Texas Marriage Requirements

Appear before the county clerk (if an applicant cannot personally appear, then any adult or the other applicant may appear on behalf of the absent applicant.);

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Submit proof of identity and age;

Provide applicable information in the application; and

Take the oath and sign the application before the county clerk.

Pay the fees.

The marriage ceremony does not have to occur in Texas. The ceremony may occur in another state, another country or in international waters.

However, the applicants should realize that if questions arise, the validity of the marriage may be subject to the jurisdiction of the area where the marriage occurred. Research the laws and seek independent legal advice before the ceremony, if necessary.

Applicants for the marriage license must be at least 18 years old to get married without consent

A person under the age of 18 must present the following to the county clerk:

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• Documents establishing parental consent;

• Documents showing that a prior marriage has been resolved; or

• A court order authorizing the marriage of the person.

There are no residency requirements.

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There is no blood test requirement.

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Witnesses are not required in Texas.

This is one reason Texas is great for destination weddings!

You must wait 72 hours after obtaining the license before you can marry.

This can be waived for active duty military or Department of Defense employees and contractors.

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The license expires 90 days from the date it’s issued. Once the license has expired, it can’t be used to get married; you will have to apply for a new license.

The fees vary from county to county.

If a couple attends the state of Texas approved marriage education course, then they don’t have to pay the state portion of the fee; however, they still must pay the county portion of the fees.

Additionally, a member of the National Guard on federal active duty, or a member of the armed forces of the United States on active duty, who is preparing to be deployed to serve in a hostile fire zone as designated by the United States Secretary of Defense is exempt from marriage license fees.

When applying for a marriage license, each applicant must indicate that he or she has not been divorced within the last 30 days (unless the applicants were divorced from each other).