You’re engaged, congratulations! You can already hear wedding bells ringing as the two of you plan to get married in the beautiful and palm-studded State of Florida. Exciting!
As you get ready to join your lives together, there are a few things that need to be done to make your union official. Whether you envision small and intimate, or epic and sumptuous, one thing is for sure:
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.
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 can possibly 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 discount that incentivizes couples to invest in strengthening their marriages before the big wedding day.
Did that stir your curiosity?
Let’s get started then.
Florida Marriage License Requirements
Both of you must be at least 18 years old to marry without parental consent.
Under the new conditions brought up by Covid-19, most counties in Florida require that couples make an appointment to apply for a Florida marriage license.
Your first step is to verify if your county requires you to make an appointment.
All couples applying for a marriage license in Florida are asked to read The Florida Family Law Handbook. You can’t skip this step as you will be asked if you have completed this task in your marriage application.
If you are wondering if you can fill out a Florida marriage license application online, you will be pleased to know that some counties do, in fact, have an online application. Some have a Florida marriage license application PDF that you will be able to print and bring with you when applying for your marriage license; other counties will require you to fill out their online application and submit it prior to your appointment. To check if your county requires that a Florida marriage license application be submitted ahead of time, select your county from our list of Florida counties below.
On the day of your appointment, you both must present yourselves before the Clerk of Courts, in person, ready to show your respective valid federal or state-issued photo ID with the correct legal name, date of birth, and signature.
Any of the following forms of identification will do:
driver’s license,
passport,
military I.D. card,
or alien registration card.
You both must also be ready to provide your respective social security numbers. There is no need to show your cards.
Alachua Bay Brevard Calhoun
Citrus Collier Hardee Hernando
Hillsborough Indian River Jefferson Nassau
Okeechobee Osceola Pasco PolkSanta
Clay Charlotte Hamilton Hendry Highlands
Holmes Jackson Lafayette Okaloosa
Orange Palm Beach Pinellas Putnam
Washington Counties Columbia Escambia
Franklin Gilchrist Gulf Lee Levy
Madison Marion Miami-Dade Sarasota
St. Johns Sumter Taylor Volusia Walton
Desoto Duval Flagler Gadsden Glades
Lake Liberty Manatee Martin Monroe
Leon Seminole St. Lucie Suwanne
Union Wakulla Dixie
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.
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. 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:
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, is presented.
*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.
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
US Visa
In all cases, once obtained, 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 typically $86.00 but varies county to county. 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 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.
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 roughly $61.
The Timeframe of Getting a Florida Marriage 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 immediately.
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.
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 our relationship education course!
Our Florida premarital preparation course is:
Approved in all 67 Florida counties
Self-paced
Video-based
100% online
Informative and fun
At only $15.00 per couple, it is the most affordable premarital education course available in the state!
How Can You Get a Certificate of Completion Immediately?
Take our course!
Once couples complete our approved online premarital course, a Certificate of Completion with a serial number becomes immediately available. All couples need to do is print it. This guarantees that couples get their certificates in the timeliest manner possible. Couples that show this Certificate of Completion to the County Clerk in any of the 67 Florida counties automatically receive a $25.00 discount on their marriage license and waive the mandatory 3-day wait. GUARANTEED.
Florida Premarital Course Online is authored and presented by Dr. Liliana Wolf, a five-star marriage and family clinician, recognized by HealthGrades as being at the top in her specialty nationwide. Thousands of Floridians have prepared for marriage with our online premarital course, and they have given it a consistent 5-star rating.
Register now and start preparing for your marriage while saving time and money. It really is a win, win, win!
Dr. Liliana Wolf, a Florida licensed psychotherapist, former professor of psychology and international relationship expert, has been preparing couples for marriage at her Coral Gables office for over 20 years. Owner and director of Florida Premarital Course, a boutique pre-marriage preparation practice, she is also an approved and certified provider of online premarital courses in all states extending incentives. Favored by couples about to be married, her courses have achieved a consistent 5-star rating, positioning her in the top 1% in sales of online courses by the Teachable platform worldwide. Ranked at the top 1% in the specialty of marriage and family nationwide by HealthGrades, Dr. Wolf is at the top of her game both as a clinician and professor.