Marriage License Fee in Florida

It is issued by the clerk of the circuit court in the county where you apply, and the license fee is collected when the application is accepted. This fee covers the statutory marriage license issuance process, including the clerk reviewing your application and issuing the license so the ceremony can legally occur. Florida Statutes Section 28.24 includes issuing and recording the license and providing a certified copy as part of the clerk's marriage license application service charge.

The license fee is separate from any optional ceremony charges, so treat it as the baseline cost for the legal authorization to marry. Because the license is a statewide legal document, the rules for issuance, waiting periods, and expiration are set by Florida law even though the application happens at the county level. Start by confirming the fee amount and eligibility for any reduction, then verify your county clerk's appointment process, identification requirements, and payment methods before you apply.

The same guidance explains that the fee is reduced to $61 when both parties are Florida residents and present proof of a premarital preparation course from a certified provider. The reduction is tied to the premarital course and residency status, so the clerk will ask whether you completed the course and whether you are Florida residents when you apply. The fee is collected by the clerk at the time of application, and the clerk issues the license once the requirements are met.

If you are not a Florida resident or do not present a valid course certificate, plan on the standard fee. If you do qualify for the reduced fee, bring the certificate so the clerk can apply the lower amount at issuance.

You apply at a county clerk office, and the clerk issues the license when the application requirements are satisfied. If you are not sure which office to use, Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers maintains a statewide directory of clerk offices so you can locate the correct county contact information.

Each clerk sets appointment options and local intake procedures, so confirm whether your county requires an appointment, whether both applicants must appear in person, and what payment methods are accepted. Even though the application is local, the license is governed by Florida statutes, so the waiting period, age rules, affidavit requirements, and expiration window apply statewide.

According to Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers, the course must be at least four hours and completed within one year before applying. You must present a valid certificate of completion to the clerk. When both applicants are Florida residents and provide the certificate, the license fee is reduced to $61 and the license can become effective the same day it is issued.

If you plan to use the reduction, confirm that your provider is a certified premarital course provider and bring the certificate to your appointment. Without the certificate, the clerk will issue the license but apply the standard fee and waiting period rules.

The $61 reduced fee applies only when both applicants are Florida residents and both present a valid premarital preparation course certificate. If either applicant is not a Florida resident, the reduced fee does not apply and the standard $86 fee is collected. Residency status also affects timing.

The statute requires clerks to grant exceptions to the delayed effective date requirement for non-Florida residents, which means the three-day waiting period does not apply to nonresident couples. If you are a Florida resident, the waiting period rule can still apply even if you plan to marry in another county. Because clerks decide which documents satisfy residency and proof requirements, confirm what your county accepts before your appointment so there are no surprises at the counter.

Under Section 741.04, if a couple does not submit valid certificates, the clerk must delay the effective date of the license by three days from the date of application, and the effective date must be printed on the license. The statute requires the clerk to grant exceptions for non-Florida residents and for couples asserting hardship, and it allows a county court judge to waive the waiting period for Florida residents who demonstrate good cause.

If you are a Florida resident who wants to marry quickly, completing the premarital course is the standard way to avoid the delay. Nonresidents do not have a statutory waiting period, but still must comply with all application and issuance requirements.

Under Section 741.04, a clerk may issue the license immediately but delay the effective date by three days for Florida residents who do not present a premarital course certificate, and that effective date must appear on the license. Section 741.041 says the license is valid for 60 days after issuance. Read together, the 60-day window still runs from the issuance date even if the effective date is later.

That means a waiting period reduces the time you have to hold the ceremony within the 60-day validity period. When you schedule your ceremony, confirm the issuance date, the effective date printed on the license, and the expiration date so you do not miss the valid window.

Section 741.04 requires the affidavit to include each applicant's Social Security number or other available identification number, along with the ages of both parties. Section 741.01 also requires applicants to state under oath whether they are the parents of a child born in Florida and, if so, identify that child by name, date and place of birth, and (if available) birth certificate number. The statute explains that noncitizens may provide an alien registration number or other identification, and it does not allow a clerk to refuse to issue a license simply because an applicant does not have a Social Security number or alien registration number.

The law also requires a statement about whether the applicants completed a premarital preparation course and a statement verifying that both parties obtained and accessed the Florida family law handbook or electronic presentation. Bring government-issued photo identification, be prepared to provide the required affidavit information, and confirm with your county clerk if additional local forms are required.

Under Section 741.04, a clerk may not issue a license to anyone under 18 unless the applicant is at least 17, provides written parental or legal guardian consent, and the older party to the marriage is not more than two years older than the younger party. Applicants younger than 17 are not eligible for a marriage license. For 17-year-olds, the consent must be properly acknowledged before an officer authorized to administer oaths.

Because the age restrictions are statutory, county clerks cannot waive them. If either applicant is 17, bring the required consent documents and expect the clerk to verify the age gap before issuing the license.

Section 741.041 states that a marriage license is valid only for 60 days after issuance and that no ceremony may be performed after the expiration date. The statute also requires the clerk to print the final valid date on the license. This means the ceremony must occur within the 60-day window, regardless of where in Florida the marriage takes place.

If you schedule the ceremony outside that window, the license will expire and you will need to reapply and pay a new fee. Plan the timing so that the license is issued close enough to your ceremony date to avoid expiration while still allowing time for any waiting period.

Section 741.07 authorizes regularly ordained ministers or elders, other ordained clergy, judicial officers (including retired judicial officers), clerks of the circuit courts, and notaries public to perform ceremonies. The statute also recognizes marriages solemnized according to the rites of the Society of Friends (Quakers).

Because the list is statutory, the officiant must fall within one of these categories. If you are planning to use a specific officiant, confirm that the person meets one of the authorized categories before scheduling the ceremony.

Section 741.08 requires the officiant to make a certificate on the license and transmit it back to the issuing clerk within 10 days after solemnizing the marriage. The return allows the clerk to record the marriage in the county's official records.

Practically, this step is how your marriage becomes part of the official record and enables later requests for certified copies. Confirm with your officiant how the license will be returned and whether you need to deliver it to the clerk yourself after the ceremony.

First, confirm the $86 marriage license fee and whether you qualify for the $61 reduced fee by completing a premarital preparation course and proving Florida residency for both applicants. Second, gather identification and the affidavit information required by statute, including Social Security numbers or other identification numbers and your ages. Third, decide whether the premarital course is the best option for you; completing it also removes the three-day waiting period for Florida residents. Fourth, schedule the ceremony within 60 days of issuance, factoring in any waiting period.

Fifth, choose an officiant who is authorized under Florida law. Finally, confirm how the license will be returned to the clerk after the ceremony. If you are a nonresident, confirm that the waiting period exception applies to your situation, but keep the 60-day validity window in mind. Keep copies of your course certificate for your records.

Applicants who do not provide the required affidavit information, including Social Security numbers or acceptable alternate identification, may have to reschedule. Florida residents who do not present a premarital course certificate will have their license delayed by three days unless they qualify for a hardship or judicial waiver. Underage applicants must meet the 17-year-old requirement, provide proper parental consent, and comply with the two-year age gap rule.

Missing course certificates can also prevent both the fee reduction and same-day effectiveness. To avoid delays, confirm the clerk's local appointment rules and bring all required documents to your appointment.