Florida Residents:
For detailed information on applying for your Florida marriage license, click on the appropriate below links. Please note except in very specific circumstances, a Marriage License issued by the Florida County Clerk’s Office needs 3-days to mature and expires in 60 days. This means that there must be at least 72 hours between the time you are issued your Marriage License and your ceremony, and your ceremony must take place within 60 days of when you obtained your Marriage License regardless in what county.
Non-Florida Residents:
Please note that you are required to obtain a Marriage License at the corresponding Florida County Clerks Office. There is no waiting period for non-Florida residents.
If both applicants reside out-of-state and are able to present valid proof of photo identification indicating their out-of-state address at the time of filing the marriage license application. (Please call the appropriate Florida County Clerk’s office for other acceptable proof.)
In order to get married, you need to have a valid marriage license (the document that authorizes you to get married). The rules, regulations and requirements for obtaining your marriage license vary by state so you should check with your local registrar to get the requirements for your particular jurisdiction.
Most states allow a validity between 30 and 60 days, some states offer a longer validity. I recommend obtaining your marriage license 2 to 3 weeks before the ceremony and when applying for the marriage license, it is a must that both parties appear together. Your marriage license does not in any way prove that you are married.
I can’t marry you without a valid marriage license.
Marriage License:
After the ceremony, I’ll submit your completed marriage license (the document that proves you are married) to the appropriate Florida County Clerk Registrar’s Office to be verified and processed into the public records or you can personally take your signed and completed marriage license for faster processing.
It’s your responsibility to obtain a copy of your Certified Marriage Certificate. Some states, like Florida, no additional steps are required, once I submit your license and its processed, they send you a copy of your Certified Marriage Certificate. I will provide you with all the necessary information and follow up to make sure that you’ve received your Certified Marriage Certificate, but it’s your responsibility to obtain this very important document for your personal records.
I highly recommend getting two original copies of your certified marriage certificate as this is an important document so getting an extra certified copy is a good idea.
Marriage Certificate:
If you’re already married and would like me to perform a public ceremony for your family and friends, I’ll need to see your Certified Marriage Certificate as proof that you’re already married.