida couples save time and money while they prepare for the most important journey in their lives: marriage.

Given the above, the State of Florida has a vested interest in facilitating premarital education for its residents. They count on the fact that a healthy marital relationship provides a solid framework for stronger families and communities.

Premarital preparation courses in Florida can only be offered by fully vetted providers. If you are looking to take advantage of this financial incentive, then check out this state-of-the-art all-video interactive relationship education course favored by over sixty thousand registered students.

For information about how to get a marriage license in your county:

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