Marriage and divorce
Marriage license waiting period and validity by state
Enter the issue date: the calculator gives the first day you may marry and the last day the license is valid in the state you choose.
License fee · Wisconsin
$120–$120
| County range | $120 |
| Waiting period | 3 days |
| Earliest ceremony | October 27, 2026 |
| License expires | December 23, 2026 |
Your wedding day fits the license.
Fee set by each county clerk; 3-day waiting period, which the clerk may waive for a fee; valid 60 days. Official page
A marriage license waiting period is the time between the issue of the license and the first moment the ceremony may take place. In 32 of the 52 jurisdictions covered here there is none, and the license can be used the same day. Delaware, Illinois, Louisiana, New York (outside NYC), New York City and South Carolina impose 24 hours; Connecticut and Maryland impose 48 hours; Alaska, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin impose three days; and the longest wait read for this site, four days. Many states with a wait allow waivers: a judge's order, active military service, or, in some states, a premarital course. Validity is the other limit: a license expires if it is not used in time, and the fee is lost. The most common validity is 60 days (17 jurisdictions); 9 allow only 30 days, 7 allow 90, and 4 allow a full year, while a few states set no expiry at all. Where the data show a state without a published figure, the calculator says so instead of guessing. Rules were read on official state and county pages, with the date for each state.
License waiting period and validity
Waiting period · Massachusetts
72 hours
| Valid for | 60 days |
| Rule | Intention of marriage filed with a city or town clerk; 3-day wait; valid 60 days. |
Fees and rules read on official pages by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How the fees are checked
Waiting period and validity, state by state
| State | Waiting period | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | no waiting period | 30 days |
| Alaska | 3 days | 90 days |
| Arizona | no waiting period | 1 year |
| Arkansas | no waiting period | 60 days |
| California | no waiting period | 90 days |
| Colorado | no waiting period | 35 days |
| Connecticut | 48 hours | 65 days |
| Delaware | 24 hours | 30 days |
| District of Columbia | no waiting period | does not expire |
| Florida | 3 days | 60 days |
| Georgia | no waiting period | does not expire |
| Hawaii | no waiting period | 30 days |
| Idaho | no waiting period | does not expire |
| Illinois | 24 hours | 60 days |
| Indiana | no waiting period | 60 days |
| Iowa | 3 days | does not expire |
| Kansas | 3 days | 6 months |
| Kentucky | no waiting period | 30 days |
| Louisiana | 24 hours | 30 days |
| Maine | no waiting period | 90 days |
| Maryland | 48 hours | 6 months |
| Massachusetts | 3 days | 60 days |
| Michigan | 3 days | 33 days |
| Minnesota | no waiting period | 6 months |
| Mississippi | no waiting period | does not expire |
| Missouri | no waiting period | 30 days |
| Montana | no waiting period | 180 days |
| Nebraska | no waiting period | 1 year |
| Nevada | no waiting period | 1 year |
| New Hampshire | no waiting period | 90 days |
| New Jersey | 3 days | 30 days |
| New Mexico | no waiting period | does not expire |
| New York (outside NYC) | 24 hours | 60 days |
| New York City | 24 hours | 60 days |
| North Carolina | no waiting period | 60 days |
| North Dakota | no waiting period | 60 days |
| Ohio | no waiting period | 60 days |
| Oklahoma | no waiting period | 30 days |
| Oregon | 3 days | 60 days |
| Pennsylvania | 3 days | 60 days |
| Rhode Island | no waiting period | 90 days |
| South Carolina | 24 hours | not published |
| South Dakota | no waiting period | 90 days |
| Tennessee | no waiting period | 30 days |
| Texas | 3 days | 90 days |
| Utah | no waiting period | 32 days |
| Vermont | no waiting period | 60 days |
| Virginia | no waiting period | 60 days |
| Washington | 3 days | 60 days |
| West Virginia | no waiting period | 60 days |
| Wisconsin | 3 days | 60 days |
| Wyoming | no waiting period | 1 year |
Planning the two dates
Count backward from the wedding: the license must be issued early enough for any waiting period to pass, and late enough to still be valid on the wedding day. In a 30-day state, apply within the month before the ceremony; in a one-year state, any time in the year works. Add a margin of a few days for an appointment and for the office's hours on the day of issue.
License waiting period and validity
Waiting period · Massachusetts
72 hours
| Valid for | 60 days |
| Rule | Intention of marriage filed with a city or town clerk; 3-day wait; valid 60 days. |
Weddings far from home
Destination weddings favor states with no wait and a long validity: Nevada is the best known, as the Las Vegas page shows. In a state with a waiting period, couples coming from elsewhere often buy the license on arrival and plan the ceremony several days later. Prices and courses are compared on marriage license cost by state.