How to Apply for a Marriage License in Michigan

Co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD

Last Updated: May 23, 2021 Approved

Getting married in Michigan involves more than just showing up before an officiant and friends and family to exchange vows. Your and your prospective spouse need to fill out a Michigan Marriage License application at least three days in advance of the wedding. You both must also provide certain information in order to receive their marriage license.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Preparing to Apply

1
Confirm that you and your partner are eligible to marry one another. You can visit the Michigan government website for their laws regarding eligible marriages.
- Age - You must be at least 16 years old to get married in Michigan. If you are under 18 years of age, you must show a certified copy of your birth certificate and have the written consent of one parent or legal guardian, who also must appear at the time of application with picture identification (such as a driver's license or passport).^{[1]
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- Family Relation - Note that Michigan does not grant marriage licenses for marriages between members of the same family, including between first cousins. Marriages between second cousins is not, however, considered illegal.^{[2]
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- Sex - As of June 2015, same-sex and different sex partners are allowed to get married. ^{[3]
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2
Gather the appropriate identification and documentation. Each party will need the following to fill out and submit the marriage license application:^{[5]
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- Valid driver's license or state ID to show proof of identification and residency. Note that you do not need to be a resident of Michigan to marry in the state. More information on this is provided in step 3.
- Certified copy of birth certificate. Hospital certificates and/or baptismal certificates will not be accepted. You can also use a valid passport if you do not have a certified copy of your birth certificate, but note that you will need to provide the full names of both parents and the state or country in which they were born. If a previous marriage ended in divorce in the last six months before you If it was within the last 6 months, you will need to bring proof of the divorce that can be left with the Clerk.
- Social Security numbers of both parties.
- Any information regarding previous marriages including full name of former spouse, date of divorce or death, county, and state of dissolution or death of spouse. If you are divorced within the last 6 months, you will need to bring proof of the divorce that can be left with the Clerk.
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3
Locate the county clerk's office in the county where you live. This is where you will submit your marriage application.
- If you are a Michigan resident (meaning you have a valid driver's license or state I.D.), you must apply in the county where you live. If both partners are Michigan residents, you can apply in either county. The license is valid throughout the state.
- Out-of-state couples who want to get married in Michigan need to apply to the county in which they are to be married. The license is only valid for that county.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Applying for a Marriage License

1
Go to the county clerk's office and fill out the Marriage License application. Bring all of your supporting documentation. A number of counties also offer online applications that you can fill out online instead of going to the clerk's office.
2
Pay the license fee. Michigan residents pay a $20 fee.^{[6]
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Research source} Out-of-state wedding applicants pay $30. Most offices accept cash, credit cards, and money orders. Note that if you pay online, you must pay with a credit card.
- If you are applying in person, it is a good idea to plan to bring cash. Some offices will only accept cash payments.^{[7]
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- A probate court can waive the fee in cases where there is undue hardship. Check with your local county clerk if this is an option for you.
3
Wait three days after filing the application. After applying in person or online, you can pick up your marriage license on the third day following the date of application (provided that you meet all of the requirements above). You must pick up your license at the office where you filed the application.
- In some counties, you can apply for a waiver of the three-day waiting period for a $10 fee. Check in advance with your county clerk's office to confirm whether this is an option for you.^{[8]
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- One or both parties must appear to apply for the marriage license, or if you applied online, you must pick the license up in person. If only one applicant is present, you must have all items listed above for both parties (a photocopy, front and back, of your partner's driver's license or state ID will be accepted).
- Your license will come with an original copy and a duplicate. The original goes back to the clerk's office after the marriage is pronounced, and you get the other one for your own records.
4
Get married! The license is valid for 33 days. If your ceremony is more than 34 days from the date of application, your license will not be valid and you will need to reapply.
- Prior to the wedding ceremony, hand the application to the person solemnizing the wedding vows.
- A marriage can be solemnized by a district court judge in Michigan, a district court magistrate in Michigan, a municipal judge in Michigan, a judge of probate in Michigan, a federal judge, a mayor in the county, a county clerk, or a minister of the gospel or cleric or religious practitioner in Michigan. Non-resident ministers of the gospel and clerics and religious practitioners can also solemnize marriages in Michigan as long as he or she is authorized to solemnize marriages according to his or her state's laws.^{[9]
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- After the ceremony, have the authorized official who performed the marriage ceremony sign the marriage license, along with the bride and the groom and two witnesses (who must be at least 18 years of age). The part marked "duplicate" is given to the newlyweds, and the original must be submitted to the county clerk that issued it within 10 days.^{[10]
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- The marriage license can be used as proof of marriage if one party wishes to change her name after the marriage.