Marriage and divorce
Marriage license cost in every state
Pick a state to see the license fee, who sets it and the discount for a premarital course. The table lists all 52 jurisdictions.
Marriage license fee in your state
License · Florida
$86
| Who sets the fee | state law |
| Course discount | $25 (4 h) |
| Example | – |
A marriage license costs between $20 and $169 in the United States in 2026, depending on the state and often on the county, with a typical fee around $55. The lowest fees read for this site are in Michigan, the highest in Washington. In 19 states the fee is written into state law and is the same in every county; elsewhere each county clerk, probate court, town or city clerk sets its own price within or above a state share, so two counties of the same state can differ by tens of dollars. 8 states lower the fee for couples who complete a premarital education course with a registered provider: Florida ($25 off), Georgia ($40 off), Minnesota ($75 off), Oklahoma ($45 off), Tennessee ($60 off), Texas ($60 off), Utah ($20 off) and West Virginia ($22 off). The license fee is only part of the cost: a civil ceremony at the clerk's office, certified copies of the marriage certificate afterwards and, in some places, a card surcharge come on top. Fees were read on the official state, county and city pages, with the date of reading for each; the license is always bought in person from the local office that issues it.
From license to certificate: what you pay at each step
License + certificate copies
$60 + copies
| License (before the wedding) | from $60 |
| Certified certificate copies (2) | issued by the county |
| Who issues the certificate | the county |
Fees and rules read on official pages by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the fees are checked
The fee in all 52 jurisdictions
For states where counties set the fee, the range is that of the county pages read for this site; your county may differ.
| State | License fee | Set by | Course discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $75 to $89 | County | – |
| Alaska | $60 | State law | – |
| Arizona | $98 | County | – |
| Arkansas | $60 | County | – |
| California | $61 to $97 | County | – |
| Colorado | $30 | County | – |
| Connecticut | $50 | Local office | – |
| Delaware | $50 to $120 | County | – |
| District of Columbia | $45 | Local office | – |
| Florida | $86 | State law | $25 |
| Georgia | $56 to $78 | County | $40 |
| Hawaii | $65 | State law | – |
| Idaho | $28 to $30 | County | – |
| Illinois | $60 | County | – |
| Indiana | $25 to $69 | County | – |
| Iowa | $35 | County | – |
| Kansas | $85.50 | State law | – |
| Kentucky | $50 to $60 | County | – |
| Louisiana | $27.50 | Local office | – |
| Maine | $40 | State law | – |
| Maryland | $35 to $55 | County | – |
| Massachusetts | $25 to $40 | Local office | – |
| Michigan | $20 to $40 | County | – |
| Minnesota | $125 | State law | $75 |
| Mississippi | $21 to $38 | County | – |
| Missouri | $50 | County | – |
| Montana | $53 | State law | – |
| Nebraska | $50 | State law | – |
| Nevada | $85 to $102 | County | – |
| New Hampshire | $50 | State law | – |
| New Jersey | $28 | State law | – |
| New Mexico | $55 | State law | – |
| New York (outside NYC) | $40 | State law | – |
| New York City | $35 | Local office | – |
| North Carolina | $60 | State law | – |
| North Dakota | $65 | State law | – |
| Ohio | $60 to $65 | County | – |
| Oklahoma | $50 | State law | $45 |
| Oregon | $50 to $60 | County | – |
| Pennsylvania | $65 to $90 | County | – |
| Rhode Island | $24 | State law | – |
| South Carolina | $30 to $120 | County | – |
| South Dakota | $40 | State law | – |
| Tennessee | $97.50 to $107.50 | County | $60 |
| Texas | $71 to $82 | County | $60 |
| Utah | $50 to $71.75 | County | $20 |
| Vermont | $80 | State law | – |
| Virginia | $30 to $33 | Local office | – |
| Washington | $169 | County | – |
| West Virginia | $57 | State law | $22 |
| Wisconsin | $120 | County | – |
| Wyoming | $25 to $30 | County | – |
What else to budget
- Ceremony: a civil ceremony performed by the clerk or a judge has its own fee; see courthouse wedding cost.
- Certified copies: needed for a name change, insurance and taxes, sold by the office that records the marriage; see marriage certificate copies.
- Payment fees: some clerks add a percentage for cards.
- Course: the premarital course has its own price, paid to the provider, which can cancel out part of the discount.
From license to certificate: what you pay at each step
License + certificate copies
$60 + copies
| License (before the wedding) | from $60 |
| Certified certificate copies (2) | issued by the county |
| Who issues the certificate | the county |
Dates matter as much as the fee
A license that expires before the wedding is lost money. The waiting period and validity page gives the window for each state, and the license calculator gives the calendar dates.