Marriage License Fee in Michigan

The fee on this page covers the county clerk issuing that license, based on the sworn application and statutory requirements in Michigan Compiled Laws Chapter 551. The license is the legal authorization to marry and must be delivered to the officiant before the ceremony. Michigan uses a license and certificate form prepared by the state registrar, and the county clerk records the issuance in the county register. This fee does not include optional services such as a civil ceremony performed by a local official or certified copies of the marriage record after the ceremony.

If you will need certified copies, ask the county clerk about the separate copy fee and ordering options. Keep your receipt for records. Always confirm payment methods, local procedures, and whether appointments are required with the county clerk who will issue your license.

The statute requires the county board of commissioners to allocate $15 of each fee to circuit court family counseling services that include counseling for domestic violence and child abuse. If the counseling program is not established, the statute allows the allocated funds to be used to contract with other agencies and then returned to the county general fund if unexpended. A probate court may order the county clerk to waive the marriage license fee when paying it would result in undue hardship.

If both parties are nonresidents of Michigan, an additional $10 fee is required. The statute also allows a charter county with more than 1,500,000 inhabitants to impose a different fee or nonresident fee by ordinance, but the fee cannot exceed the cost of the service. Because of these statutory exceptions and any local waiver or immediate-issuance charges, confirm the exact fee with the county clerk where you will apply.

If the parties live in different counties, either county clerk can issue the license. If both parties are nonresidents of Michigan, the license must be obtained from the county clerk of the county where the marriage is to be performed.

This rule determines which county clerk is your issuing office and which fee schedule applies. The statute also requires that the license be delivered to the clergyman or magistrate who will officiate before the marriage can be performed, so plan to give the license to your officiant in advance of the ceremony.

Section 1 requires nonresident couples to apply in the county where the marriage will be performed. Section 3 then requires an additional $10 fee if both parties are nonresidents of the state. This means nonresident couples should pick the ceremony county first, confirm that county clerk's fee schedule, and be prepared for the nonresident surcharge.

If one party is a Michigan resident and the other is not, the couple applies in the resident's county and the nonresident surcharge does not apply because both parties are not nonresidents. Confirm residency rules with the county clerk if your residency status is mixed or if you recently moved.

Applicants must make and file the application in the form of an affidavit with the county clerk as the basis for issuing the license. The application includes a space for each applicant's Social Security number to comply with federal law, and the statute prohibits displaying the Social Security number on the license itself. The county clerk may allow electronic submission of the application, but the clerk must print the application and have a party sign the affidavit in the presence of the county clerk or a deputy clerk.

Section 2 also makes unauthorized disclosure of a collected Social Security number a misdemeanor. When you apply, be prepared to provide your Social Security number and to sign the affidavit in person, even if you submit preliminary information online.

The clerk must not issue the license until the statutory requirements are met, and if the parties are legally entitled to be married the clerk must sign the license and certify that it is properly issued. This makes the application a formal sworn statement rather than a casual form.

Section 2 also requires a party named in the application to sign the affidavit in the presence of the county clerk or a deputy clerk, even if preliminary information is submitted electronically. If the clerk requests proof of age under Section 3, bring the documentation they specify so the clerk can complete the certification without delay.

As proof of age, the county clerk may require a birth certificate or other documentation in addition to the statement of age in the application. The clerk must fill out the license based on sworn answers, and the clerk must not issue a license until the statutory requirements are met.

If the clerk requests proof of age, confirm what documents are acceptable and bring them to avoid a return trip. This age rule applies statewide, regardless of the county where you file.

It states that a marriage license shall not be delivered within a period of 3 days including the date of application. That means the county clerk cannot deliver the license until the three-day period that includes the application date has passed. Because the license must be delivered to the officiant before the marriage can be performed, the waiting period effectively sets the earliest possible ceremony date unless a waiver is granted.

The same section allows the county clerk, for good and sufficient cause shown, to deliver the license immediately following the application. If the clerk issues the license immediately, an additional fee applies and the amount is set by the county board of commissioners. Immediate issuance is discretionary, so you should ask the clerk what documentation they require to show good and sufficient cause and what the current waiver fee is.

This is a strict validity window measured from the application date, not from the date the license is delivered. It applies even if the clerk issues the license immediately for good cause.

When you plan your timeline, make sure the ceremony will occur within 33 days after applying and that your officiant has the license in hand before the ceremony. If the window expires, you must submit a new application and pay the fee again.

The statute specifies that witnesses must be 18 years of age or older. Section 4 adds that the officiant must fill in the time and place of the marriage, the names and residences of two witnesses, and the officiant's signature.

It also requires that all information be typewritten or legibly printed. This means you should ensure two adult witnesses are present and that the officiant completes the certificate fully and legibly to avoid recording delays.

The list includes district court judges and magistrates, probate judges, federal judges, mayors within their county, county clerks under specified conditions, and ministers or clerics authorized according to the usages of their denomination. The statute also allows nonresident ministers or clerics to officiate if they are authorized to solemnize marriages under the laws of the state where they reside.

If you plan to use a nonresident officiant or a local official, confirm their authority and any local requirements before the ceremony, since some officials may charge a separate ceremony fee set by their local governing body.

The officiant must also keep an accurate record of marriages performed. This return step is required for the marriage to be recorded by the county clerk and forwarded to the state registrar.

If the certificate is not returned promptly or is incomplete, it can delay the recording of the marriage and your ability to obtain certified copies.

Section 3 requires the county clerk to make a correct copy of the license in the county registration books and to forward licenses and certificates to the state registrar after they are returned. These recordkeeping steps are handled by the clerk, but they explain why the completed license must be returned promptly and accurately.

If names, witness information, or dates are incomplete, the clerk may need corrections before the record can be finalized. If you need a certified copy later, it will be issued from these recorded entries once the state and county records are complete.

Section 1 requires residents to apply in their county of residence, while nonresidents must apply in the county where the marriage will occur. Section 2 requires an affidavit application with Social Security numbers and a signature before the clerk, and Section 3 allows the clerk to request proof of age. Section 3a prevents delivery of the license within three days of application unless a waiver is granted, and the license becomes void after 33 days.

Certificates can also be delayed if the officiant does not return the completed license within 10 days or if witness information is incomplete. Nonresident couples sometimes forget the additional $10 fee or miscalculate the 33-day validity window. Confirming these rules in advance helps avoid reapplying and paying the fee again.