Marriage License Fee in Oregon

The fee on this page covers the county clerk taking the application, verifying eligibility, issuing the license, and registering the return after the ceremony. The license is the legal authorization for an officiant to solemnize the marriage, and the return is the record of the ceremony signed by the parties, witnesses, and officiant.

Certified copies and convenience fees for online services or card processing are often charged separately by counties. Always confirm payment methods and any additional copy fees with the county clerk where you apply.

ORS 205.320 sets a $25 county clerk fee for taking an affidavit, issuing the marriage license, and registering the return of the license. ORS 106.045 adds a $25 domestic violence fund fee that the county clerk must collect in addition to other fees. Together these statutes create a $50 base license fee.

Counties may charge additional fees for certified copies or for convenience services such as online portals or card processing. For example, Multnomah County lists a $60 license fee and an additional $5 to waive the waiting period. Use the county clerk fee schedule to confirm the current total and what the fee includes.

The license is directed to an authorized officiant and allows that officiant to solemnize the marriage of the named applicants. County clerks control appointment policies, identification checks, and intake procedures, so the process can vary by county.

Confirm your county clerk's hours, appointment rules, and identification requirements before you apply.

The form includes confidential Social Security number fields and statistical data such as age, place of birth, occupation, residence, and previous marital status. The application also records each applicant's name after marriage under ORS 106.220, and the state form cannot require an address for a religious organization or congregation authorized to solemnize marriages.

Because the application becomes part of the official record, prepare accurate personal details and bring any supporting documentation the county clerk requests.

County clerks therefore have discretion to request age documentation such as a birth certificate or passport.

Check your county clerk's document list in advance and bring originals or certified copies to avoid delays.

ORS 106.030 provides that a marriage can be declared void if a party lacked capacity or if consent was obtained by force or fraud.

Because Oregon law sets 18 as the minimum age to marry, applicants should confirm age eligibility before applying.

The statute prohibits marriages when either party has a living spouse and marriages between first cousins or nearer kin, whether related by whole or half blood or by adoption. The statute allows marriages between first cousins by adoption only.

If you have a prior marriage that has not been dissolved or you are unsure about kinship rules, resolve those issues before applying.

After the county clerk receives the written application from both applicants and all legal requirements are met, the clerk issues the license, which becomes effective three days after the application was signed. The clerk must show the effective date on the license. For good and sufficient cause, the waiting period may be waived by a judge of probate, certain circuit or county judges, or the county clerk or issuing official.

Some counties charge a local fee for the waiver, so confirm the waiver process and cost before you apply if your ceremony is scheduled sooner than three days. The waiver must be a written order signed by one of the authorized officials listed in the statute. If you are planning a same-week ceremony, ask the county clerk what documentation is needed for a waiver and whether the fee must be paid at the time of application.

This means the ceremony must occur within 60 days of the effective date, not the application date. If you obtain a waiting period waiver, the effective date may be sooner, but the 60-day validity window still applies.

Plan your application timing so the license remains valid on your ceremony date. The license cannot be used before the effective date or after the expiration date shown on the license, so review those dates carefully when the clerk issues your paperwork.

Once the completed license is returned, the clerk adds the ceremony date and files the completed application, license, and record of marriage. The statute also states that the county marriage record is a public record open to disclosure.

If you need certified copies later, ask the county clerk how to request them and how long recording usually takes after the officiant returns the signed license.

The Oregon Health Authority supplies the pamphlet to counties.

This requirement is part of the issuance process, so expect the clerk to provide the pamphlet when you pick up the license.

The statute allows authorized officiants to solemnize marriages anywhere in Oregon. ORS 106.120 also authorizes a $117 fee when a county clerk or judge solemnizes a marriage during normal working hours in court or clerk facilities, and it allows agreed personal payments for ceremonies performed off-site or outside normal hours.

If you plan to use a judge or county clerk as your officiant, confirm the fee and scheduling rules with the office. If you are using a religious or secular organization officiant, confirm that the organization has authorized the officiant to perform marriages under ORS 106.120 before the ceremony.

The statute does not require a specific form of ceremony as long as this assent occurs.

Plan to have two witnesses present for the ceremony and ensure they are ready to sign the marriage record immediately after the ceremony.

ORS 106.100 directs the county clerk to file the completed record, add the ceremony date to county records, and deliver the originals to the Center for Health Statistics as required by ORS 432.173. Except as provided in ORS 205.320, the county clerk may not charge a fee for filing, recording, or indexing the completed record, and the marriage record maintained by the county clerk is a public record.

Ask your officiant how and when the record will be returned so you can request certified copies after it is filed.

Multnomah County, for example, lists a $60 marriage license fee and accepts cash, card, or a cashier's check or money order. The county charges an additional $5 for a waiver of the three-day waiting period and notes that applicants must be married within 60 days and within Oregon.

Multnomah also advises applicants to contact the office if both parties cannot appear together. Use this local example as a benchmark and confirm your county clerk's fee schedule, waiting period waiver process, and document requirements before you apply.

Applications can also be delayed if the county clerk determines additional affidavits are needed under ORS 106.050. Another common issue is waiting period timing; licenses are not effective until three days after signing unless a waiver is granted.

Finally, if the ceremony is scheduled outside the 60-day validity window or if the officiant does not return the record within five days, recording and certified copies can be delayed. Verify documents, timing, and officiant return steps before you apply.